Microsoft account refuseniks have another way of installing Windows
- ID
- 24635
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 15 Sep 2026, 8:31 PM
- Fetched
- 15 Sep 2026, 9:26 PM
- Provider
- The Register
- Category
- technology
- Original URL
- https://www.theregister.com/os-platforms/2026/09/15/microsoft-account-refuseniks-have-another-way-of-installing-windows/5296471
- Source URL
- https://www.theregister.com/headlines.atom
Summary
- Score
- 2.0
- Created
- 15 Sep 2026, 9:28 PM
- Tags
- Audience
- developers
What happened
A new loophole in Windows 11 Home Edition's Out-of-Box Experience lets users skip the Microsoft account requirement by clicking 'Learn more' beneath the account prompt, then 'Sign-in options,' which jumps straight to local user creation. The workaround was demonstrated by 'Bob Pony' and confirmed working by The Register, but Microsoft has historically closed such gaps quickly.
Why it matters
Useful only if you set up Windows 11 Home machines for family or friends and want a local account without third-party tools; expect Microsoft to patch this soon, so don't build any process around it.
Discussion angle
Whether Microsoft's whack-a-mole approach to forcing Microsoft accounts on Home users signals anything broader about vendor lock-in strategies that builders should watch for in their own products.