New Windows 11 trick lets you bypass Microsoft Account requirement

by throw7on 4/3/2025, 1:09 PMwith 39 comments

by xnxon 4/3/2025, 3:37 PM

> When installing Windows 11 and you reach the screen asking, "Let's connect you to a network," you can use the Shift+F10 keyboard combination to open a Windows command prompt.

> At this prompt, type start ms-cxh:localonly and press Enter

by ziddoapon 4/3/2025, 1:32 PM

I think Microsoft gets a bit more hate than they deserve here, but the whole Microsoft account thing is actually absurd, to the point it's almost offensive.

Please Microsoft, just let me use a local account on my PC. Either leave this workaround in place, or better yet, just let people make a local account without a workaround. It's pretty clear the demand is there, considering how many posts there are asking/telling about the workarounds.

I can't help but think of the common n-gate phrase: "Microsoft continues the war against it's own users".

by Svipon 4/3/2025, 1:31 PM

I recall in the late 00s, how configuring Linux to run properly on a laptop was a fraught experience. And I won't deny there was a particularly broken installation that made me revert to Windows. But that amount of time spent configuring and fiddling with tutorials found random places online weren't caused by a malicious developer, so I was more than willing to put in the effort.

by luke-stanleyon 4/3/2025, 5:17 PM

Why would tricks be needed? What about consumer rights, or such?

by ReptileManon 4/3/2025, 1:35 PM

Does anyone has any good explanation why MS top brass is so thick headed on the topic?

by imbnwaon 4/5/2025, 12:18 AM

This is why need SteamOS

by phkahleron 4/3/2025, 1:36 PM

Linux will let you use your computer without a Microsoft account. No tricks required.

by hkchadon 4/3/2025, 4:14 PM

I've always setup Windows w/o connecting it to the internet first, never had to resort to any 'tricks' to bypass the account issue.