Windows 11’s easy local account trick is dead, patched by Microsoft

Well, it was bound to happen. Last month, someone discovered a simple trick for skipping the mandatory Microsoft account when setting up a new Windows 11 PC or reinstalling the operating system. Now, Microsoft has blocked the trick, making Microsoft accounts truly mandatory once again.

The trick was unbelievably easy. During Windows 11 setup, there was a page that prompted you to sign in with your Microsoft account. But if you clicked on “Learn more,” Windows 11 allowed you to create a local account with administrator rights, bypassing the Microsoft account requirement altogether. Unfortunately, this workaround no longer works.