Windows 11 can no longer be installed without a Microsoft account
Kyiv • UNN
Microsoft has blocked ways to bypass the requirement for an account when installing Windows 11. In the new test version of the OS, users will have to connect to the Internet and create a Microsoft account to complete the system setup.
Microsoft has blocked ways to bypass the requirement to have an account when installing Windows 11. In the new test version of the OS, users will have to connect to the Internet and create a Microsoft account to complete the system setup, writes UNN with reference to The Verge.
Details
As the publication notes, Microsoft is eliminating known bypass methods that allowed installing Windows 11 with a local account without an Internet connection, as they can cause problems during system setup. These changes mean that Windows 11 users in future OS versions will need to complete OOBE screens with an Internet connection and a Microsoft account.
We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account during the first launch of Windows (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also unintentionally skip critically important setup screens, which can lead to users exiting OOBE on a device that is not fully configured for use.
Earlier this year, Microsoft already removed the "bypassnro" workaround, and now has also blocked the "start ms-cxh:localonly" command, which allowed skipping the Microsoft account requirement, but now resets the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) process and does not allow bypassing the Internet connection. These methods were often used by Windows 11 Pro and Home users to create local accounts without complex settings.
As the publication notes, many Windows users wanted to avoid using a Microsoft account or set up a user folder name that Windows 11 creates based on the email address of the Microsoft account.
However, Microsoft is now adding a way to name the default user folder during the setup process, although this will require using a command to get a custom folder name, the publication says.