Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account

garlin · Oct 9, 2025

It's not a mistake, MS wants users to exceed the default free quota for OneDrive (by adding backups to the mix), and accept paying for extra storage. Then upselling O365/M365 isn't that hard when you're already paying for extra OneDrive storage.

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

That's why I prefer a Legacy installation. My main PC (2nd system specs) is unsupported anyway, so I have a Legacy BIOS installation and avoid all issues associated with UEFI and Secure Boot, such as new certificates, automatic drive encryption by BitLocker etc. I also prefer to create a local administrator account to avoid all issues related to Microsoft account, such as OneDrive misbehaving, undesired synching of my browser etc.

Margarita · Oct 9, 2025

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

People always complain about Microsoft's bundled apps, while they can just ignore them and use any other third-party apps they like. I remember back in Windows 98 they were complaining about the integrated Internet Explorer 4.0 and Media Player. As always Microsoft was trying to make Windows more user friendly. They bundled Internet Explorer and Media Player so newbies could adopt and use Windows without having to install a browser and media player. Even worse, back then you had to buy the third-party browsers and there was no third-party alternative for Media Player. So they really did us a favor. Today they hate Microsoft Edge, Photos, TV & Movies, OneDrive etc. But nobody forces you to use them, just install any third-party alternatives. However Microsoft Edge is still useful to download a third-party browser in the first place and to access Microsoft Update Catalog. Now it is possible from other browsers, but before you couldn't.

FreeBooter · Oct 9, 2025

In this guide, I’ll outline the methods that still work to bypass the online account and connection requirements for setting up Windows 11.

Hazel123 · Oct 9, 2025

Maybe the way round this is to download the 25H2 iso now - while it's still possible to use the workarounds. I downloaded it yesterday and installed with a local account (although that was with rufus). But if the current iso hasn't remove it yet, then having that iso for future use could be helpful.

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

Whatever "holes" they "plug", they will never remove Audit mode (CTRL+SHIFT+F3). This means you skip OOBE and login with the built-in Administrator account. OEMs use it to install the drivers and theirs apps without creating a user account. Next time the computer restarts it goes to OOBE again. While in Audit mode you can manually create a local account, so OOBE will detect it and skip asking to create a new account. Just login with the already present local account! This is the one workaround they can never "plug"!

cheaterslick · Oct 9, 2025

Edwin said:
The problem is, for many unsuspecting users, whether it's because of ignorance or naivety, the program screws with your data before you even realize it's there and what it's doing!

That's true. And it's turned on by default and not added in as an option. You have to physically disable or remove it.

There may come a day where this is not option. -

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

We experts realize something is wrong when Office apps try to save documents in OneDrive as default rather than the Documents folder. But an inexperienced user cannot realize the difference and then wonders where all his/her documents gone. Before disabling or removing OneDrive, (s)he must first move all data locally.

cheaterslick · Oct 9, 2025

spapakons said:
However Microsoft Edge is still useful to download a third-party browser in the first place and to access Microsoft Update Catalog. Now it is possible from other browsers, but before you couldn't.

Edge needs to be reigned in, big time. I used to feel Chrome was the spyware baddie king, but Chrome now looks tame compared to Edge.

Everytime I open Edge, I feel like a whole pile of adware comes tumbling in with it. Pop-up ads, flying windowz, lilacs and daffodils and dancing bears floating across the screen, ads squeezing the article's text in from both sides, etc..etc...

If I didn't have to use it to VPN to my company's website for work, I would delete it off my machines. Jeez...

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

Google search is not better, regarding ads, at least it provides more reliable results than Bing. I don't dare to buy something or even search for something without buying and then Google gives me a lot of relevant ads. Accidentally, I presume, not that they spy on me... No!!!

Fabler2 · Oct 9, 2025

cheaterslick said:
Edge needs to be reigned in, big time. I used to feel Chrome was the spyware baddie king, but Chrome now looks tame compared to Edge.

