Microsoft's Windows 11 forces online accounts; Rufus workaround

Microsoft has tightened Windows 11 setup so that a Microsoft account is required during the initial configuration, eliminating the native option for a local‑only account. The company says the change prevents setup errors and promotes a unified experience across its services such as OneDrive, Office 365 and Copilot.

Despite the restriction, users can still install Windows 11 with a local account by using the free utility Rufus. Rufus creates a bootable USB drive from a Windows 11 ISO and includes options that disable the online‑account requirement, allowing a traditional local profile to be created during installation. The process involves downloading the official ISO, selecting it in Rufus, configuring the appropriate settings, and then starting the installation from the prepared USB stick.