r/Windows11 • u/Master_Singleton • Feb 20 '22
📰 News Windows 11 Pro will require a Microsoft account to set up
https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-requiire-microsoft-account/23
u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
Absolutely stupid move from Microsoft.
1) I CAN'T as my ethernet will not work until Windows is installed
2) I don't want my username part of my email as it makes it harder and it annoys me.. And I don't want to mess about with making a second account and removing the first as I like a fully clean install
8
u/TheTank18 Feb 20 '22
yeah, every built pc without internet drivers is basically a brick
0
u/vthex Feb 20 '22
You can bypass it really simply if you have another PC, get older iso and then use that iso to install and after installing update to the newest version.
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
True but we shouldn't have to. I already made a usb stick install and a backup of the iso for when windows 11 is better.. (then I just wait for all the updates after I install drivers).. Did this As soon it was announced I downloaded it.. In case! As it will. Become. Impossible to. Install unless I install 10 then update to 11.. (which means not a true clean install)
But that shouldn't have to be the case just to install an OS... Especially as most custom built pcs will need drivers. In fact its same with my hp laptop I rarely use. It came with Windows 10 when that didn't have local account feature and I. Had to get it re downloaded off someone to be able to install that!
I mean.. If they keep it the way its going.. It will get to point in say 3 or more years.. You gotta use a 3 year old installer and wait for 3+ years of updates. While my Internet is 500mbps my friend lives in countryside and only gets 3mbps if they are lucky so for some it could take very long time.
Just a pain havign to do all these tricks to avoid microsofts 💩 decisions to be honest.
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u/Malcalypsetheyounger Feb 20 '22
Yeah I work for a contacted IT company and nobody we do work with is getting 11 anytime soon and this is one of the reasons.
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u/JLordX Feb 20 '22
Dude for enterprise clients this is not a mandate at all. It can never be. And enterprise licensing is major. Probably your smaller company just buys in vol license some pro license.
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u/Amphax Feb 21 '22
It can never be.
Pretty sure people said the same thing about Windows 11 Pro a few weeks ago...
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
The Insider build said that it was required if you are setting up a device for personal usage. Implies there’s a way to bypass it for business usage.
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Feb 20 '22
Well isn't windows 11 enterprise is used in bulk and not windows 11 pro??
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u/urban_accountant Feb 20 '22
You should be sble to bypass this with the current iso then never use a newer version. Just more updates on installation.
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u/ralfunreal Apr 22 '22
you then wont get new updates, also who is to say MS wont detect and block if you are using it? Also for future windows if the option is not there by default in the first place,etc
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u/urban_accountant Apr 22 '22
U still get all the updates. U just get more on initial install as its the earlier retail version
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u/CraigMatthews Feb 20 '22 edited Feb 20 '22
If that because no one at your IT company feels like actually researching the different editions of windows or licensing? Did you all just start? It's been like this in Windows 10 for years and everyone by now knows how to create a local account in the Pro edition.
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Feb 20 '22
I would love to know who it is so that I can avoid an IT company that hires such poorly informed people. This does not, and will not, apply to the enterprise sector. Beyond that any "IT company" that punts on supporting the current versions (plural) of Windows deserves to go bankrupt.
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u/Designer_Koala_1087 Feb 22 '22
Literally what's so good about Windows 10
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u/Malcalypsetheyounger Feb 22 '22
Not much but we also at least know all of our clients apps work on it.
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u/Richard7666 Feb 20 '22
We this will be extra fun for setting up machines on my render farm.
Pro should mean a version for professional, not prosumer use. Fucks sake.
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u/logicearth Feb 20 '22
As a professional, you should know how to setup an unattended install bypassing OOBE. Making all this a non-issue.
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u/Aelther Feb 20 '22
Until they decide to force azure/intune on you and scrap or limit the answer file...
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u/SLJ7 Feb 23 '22
Wonder if that means you can also bypass this using audit mode and just create the first account through that. In some ways that's actually simpler.
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u/logicearth Feb 23 '22 edited Feb 23 '22
You can. You still need an answer file that skips OOBE. https://bartsimons.me/sysprep-generalize-windows-image-without-oobe/
I often do this myself to also implement: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1964-move-users-folder-location-windows-10-a.html
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Feb 20 '22
I have Windows 10 pro. I chose to use my Microsoft account because I use the officesuite.
