Microsoft VP Scott Hanselman hinted at removing the mandatory Microsoft account setup for Windows 11, addressing a long-standing user frustration.

Microsoft knows we want local accounts, not Microsoft accounts, but I don't think they'll deliver it -- even on the Windows 11 apology tour. After years of pissing me and other Windows 11 users off, ...

Microsoft really wants you to use a Microsoft account when setting up Windows 11, and that’s why the company has been killing the workarounds for using Windows 11 with only a local account. Even so, a ...

A new Windows 11 setup trick reportedly allows users to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account or an active internet connection. The workaround is surprisingly simple and works directly from ...

A single click is all it takes for Windows 11 Home users to skip Microsoft's mandatory account sign-in, according to a method shared by X user Bob Pony, who posts as @TheBobPony, on September 12, 2026 ...

After a 7-year corporate stint, Tanveer found his love for writing and tech too much to resist. An MBA in Marketing and the owner of a PC building business, he writes on PC hardware, technology, and ...

A Microsoft VP doesn't like forcing a Microsoft account in Windows. This means the company may finally let you use a local account instead. This is part of an effort to make Windows more reliable and ...

Use left and right arrow keys to seek audio. If you've been hoping for an easy way to make a local account with a Windows 11 installation, apparently your wish has come true - via an improbable ...

Use left and right arrow keys to seek audio. Microsoft appears to be turning over several new leaves with Windows 11 - or indeed rewriting the entire book to an extent - with plans to improve and fix ...

Patrick O'Rourke is XDA's News Editor and Entertainment Segment Lead. Previously, he was Pocket-lint's Editor-in-Chief, the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian tech publication MobileSyrup, and earlier in his ...