Microsoft closes Windows 11 workaround for local accounts

Microsoft has closed a simple workaround that allowed users to install Windows 11 using a local account instead of a mandatory Microsoft account. The method, which was discovered in September, involved clicking a ‘Learn more’ link during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) setup process. Previously, this link would redirect users to a dialog for creating a local user account without requiring command-line entries, registry changes, or internet disconnection.

Recent tests indicate that the link now only leads to the intended information page regarding data processing, which directs users back to the Microsoft account login screen. This change appears to have been implemented server-side, as Microsoft has not issued an official announcement.

Users seeking to avoid a Microsoft account may still have alternative options, such as using Rufus to create installation media that supports local accounts, or utilizing the ‘Work or School’ setup option in Windows 11 Pro to join a domain.