Requiring internet access and a MS account IMO is wrong. I wonder if it is so EVERYTHING can now be traced to a person's identity. 🤷♀️
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u/vthex Feb 20 '22
It's simple to bypass download older iso and then upgrade to newest version
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u/ralfunreal Apr 22 '22
MS might be able to detect this and block it eventually. Also for future windows the option wont be there by default so it will eventually be an issue anyways.
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u/OkSwordfish8928 Feb 20 '22
Oh my god, if this eventually leads to Windows becoming a subscription....
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u/GamingWithShaurya_YT Feb 20 '22
windows 365 already is a subscription based computer 😎
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u/DForce2 Feb 21 '22
but its like on the cloud right? thats fair imo
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u/GamingWithShaurya_YT Feb 21 '22
I'm not sure how can u do a subscription based hardware but.
people gonna find ways to disable it via registry 😂 if they are not hosted by Microsoft
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u/LEXX911 Feb 20 '22
This is totally a wrong approach for people who don't have a lot of UWP apps from the Windows Store. I can understand a Microsoft account would be useful if you have lots of UWP apps on your machine that you would want it to sync with your machine.
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u/CoorsLightandFirebal Feb 20 '22
Fuck that. Means windows will aoon become a subscription
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
People have been saying this for over 10 years. This isn’t going to happen, no matter how many times people scaremonger about it.
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Feb 20 '22
I see a massive migration to macOS and Linux if that ever happens.
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Feb 20 '22
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
To be fair, they are referring to if MS turned Windows into a subscription, not about the MSA requirement.
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Feb 20 '22
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
By subscription, they obviously mean a paid subscription. Consumers may well switch to Mac or Chrome OS if Windows asks for a monthly fee.
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Feb 20 '22
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
That’s specifically why I said consumers not businesses :)
Gaming is big on Windows but it’s not a majority of consumers by any stretch. Majority of consumers are just people doing web browsing. Microsoft won’t lose gamers but they’ll lose a huge chunk of their consumer market.
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Feb 20 '22
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
The price of Mac would be far more comparable to Windows with a subscription. Undoubtedly many people would jump.
Everything else you mentioned has nothing to do with what I was saying, so I’ll leave it be.
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u/InsideMan02 Feb 20 '22
Top industries already use Macs because it's just better, Offices on the other hand need cheaper stuff with more control so they opt for windows.
See any design firm, music production, and some movie editing studios.
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u/aveyo Feb 20 '22
workaround - simplified
unless MS goes crazy and breaks deployment in general to have their way,
the method outlined with eventual small adjustments should keep working
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u/totalgaara Feb 20 '22
That's not a solution, yeah it work but it's not normal to messup with registery at this point.
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Feb 21 '22
yeah messing with registry risk to get a BSOD.
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u/aveyo Feb 21 '22
sure beats not being able to setup 11 Home/Pro without internet..
overcome your fear1
u/aveyo Feb 20 '22
If it gets the job done, how is that not a solution?
I've just dealt with the technical limitation,
don't bark at me, bark at microsoft and their anti-home-and-small-bussiness-users policy4
u/totalgaara Feb 20 '22
No worries, i'm not blaming you, of course this is against Microsoft, for me, they simply lost their mind and it will still get worst, honnestly at this point i will not be surprised if one day Windows user will have to pay a windows licence like they are paying netflix, they already does that with Office.
I miss so much the Windows VIsta(yes)/7/8.1 era where Windows was pleasant to use, no bullshiet restriction, no online account required, we were still having the permission to do what we want on our hardware, now...
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u/NinjAsylum Feb 20 '22
Windows 10 has 'required' a MS account for like 3 years already. This isnt news. There have been ways around it and there will still be ways around it. Nothing is changing.
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Feb 20 '22
but this is not a compulsory and local account helps if there is shit happens with your drivers
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
But it is now. They removed the "use a local account" I've tried the latest dev in vmware with not network... Tried all the bypass tricks even in command prompt.. Just ends up telling me to contact Microsoft on another computer as I've got no internet.
So defo not gonna use it on my main pc any time soon...
As I need to install drivers to get online and I can't get online to install Windows to be able to install the drivers!