Everytime I open Edge, I feel like a whole pile of adware comes tumbling in with it. Pop-up ads, flying windowz, lilacs and daffodils and dancing bears floating across the screen, ads squeezing the article's text in from both sides, etc..etc...

If I didn't have to use it to VPN to my company's website for work, I would delete it off my machines. Jeez...

It could be that you've not set up Edge to your liking? I use DuckDuckGo as default search engine (google is crap IMHO) and a bare New Tab page. Also have a lot of the browser settings turned off. I quite like the browser but each to their own as they say.

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

Back in the 90's I had tested many search engines, such as Lycos, Altavista, Yahoo. There was not Google or Bing yet. I found out that Yahoo gave me more relevant results, so I was using than and I have even a free Yahoo mail. After I tried Google I saw it is better, so I stick with it. I also tried Bing, it is not as good as Google Search. It has been improved, but still I find Google better, so I set it as default in my browsers. I haven't tried DuckDuckGo.

PS: I just did. It seems to bring good results, although having a funny name.

cheaterslick · Oct 9, 2025

Fabler2 said:
It could be that you've not set up Edge to your liking? I use DuckDuckGo as default search engine (google is crap IMHO) and a bare New Tab page. Also have a lot of the browser settings turned off. I quite like the browser but each to their own as they say.

Oh yeah, I know about the settings it has to cut down on that stuff, but it's enabled by default and this is what everybody encounters when they first use Edge.

I've since re-set many of those settings including some ad-blocker plug-ins that are available. It still feels like adware to me, though...

SlicEnDicE · Oct 9, 2025

Only default things I don't use in Windows are Windows Media Player, Copilot and Widgets. The rest is OK for basic stuff. I even have Edge installed on my Linux instances and on my phone.

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

I find some Microsoft Edge features useful and I don't see anything similar in other browsers. These are the ability to zoom on any image and the list of previous typed words. For example, I use our work webmail to send or receive emails. In Microsoft Edge there is a list with the latest typed subjects, so I just pick the one I want from the list. In Firefox or Chrome there is no such list, I have to manually type the same subject every time and this is not convenient.

SlicEnDicE · Oct 9, 2025

Yeah it has been very useful for me ever since they moved over to Chrome base. I tried to like Edge Spartan, but while being mostly quite good, it had its issues and flaws. Alternative browsers has nothing special I desire.

spapakons · Oct 9, 2025

Until it was abandoned and eventually removed, I used Internet Explorer 11. It could use both ActiveX and Plugins and had more features than the other browsers. Also I liked that I could tweak every single detail, while other browsers have limited configuration. Instead of using Microsoft Edge Chromium, they could just offer an Internet Explorer 12 combining the features of IE 11 and new features of MS Edge. Best of both worlds.

PS: Don't tell anyone, but you can load IE 11 in Windows 11. There is a script to open it like it was in Windows 10, not just IE mode in MS Edge. Pity it cannot open most modern sites... By spoofing the User Agent you can watch Netflix, YouTube and some other "incompatible" sites. Not everything like before, but better than nothing.

PS: I just opened IE 11 and tested www.elevenforum.com It appears all white (theme is not rendered properly) and you cannot make out the menu/buttons. In the other hand, www.tenforums.com seems to appear properly.

fg2001gf11F · Oct 25, 2025

Wolfzz said:
Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account

Microsoft is disabling the best local account workarounds

www.theverge.com

Microsoft clamping down on Windows 11 local account setup — latest Insider build removes 'local-only commands,' skipping Microsoft account sign-in will crash setup process

Microsoft is clamping down on the practice

www.tomshardware.com

After creating the Canary 27975.1 ISO and USB installation media from uupdump, I tried a clean install, and I saw that OOBE\BYPASSNRO is now available again with this build. Also, the command "start ms-cxh:localonly" is available again.
I hope they leave those there, so that I don't have to find some other workaround.

We'll see what happens when Microsoft releases an official ISO for Canary.

Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account

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