Microsoft Account Needed for Setting up Future Versions of Windows 11 Pro

Microsoft has begun testing a large number of new features, UI tweaks, and redesigned apps in the newest Windows Insider preview for Dev channel users now that Windows 11’s first big post-release upgrade has been released. The changes are mostly significant and useful—a there’s revamped Task Manager, folders for pinned apps in the Start menu, the ability to drag items back into the Taskbar (as in Windows 10), improvements to the Do Not Disturb and Focus modes, new touchscreen gestures, and a long list of other fixes and improvements.

However, one undesirable feature is tucked away near the bottom of the changelog: like the Home edition of Windows 11, the Pro edition will now require an Internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup. You could still create a local user account during setup in the current version of Windows 11 by not connecting your PC to the Internet—something that worked in the Home version of Windows 10 but was eliminated in 11.

Unless Microsoft plans alter, that workaround will no longer be available in either edition in the future. While most devices require a sign-in to fully allow app stores, cloud storage, and cross-device sharing and synchronisation, Windows 11 will soon be the only major consumer OS that does.

Local account creation is still possible during setup on Apple Macs, and you can bypass signing in when setting up iPhones and iPads. Android also requires an Internet account for activation, but you don’t have to check in to access to the home screen. Even Chrome OS offers a guest mode that allows you to do basic browsing without having to create an account.