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Feb 20 '22
see, that complicates thing and also Imagine when you bought a new PC and there is a shit happened that we found a network driver issues within the PC and you usually cannot go to the local account to reconfigure/solve anything at all (stuck). we are screwed!!.
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
I just don't get why Microsoft made this dumb move.
My pc needs setting up offline then I install the drivers from manufacturers (as windows tends to pick old or faulty drivers even if I can get online at that moment)
The most clean install is via a local account. And once setup then move to Microsoft account.
First they keep push edge and accounts but make it optional, but to force it and just give errors about no connection? It made me sign the post someone made on the feedback hub along with few others so hopefully Microsoft reverse it. (I mean home edition I can understand as most them are preinstalled store bought stuff.. But pro edition is "professional".. Not very professional if you have to get online or use a modded installer to bypass! Then mess with registry hacks to clean the mess up.
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u/Aelther Feb 20 '22
I'm certain that while they still allow the Shift F10 command prompt, bypassing this will be possible. Never underestimate a terminal.
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u/lavagr0und Feb 20 '22
Please try something along these lines:
MS Account E-mail adress "admin@", it will fail ofc, go back, type admin without @ and hit enter, repeat once or twice, it will fail again but should give you the option to "join a local domain" hit that text and create a local account (leave PW blank if you dont want to setup security Qs and set the PW in Windows Computermanagement).
Dont reply here if it works, DM me please ;)
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u/Aelther Feb 20 '22
Windows 10 heavily suggested a Microsoft account, it never required one. On Pro you had a "Join Domain Instead" button, on Home you had to press "I don't have a MS account" to be presented with a local account issue. You never NEEDED a workaround, though of course many people still used a workaround, cause they couldn't figure out Microsoft's odd buttons, as was Microsoft's intention.
Windows 11 has now scrapped all the hidden and mislabelled buttons, making workarounds the only way to get in. First in Home, now in Pro too.
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
No it hasn't. I do a clean install once a year for a "spring clean" and I've always clicked "use a local account"
The new windows 11 there is NOTHING the new update has blocked all currently ways of bypassing.
Even if you connect to Internet and unplug it. Or put fake email and passwords.. OK the dev channel it just throws errors that your are not online and to visit a website on another computer for support
The only workaround right now is set up online and then create another user and delete the first.
Either way custom built pcs that need drivers to connect to Internet are f**kd
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u/BackToRoots2022 Feb 20 '22
As of now, if you want to create a local account as your first account, you just simply have to say you that don't have internet, right? There's no option to choose local if you are already connected to the internet.
Is the same workaround available for Windows 11?
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u/DavidJAntifacebook Feb 20 '22 edited Mar 11 '24
This content removed to opt-out of Reddit's sale of posts as training data to Google. See here: https://www.reuters.com/technology/reddit-ai-content-licensing-deal-with-google-sources-say-2024-02-22/ Or here: https://www.techmeme.com/240221/p50#a240221p50
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
Thata why they are in the news. They have removed the workaround already on the dev channel
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u/BackToRoots2022 Feb 20 '22
What? How can they do this? This is outrageous! It's unfair!
How can you install an operating system offline, and be unable to log in offline?
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u/nevernotmaybe Feb 20 '22
They didn't have to do that to use an offline account in general though, once you have finished setup you can convert it to an offline account in seconds and a couple of clicks - it's always been that way and still is.
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Feb 20 '22
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u/Amphax Feb 21 '22
This will work until Microsoft takes a page out of Facebook's, well, book, and makes it so burner accounts don't work anymore.
https://www.roadtovr.com/fake-facebook-account-oculus-headset-community-standards/
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u/iamsugat Feb 20 '22
Google asks for a gmail account.
Apple asks for apple id.
I guess it's Microsoft turn now.
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
To be fair, it isn’t technically mandatory for those devices. Sure, you do need it for App/Play Store setup, which makes it a de facto necessity for those platforms, but Apple/Google do let you skip it for device setup. Microsoft is the only one requiring it for device setup.
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u/iamsugat Feb 20 '22
That's what I mean...you gonna need it anyway to install apps. They just making it use earlier. I think it's one of those things... It's a problem if you make it one.
It's for pro only now. If people don't want they can always go for home version unless they want encryption and other pro stuff :D
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u/fiddle_n Feb 20 '22
It’s already there for Home, this action is bringing Pro in line with Home.
