Microsoft has a track record of introducing features people never requested. Remember Recall? The controversial AI screenshot feature that captured everything on your screen raised serious privacy concerns.
The pattern continues with Copilot integration everywhere, from Paint to Notepad. Microsoft keeps pushing AI assistants into every corner of Windows 11, often making them seemingly impossible to disable.
These forced additions share a common theme: they require internet connectivity and cloud services. Microsoft wants your data flowing through their servers, wrapped in the guise of helpful features.
Now, it has quietly introduced another controversial change that removes user choice during Windows 11 installation.
Freedom to Choose? What's That?
Source: Windows Latest
Microsoft is testing a change that blocks all known methods to create local accounts during Windows 11's initial setup (OOBE). Previously, people could run simple commands or tricks to skip the Microsoft account requirement. Those workarounds no longer work in Insider Preview builds currently being tested.
Windows Latest tested build 26220.6772 in the Dev and Beta channels and confirmed none of the bypass methods work anymore. If this change were to ship with the stable builds, Windows 11 Home users would need to sign in with a Microsoft account during initial setup.
Windows 11 Pro users still have one option (at least on the test builds), they can use Domain Join to create local accounts. Third-party tools like Rufus can also be used to create modified installation files that skip this requirement. But for regular Home edition users, Microsoft appears ready to remove this choice.
As I said earlier, this change is currently in Insider Preview builds in the Dev and Beta channels. If it follows Microsoft's usual rollout pattern, then it could reach stable versions within two to three months via Windows Update.
And here's the kicker. Microsoft still lets you remove your Microsoft account after setup completes. You can sign in during installation, reach the desktop, then immediately sign out and create a local account.
This makes their excuse about "ensuring devices are set up correctly" look like complete nonsense. If a Microsoft account was truly necessary for proper configuration, why allow immediate removal? It's just another dark pattern in their flagship operating system.
The timing is suspicious too. Windows 10 reaches end of life on October 14, 2025, just days away. Millions will be pressured to migrate to Windows 11, and this restriction could be waiting for them.
Lastly, this goes without saying: switching to Linux is a great choice in 2025.
Ankush Das
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