Microsoft is quite against you establishing a local account on Windows 11.
Microsoft is quite against you establishing a local account on Windows 11.
Microsoft is intensifying efforts to eliminate methods that enable Windows 11 installations to utilize a local account, bypassing the need for internet connectivity during the installation. In a fresh Windows 11 test build launched today, Microsoft announces the removal of previously known methods for creating local accounts since they can allegedly create problems during setup.
“We are eliminating known strategies for establishing a local account during the Windows Setup experience (OOBE),” comments Amanda Langowski, who leads the Windows Insider Program. “Although these strategies were frequently employed to avoid Microsoft account setup, they also unintentionally skip essential setup screens, which might lead users to finish OOBE with a device that is not fully prepared for use.”
These modifications imply that future versions of Windows 11 will require users to finish the OOBE screens utilizing an active internet connection and a Microsoft account.
Earlier this year, Microsoft already eliminated the “bypassnro” method, and the updates made today also deactivate the “start ms-cxh:localonly” command that Windows 11 users discovered following Microsoft’s prior updates. Utilizing this command now resets the OOBE process and fails to circumvent the requirement for a Microsoft account.
These methods have been widely employed to evade the Microsoft account or internet access requirement on Windows 11 Pro and Home installations in recent years. They are straightforward to implement, negating the need for a custom unattended answer file to compel Windows 11 to generate a local account.
Many Windows users simply seek to bypass using a Microsoft account or to alter the user folder name created by Windows 11, which is derived from the email address of a Microsoft account. Fortunately, Microsoft is introducing a method to designate your default user folder during setup, although you will need to use a command to achieve a custom folder name. It is hoped that this will eventually evolve into a straightforward option during the setup process.