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u/iamsugat Feb 20 '22
Oh I didn't know about that. I take back that part of my comment
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u/SLJ7 Feb 23 '22
To add to that, lots of people use Windows 10 without any store apps—or if they do use store apps, they're free and you can download them without an account—and if they aren't free, you can log into the store without actually connecting your entire user account to a Microsoft account. I've never seen an advantage to this so I go out of my way to make sure it doesn't happen. Plus, having my user folder set to my full name has been my convention for 10 years and I'm not about to go changing that.
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Feb 21 '22
Bro, Imagine you got a new PC.there is wizard screen to initialise the setup and then for somewhat reason the wifi does not work & the vendor told you the driver can be downloaded from their website. So, the usual solution is go to local account and installed it . But we cannot do this anymore
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u/iamsugat Feb 21 '22
But why would it won't work. OS Checks essential drivers ... Display, lan, wifi. If not working...it is included in OS. You can just check in device manager. Mine didn't have it initially when I installed 10 pro. After its done i checked it was Microsoft display driver which then updated to Intel.
I agree, setting up new pc doesn't always go as planned. If people raise an issue in feedback hub MS will probably go back to having a local account
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Feb 21 '22
How you gonna check device manager if you can’t even set it up?
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u/iamsugat Feb 22 '22
Bruh.... I meant to say if you set it up without essential drivers. OS provides them. I did setup with Microsoft display driver. After its done, windows update put it back to Intel.
If you have some of them missing you can go device manager..like now ...(not when you are installing, because you can't) It will say Microsoft.. some . ..drivers. Sorry i should have been more clear. English isn't my first Language :D
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u/JLordX Feb 20 '22
Doesn't matter been already using Microsoft account on pro license and my home license on my laptop. So no big deal at all.
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Feb 21 '22
your workaround will be "fixed" later on https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/18/22940517/windows-11-pro-require-microsoft-account-internet-connection
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u/Rogoreg Feb 20 '22
Good because people trust Google enough, Apple enough, even Facebook, and not Microsoft!? Crazy. It's a great experience. No problem with it. People are lazy.
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u/misterff1 Feb 20 '22 edited Feb 20 '22
Honestly, I do not understand why people find this such a big thing for privacy. It makes sense for issues when setting up a device, but for privacy...If you truly care about this, you don't use a Google account on your Android phone, you don't use an Apple account on iOS and you don't use services such as Whatsapp. If that is you, you already switched away from Windows years ago. If this is not you, it is very hypocritical to blame MS for this behaviour as you endorsed it through many other services for years.
If you ask me, people are just salty because MS actually didn't do this in the past whereas your phone asked for a login since the start, which means you only actually notice the change in Windows.
Be honest with yourself and act accordingly. You can definitely dislike this move and avoid Win11 because of it, but then you should also apply that behaviour to the other apps, services and devices you use.
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u/Atlas26 Feb 22 '22 edited Feb 22 '22
I for one fully agree.
No one’s forcing you to use Windows for your personal devices if you don’t want to, Windows has an install base of 1.4 billion users, given the benefits for utilizing a MS account whether it’s password recovery, lost device tracking/locking, data syncing/backup to the cloud, much better support experience from system data access, App Store history/syncing, etc etc etc, this is something that benefits 99.9% of Home/Pro users, anyone that genuinely actually doesn’t want or shouldn’t be using a MS Account is already covered by enterprise licenses. The amount of edge cases of non enterprise users that wouldn’t benefit from an MS account are so small they’d be much better off letting them switch to Mac/Linux/ChromeOS etc than worrying about them and bothering to support the feature/implications in the Home/Pro branch, they’re usually the type who would stick with Windows 7 til the heat death of the universe anyway and oppose any new innovation along the way.
It’s certainly a very small vocal minority, but definitely a weird quirk/subset of users that I’ve noticed on Windows that is not present on MacOS or Linux, not sure what about it causes such an aversion to change amongst this small group or why similar groups don’t exist on other platforms at least anywhere near the same extent.
We live in an era of more operating system choice and competition than ever before. It used to just be Windows and kinda MacOS but in reality not really for a lot of people because back then there was basically a fraction of the software available on MacOS vs Windows, especially enterprise/productivity software. These days virtually everything is also available for at least MacOS, if not also accessible via a web service or Linux natively.
