■ Microsoft blocks known OOBE workarounds that create local-only accounts.
■ OOBE now requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account; skipping may result in misconfigured devices, argues the company.
■ It's in Dev/Beta now—use the next few weeks to set up a local account, or switch to Linux like me.
Microsoft would really prefer you not use a local account on Windows. The company has added extra features for logging into Windows with a Microsoft account, and in exchange, it uses the data it receives from these accounts to improve its services. Using a local account makes it harder for the company to do that, and it has been cracking down on all the ways people use to dodge the sign-in requirement during the out-of-box experience (OOBE).
People used a method that bypassed the OOBE and allowed them to skip the mandatory Microsoft account sign-in page, instead using a local one. However, Microsoft is cracking down on people using this method by removing it entirely.
Microsoft is patching out the OOBE local account creation process
Microsoft broke the news in the Windows 11 Dev and Beta patch notes. At first, the notes describe some handy new features arriving to Windows 11, such as the ability to click on images via Click To Do and peripheral fingerprint sensor support for Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security. We're also seeing the enhanced dark mode that now catches those pesky File Explorer windows that refused to darken alongside the rest of the operating system.
However, tucked away in the middle of the notes is the following:
So, yeah. Microsoft's main argument is that skipping the OOBE screens to make a local account will "skip critical setup screens." You know, the ones where the company tries to sell you a Microsoft 365 plan and gets you set up with OneDrive. Imagine someone leaving the OOBE flow without signing up to OneDrive! The absolute horror.
This patch is still in the Dev and Beta builds, meaning it still requires a few more rounds of testing before it goes live on the main branch. As such, you have a few more weeks to make a local account before Microsoft squashes this exploit and makes it even harder to create one.
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