Microsoft kills two more ways to install Windows 11 with local accounts | usagoldmines.com

Microsoft is tightening the reins on new installations of Windows 11 with stricter Microsoft account requirements. As participants in the Windows Insider Program have noticed, two well-known tricks for installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account no longer work.

Microsoft has removed the command line workarounds oobebypassnro and start ms-cxh:localonly in the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 (KB5065797) in the Beta and Dev Channels. With these commands, it was previously possible to create a local account when reinstalling Windows 11. Going forward, a Microsoft account will be required when installing or reinstalling Windows 11.

Microsoft writes the following in this Windows Insider blog post:

Local-only commands removal: We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.

Microsoft has long placed great importance on ensuring that all Windows 11 users are logged in with a Microsoft account. The reinstallation of Windows 11 without a Microsoft account and only with a local account has always been a thorn in Microsoft’s side, and the removals of the aforementioned workarounds are just another step in this direction. Fortunately, for now, the removals only apply to Insider versions of Windows 11 and not release versions.

Further reading: Crucial Microsoft Account settings worth changing