Slowly but surely, Windows 11 is updating and changing its policies to persuade the maximum number of users from its predecessor to update. Filled with bugs and incomprehensible features, Windows 11 has long been mocked and scorned by users.
The requirement to connect with a Microsoft account at the first launch of Windows 11 was one of the reasons that deterred some from leaving Windows 10. Currently, the operating system mandates the connection to a Microsoft account during the system installation, preventing users from directly setting up their PC with a local account.
It is therefore mandatory to connect your PC to a network to configure it; otherwise, Windows 11 simply refuses to continue the installation. A way to force the user to use Microsoft applications, such as Copilot or Bing.
But it seems that the situation is about to change, according to a post on X by Scott Hanselman, Vice President of the Developer Community at Microsoft. When asked “Nothing concerning the removal of the obligation to connect to a Microsoft account online to use the computer?”, Mr. Hanselman replied that he “hates it” and that he is “working on it.”
This response suggests that Microsoft is considering removing, or at least relaxing, the obligation to connect to a Microsoft account.
An obligation that can be circumvented, but…
Even if a user does not want to use services associated with a Microsoft account, they are still required to connect to it during the initial configuration of Windows 11. While local accounts still exist, they cannot be used at the first launch. First, a Microsoft account must be created and then converted into a local account, which does not require internet access.
In the future, it is imaginable that Microsoft will allow the use of a local account to configure Windows 11, even if the user decides to skip Microsoft services.
