- Microsoft inadvertently highlighted the benefits of using a local account over a Microsoft account on Windows 11 in a recent support page update.
- Using a local account allows for offline sign-in, is independent of cloud services, and limits settings, files, and applications to a single device, enhancing privacy.
- Despite these benefits, Microsoft requires internet access or workarounds for the initial setup of Windows 11, making it challenging to use a local account from the start.
The online requirements are unnerving to me. I feel like Microsoft wants my personal files. I don’t think it’s to outright steal or scam, but there is something in everyone’s data they want. Maybe AI training. Anyway I’m not giving it up willingly.
This is part of why I preach Linux. I don’t care what distro, just get away from Microsoft.
I don’t care what distro
ChromeOS it is!
Wait no!
Nah, too much freedom. Use Red Star OS to properly restrict your activities and let NK know what you’re doing.
If I could use Linux and still play multiplayer video games with anti cheat I would be so happy…
There are still lots of reasons why many of us use Windows. Like work machines for example
Sure, but if you have the option, you shouldn’t choose it. One reason so many businesses use Windows is that everyone knows Windows. If everyone learns Linux, more companies will use Linux.
Not to mention it will save the penny pinching corporations thousands of dollars in licenses
This is what it comes down to. Nearly every office job pays for the Microsoft enterprise suite and office 365 subscriptions, before tacking on third party tools for monitoring and info. sec. for IT. I would gladly ditch Office 365 for Open Office and Debian, assuming all the higher ups would be willing to take such drastic measures to reduce expenses. I think most employees would balk at learning “an entire new system” regardless of how minor the differences actually are at this point.
I’ll give 'em this: Microsoft’s model creates very sticky revenue with high switching costs.
Yeah no argument there from me, just wanted to point out that it’s not always a choice
Another reason is that you are virtually guaranteed to find any application you need that supports Windows.
Under duress I hope.
Under penalty of death
Yep its easier than ever to get into it and even works with games via steam now. My computer runs soo much faster than with windows.
I don’t think it’s to outright steal or scam
It is. They’re a monopoly. It’s illegal and unethical. And, just poor design.
It is way more. It is a means of manipulation and influence over your decisions, and the decisions others make about you. The issue boils down to a fundamental principal of your right to autonomy. If you play out this philosophically, it is an attack on your citizenship and democracy itself. Autonomy is a fundamental cornerstone of democracy. Attacks on autonomy are attacks on democracy.
Does anybody remember back in 2005 when Google had a plugin for windows xp that would index your entire hard drive and give you quick search for your files?
How things have changed.
We use Everything for that now
Someone asked Copilot to come up with that text…
Since they mentioned the workarounds but didn’t explain them, I’m copying my comment from another post a couple of weeks ago.
Lemmy probably isn’t the target audience for this, here’s the steps to bypass the MS account requirement when setting up W11:
Configure your keyboard, but before you select your wifi network press Shift+(Fn)+F10 to open Command Prompt.
Type in the following command and press enter. Your computer will reboot: oobe\bypassnro
After the reboot, configure your keyboard and location settings, and click the option at the bottom of the page to say that you don’t want to connect to the internet
Click the link on the next page to “Continue with limited setup”, then follow the prompts to enter a username and password.
or write your windows ISO using rufus and check the “no MS account” checkbox.
That was SO TIGHT when I saw that option recently when I reinstalled windows ❤️
Newer versions won’t allow you run the command prompt in the initial setup environment.
I successfully did it on a brand new Inspiron laptop yesterday morning. I do regular device configs for my organization, and the moment this stops working, I’ll be here to rage about it!
Thr FN part is notable if you have a recent computer. A lot of laptops and keyboards ship out with media keys as the default on the top row now, and you must hold the FN key to use F10. Lot of people don’t realize this and think Shift+F10 isn’t working.
Possibly an easier option: you can let it connect to the internet, and then when it tells you to set up a Microsoft account, click on “Other sign in options” (or whatever it says beneath the text box). Then select “Domain Join instead”. It’ll let you use a local account, expecting you to join it to a domain later, then you just…don’t join it to a domain.
Always be sure to use something like O&O ShutUp10 or Winaero Tweaker after you reach the desktop, so you can shut off all the bullshit, otherwise it will keep harassing you to make an account. I think you need to uninstall OneDrive too, to stop it hijacking the address bar in file explorer with constant nagging to set it up
. A lot of laptops and keyboards ship out with media keys as the default on the top row now
That’s always the first setting I disable in the UEFI. I hate it.
I use the media keys much more frequently than I need Function keys.
In that case, it makes sense. I guess it differs depending on use case.
I’m a developer and am stepping through code in a debugger pretty frequently, which makes heavy use of the F keys. I use the F keys far more often than the media keys.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Using a Microsoft account lets you connect your PC to Microsoft cloud services, sync files across devices, and even sync your settings across multiple PCs.
But I believe there are users who would view Microsoft’s reasons against using a local account as positives, not negatives.
I use a Microsoft account and sync just about everything across multiple PCs, but I understand that’s not the preferred setup for everyone.
The support document does not list a way to set up your PC with a local account.
I wonder how many people cannot use a modern PC because they lack an internet connection for the initial setup process.
Microsoft is certainly aware that many people lack easy access to the web.
The original article contains 497 words, the summary contains 119 words. Saved 76%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Just don’t use windows. Noones forcing u to use that thing.
The OEMs do…
Then buy a laptop with Linux preinstalled! The popular OEM usually only offer windows laptops but with a simple google search u can find some Linux laptops and nothing is stopping you from installing Linux on that windows laptop. (Are they starting to oem lock like some androids?
Yeah, that’s what I’ve been doing, but most people would be stuck with whatever got force-fed to them because they don’t know any better.
The summary is slightly misleading, you can log in offline on a computer with a MS account. In fairness, the language on the article around this is pretty confusing, but you’re not locked out of your PC if your Internet is down, which is what the bullet point summary implies.
offline on a computer with a MS account
That’s technically impossible because you must create an account… online. Also it’s a Microsoft account which is worse.
Well, yeah, but that’s the clarification I’m making. By default you DO need a connection to create or sign in to an account to complete the install process as it’s currently presented, but once an account is set up you can log in to that machine whether it’s connected to the Internet or not. The summary makes it sound like you need to be online for every login, which is not the case.
