Microsoft recently closed a loophole allowing users to use Windows 11 without an online account. However, another, easier method of anonymously using the operating system exists.
Microsoft has been focusing on linking your Microsoft account to Windows for several years now. However, those who would instead not link the two or do not want an account with the company could circumvent this with a few extra steps. That method was discontinued last week after Microsoft removed the ‘BypassNRO.cmd’ script from test versions of Windows 11.
But it turns out that there is another way to use Windows 11 without an account. On X (formerly Twitter), user Wither OrNot says you can bypass the Home and Pro requirements in another way.
To bypass the account requirement when installing Windows 11, press shift+F10 whenever you need to connect to a network to open a command prompt.
There, you type ‘start ms-cxh:localonly’ and press enter to enter a Microsoft account, so to speak. But you can create a local user here without an email address or password. Only an (offline) username and password are sufficient. After that, a genuine Microsoft account is no longer needed.