Windows 11 Soon Will Require an MS Account and Internet Connection During Setup Like Win 11 Home

hsehestedt · Feb 18, 2022

Windows 11 Pro will soon require a Microsoft Account when setting up for the first time

Internet and Microsoft Account will be required on both Windows 11 Home and Pro.

www.windowscentral.com

I know that this is going to bug a lot of people. For those who are bothered by this requirement, I suggest getting familiar with a little bit of basic unattended setup to bypass this requirement.

One of the nice things about unattended setup is that you can set it up in a very granular way so you could have it create a local account for you but still allow you to manually step through other parts of setup, if you so choose.

ThrashZone · Feb 18, 2022

Hi,
It will be a cold day in hell before I use a ms account for an os.

AdvancedSetup · Feb 18, 2022

I don't know. I downloaded the ISO for Windows 11 and installed it just a couple days ago and had no trouble disabling my network and doing the install. Though the writing is on the wall that Microsoft wants to go down this path. It will depend on how many people object to this but my guess is very few and not enough to persuade Microsoft from doing this. It has been a huge money maker for them getting more and more people on their Cloud services and Store apps.

hsehestedt · Feb 18, 2022

AdvancedSetup said:
I don't know. I downloaded the ISO for Windows 11 and installed it just a couple days ago and had no trouble disabling my network and doing the install.

Correct. This is something that is yet to occur, it is not yet happening with current builds.

FJRMarty · Feb 18, 2022

Well, you won't volunteer to phone home, so....

cereberus · Feb 18, 2022

hsehestedt said:
Windows 11 Pro will soon require a Microsoft Account when setting up for the first time

Internet and Microsoft Account will be required on both Windows 11 Home and Pro.

www.windowscentral.com

I know that this is going to bug a lot of people. For those who are bothered by this requirement, I suggest getting familiar with a little bit of basic unattended setup to bypass this requirement.

One of the nice things about unattended setup is that you can set it up in a very granular way so you could have it create a local account for you but still allow you to manually step through other parts of setup, if you so choose.

This is mentioned in the latest DEV blog, and has already been partly enabled.

You cannot install Windows on new dev version (at least I could not) without being connected to internet.

You can still use a local account at the moment.

Even though this is not needed YET, I tested the old "enter a false email address" and after a few goes, it gave up and jumped to local account menu. However, I can see MS disabling this loophole.

It is arrogant of MS to assume all users connect to internet - many labs use pcs as dataloggers and do not want to connect to internet for security reasons.

This change is really annoying for Pro users who create VMs in Hyper-V, as each vm gets logged in devices in your online MS account if you use an MS account.

If MS are going to be that dictatorial, they could at least allow you to enter your own account name rather than creating it from your email address.

Any MS devs lurking here, grow the "b@lls" to tell your management that this is a really bad move for Pro user!

Brink · Feb 18, 2022

I can understand the Internet requirement if setting up a Microsoft Account during setup.

I can also understand the Microsoft account requirement if for a WIP (Insider) build.

We'll have to wait and see if the workarounds in step 21 below will still work to set up a local account during setup for non WIP builds.

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

GUMBY · Feb 19, 2022

My OCD just spiked. I like seeing just my user name for the folder, etc. I hated seeing my email address everywhere. I setup local then switch to my MS account.

moob · Feb 19, 2022

When an internet connection is absolutely required for use microsoft produtcs, Linux will be the answer.

Fabler2 · Feb 19, 2022

According to this article it could be something to do with encryption turned on by default, it also goes on to suggest that the EU might not be happy about it.

Who knows.

Windows 11 Pro Is Making A Microsoft Account And Internet Connection Mandatory For Setup

Microsoft starting to require Microsoft Account on almost all editions of Windows 11.

hothardware.com

TairikuOkami · Feb 19, 2022

I actually want to use MS account, but to my surprise during the setup yesterday, 11 created a local account instead, even though there was internet connection, since it downloaded updates. When I installed 11 last time, it used MS account automatically.

Edwin · Feb 19, 2022

Pretty soon you won't be able to use your computer at all without an internet connection!

TairikuOkami · Feb 19, 2022

Well there is nothing to do on the computer when there is no internet. :yawn:

Superfly · Feb 19, 2022

Edwin said:
Pretty soon you won't be able to use your computer at all without an internet connection!

Always use Firewall rules - I assume with applying an image with dism one can get around this stuff - need to boot to a PE first though.

obelix · Feb 19, 2022

You don't even have to put your microsoft account when installing windows just click outside the network account and it no longer asks you for the microsoft account. That's how it is with me when I install it on other laptops or computers.

KYHI · Feb 19, 2022

The FREE upgrade to Windows 10 was the HOOK and Windows 11 is the SINKER.... It was never about a New & Improved OS - it was always about forced market share, Data Mining and Paid subscription Apps

Edwin · Feb 19, 2022

TairikuOkami said:
Well there is nothing to do on the computer when there is no internet.

I do a ton of work on the computer for which I don't necessarily need an internet connection!

Edwin · Feb 19, 2022

KYHI said:
The FREE upgrade to Windows 10 was the HOOK and Windows 11 is the SINKER.... It was never about a New & Improved OS - it was always about forced market share, Data Mining and Paid subscription Apps

Without a doubt!
Keep you connected, get to know you intimately, shove all manner of cruft down your throat and empty your wallet!
That's the way of it! The magic of the internet! Gotta love it!

Superfly · Feb 19, 2022

KYHI said:
The FREE upgrade to Windows 10 was the HOOK and Windows 11 is the SINKER.... It was never about a New & Improved OS - it was always about forced market share, Data Mining and Paid subscription Apps

Yep.

Those that stuck with Win 7 are OK.. (not so for XP.. too many security holes) there may be many going back.. whether people will ever appreciate Linux.. IDK.

ThrashZone · Feb 19, 2022

Hi,
Yeah credit card or some accepted form of payment for other ms services that aren't free

No big deal really there is nothing exceptional about 11 just more obnoxious demands security wise plus what ever else ms can think of later like ms account/ internet/....

I'm fine with dumping four 11 pro's and it really just saves four ssd's for other os's.

Windows 11 Soon Will Require an MS Account and Internet Connection During Setup Like Win 11 Home

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