The Windows setup process has generally required an Internet connection and Microsoft account sign-in since the Windows 11 ...

One of the downgrades that Windows 10 users experience when moving to Windows 11, especially when clean-installing the newer operating system, is the inability to create a local account and set up ...

Microsoft is removing more methods that help users create local Windows accounts and bypass the Microsoft account requirement when installing Windows 11. The change ...

Microsoft is cracking down on bypass methods that let Windows 11 installs use a local account, and avoid an internet requirement during the setup process. In a new Windows 11 test build released today ...

Microsoft is making it harder than ever to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. In the latest Insider Preview Build (26220.6772), the company has removed several long-standing tricks people ...

Microsoft is now mandating the use of a Microsoft account during Windows 11 setup, removing workarounds for local account creation. The company states this ensures devices are fully configured and ...

Microsoft is removing known workarounds for local account creation in Windows 11 setup (OOBE), effectively making a Microsoft Account (MSA) mandatory for most users. The company cites proper ...

Microsoft is tightening the screws on local account creation in Windows 11, removing well-known workarounds that let users skip the Microsoft account requirement during setup, with an active internet ...

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft ended Windows 10 support, putting the ten-year-old operating system to rest. This forces millions of users to upgrade their systems to Windows 11, and with its ...