TL;DR: Microsoft is eliminating a workaround that allowed users to bypass the requirement of having a Microsoft account during the Windows 11 setup process. This change means users will now need a ...

A newly discovered trick allows Windows 11 users to bypass Microsoft’s online account requirement during setup, raising questions around user control and privacy. The workaround, shared by X user ...

There are plenty of people, for plenty of reasons, who really don’t want to sign into their copy of Windows 11 using a Microsoft account, no matter how seamless an experience this brings to the ...

Microsoft has fired its latest salvo in the battle against Windows 11 customers who would rather sign in with a local account than a Microsoft account. Announcing a new Windows 11 Insider build, the ...

A popular method to bypass a Microsoft Account during setup is to use a script named 'C:\windows\system32\oobe\BypassNRO.cmd.' When run during Windows 11 setup, it creates a Registry value that ...

For some time now, Microsoft has also required users to log in to their computer with an online account in the home editions of Windows 10 and 11. Although it’s ...

Fans of local computer accounts everywhere, rejoice, for when a door closes, another one opens. Windows 11 hackers have found yet another way to bypass the installer's Microsoft account requirement, ...

Microsoft is tightening the reins on new installations of Windows 11 with stricter Microsoft account requirements. As participants in the Windows Insider Program have ...

This process is called a clean install, which is ironic as there's nothing particularly clean about it: Microsoft has enshittified Windows Setup.