Microsoft's latest Insider Preview, Build 26220.6772, introduces a significant policy change: removal of known workarounds to skip Microsoft Account setup during Windows 11 installation (OOBE).

Microsoft is tightening its grip on the Windows installation process by blocking all known methods for setting up the system without a Microsoft account. This change, already active in the latest ...

Microsoft is blocking another way to choose a local account in Windows 11. You'd force a local account by disconnecting from the network. The block is currently in place in the latest Windows 11 ...

Microsoft is tightening the reins on new installations of Windows 11 with stricter Microsoft account requirements. As participants in the Windows Insider Program have ...

Microsoft is removing more methods that help users create local Windows accounts and bypass the Microsoft account requirement when installing Windows 11. The change ...

This is important because: Microsoft is closing the side doors to offline setup. As familiar workarounds disappear, most people are guided toward a Microsoft account on day one, which narrows choice ...

Microsoft has blocked popular commands used to bypass key Windows 11 setup screens, stating they leave users with a device 'that is not fully configured for use.' Don't miss out on our latest stories.

Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. is a senior editor and author of Notepad, who has ...

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson has proposed a $10 increase to the city's vehicle registration fee. The proposed increase would raise the annual local fee to $40 and could generate $2.7 million for ...

On August 24, 2025, tech enthusiasts commemorated three decades since Windows 95's debut—ushering in the now-ubiquitous Start menu. Yet, dissatisfaction looms over Windows 11, as users grapple with ...

DEWITT, N.Y. — Some residents in DeWitt woke up Sunday morning to thick clouds of smoke outside their windows. This was due to a large fire at Metalico Metal Recycler. A large pile of recyclable ...

Asked what he might have done differently in a Ryder Cup that got away early, before getting really close late, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley focused on the way he set up the course at Bethpage Black.