In a recent update, Microsoft changed the setup process for Windows 11 PCs, making it more problematic for users set up devices with local accounts.
Previously it was possible to avoid the login request by entering blocked email addresses, such as [email protected], [email protected]or [email protected]followed by a random password.
This trick allowed users to proceed with the creating a local account. However, Microsoft has now blocked this ability, and if you try to use an invalid email address, the system returns an error message and takes you back to the email entry screen.
Despite this, there is still a method to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. At the login screen, by pressing Shift + F10 and typing OOBE/BYPASSNROusers can set up a local account if your computer is not connected to the Internet.
This option, however, may not be intuitive for users less tech-savvy, who may ultimately opt to create an unwanted online account.
Using a Microsoft account makes the initial setup of a new computer easier, but removing the ability to use offline accounts does caused discontent among usersincluding well-known figures such as Elon Musk.
This move fits into a broader context in which Microsoft has introduced other controversial elements, such as advertisements in the Start menu, Remind Windows 10 users to update and introduce a watermark for PCs that do not support AI features.
These changes reflect a broader trend in the software industry, which is seeing a transition from selling products to individual payments to the subscription of recurring services.
This model, already adopted for Microsoft Office with the transition to Microsoft 365, seems to be be in the home stretch also for the operating system Windows. Users are therefore increasingly pushed towards monthly or annual subscriptions to be able to use hardware they have already purchased.