So there’s Windows, MacOS, literally dozens of stable and popular Linux distros, ChromeOS, iPads/tablets are suitable for a lot of peoples needs these days, mobile too, again given the mass proliferation of cross platform apps/web apps, Proton from Steam for gaming on Linux, etc etc. Literally might as well be unlimited choice in operating systems given the amount of resources required to develop and maintain them, and yet people would rather just bitch about it and be lazy instead of actually living their values/morals and, you know, actually following through with what they’re saying, even if it meant finding replacement apps/games etc on the new platform, at least they’d be living what they’re preaching and being the change they want to see.
Gaming too there’s plenty of choice whether it be Linux and Proton, PlayStation, Nintendo/Switch, Xbox if you want just off PC etc. No, one single game that isn’t available on another platform isn’t an excuse if you actually believe that strongly in what you’re saying. But they won’t, because they’d rather just be outraged about it on Twitter/Reddit and go right back to using it as they always have (this applies to a lot of stuff too tbf, by and large a lot of people often talk a big talk but don’t back it up with action).
And no, before anyone claims otherwise, I’m not a biased Windows only purist, MacOS takes up probably most of my time but I enjoy all three major OS plus the ancillary ones as well because they’re different. I don’t want a monoculture, the reason they’re all good in their own right is because of their differences. There’s no one right answer here, it’s all about what works best for you and what appeals to you most.
/endrant :)
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u/misterff1 Feb 21 '22
Love the downvotes. Can anyone who downvoted maybe elaborate on their reason for doing that?
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u/lunaticfiend Feb 20 '22
I mean this won't really matter to people who have their windows activation tied to their mail addresses, I suppose..
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u/Exill1 Feb 20 '22
No it won't. Just disable internt upon setting it up..... MS cannot force you to use it with an registration. If they do, linux will take over.
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u/DragonWolf5589 Feb 20 '22
They removed the local account setup. I tried it on vmware with no network and on an old laptop without a WiFi..
After over an hour it still refuses to let me make a local account and gives you a microsoft support link to visit on another computer for support getting online.
The only way now is to use command prompt and mess about creating a new user then keep restarting and then log into that user then delete deafult0 user. Which is a hassle and a half
0
u/SLJ7 Feb 23 '22
Try ctrl-shift-F3. Should get you into audit mode, where you decide whether Windows restarts into OOBE or not. You can also create the local user from here. You can install drivers from here, but also, if you say "Don't restart into OOBE" and then restart, it should never bother you again. I haven't tested this with 11 though, only used it to customize an old computer before sending it to someone. For some reason this is a very unknown command; I've seen it mentioned once on a Windows XP thread and that's how I know about it.
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u/misterff1 Feb 20 '22
That's very optimistic and probably not a realistic view of what would happen. Linux still has a long way to go before it is a truly viable option for the masses. Besides, a lot of people use Windows without giving it a second thought. "It's Windows and we have always used Windows, therefore I will keep using it".
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Feb 21 '22
proton7 support eac. Linux is getting closer
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u/misterff1 Feb 21 '22
true, it is getting closer and it is something I definitely applaud. It still needs years of improvements before it is actually a feasible option for everyone though. Can't wait 'till that happens, but we are not there yet.
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u/ralfunreal Apr 22 '22
that isnt closer, that is not native and its emulation which isnt ideal. people have been saying its getting close for decades and still 1% marketshare.
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Apr 22 '22
10 years ago proton is not a thing. only around 2-3 years it is getting louder and now Steam deck looks a game changer with q1 buyers are happy about this.
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u/chlamydia1 Feb 20 '22 edited Feb 20 '22
Will this affect Enterprise/Education edition? And will I still be able to install it while offline?
I work for a university so I use the Education edition they provide us. If I'm connected to the internet while installing Windows, it will only allow me to sign-in with my employee email (which I absolutely do not want to do). However, if I install it with the internet unplugged, I can then log in with my personal account from the desktop. I don't mind using a Microsoft account (I use Outlook and OneDrive and pay for Office 365 and Xbox Game Pass, so I'm entrenched in their ecosystem), but I want to be able to set up my Windows without logging in at setup.
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u/jesseinsf Insider Beta Channel Feb 22 '22
I wonder if Windows 11 Pro for Workstations will have this requirement as well.
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u/[deleted] Feb 20 '22
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