Microsoft closes a Windows 11 local-account setup route
The shortcut appeared on the Windows 11 sign-in screen during initial setup, known as OOBE.
Clicking the small Learn more link used to open a "Who's going to use this device?" screen. From there, users could create a local username and password without signing in to a Microsoft account. They did not need to disconnect from the internet or open a command line. No third-party utility was required.
The link now opens a page explaining how Microsoft processes user data. Its only button returns users to the sign-in screen. The Register reported that independent Windows researcher Bob Pony spotted the change and said Microsoft had patched the workaround server-side. No separate Windows update was needed. The Register's report described the route as a way to move directly to entering a name and password.
About a month earlier, Bob Pony had found another way to bypass the Microsoft account requirement in Windows 11 Home. Other workarounds often required users to disconnect from the internet. Some relied on Shift+F10 to open a command prompt; specialized tools offered another route. The Learn more link had provided a simpler graphical option.
Local accounts are harder to create
Microsoft has been removing known ways to create a local account during OOBE. In Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6772, published on October 6, 2025, the company said it intended to remove known mechanisms for completing initial setup without a Microsoft account. Personal-use editions of Windows 11 Home and Pro require an internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup. Organizational deployments have different administration options.
Local accounts remain supported after setup. Users can switch through Settings > Accounts > Your info, where an option to change to a local account may be available. Command-line workarounds have also remained possible, though Microsoft has continued to remove known routes. The server-side closure of Learn more was not listed in update notes.
Windows Latest tested a fresh Windows 11 26H2 ISO and found that the link led to the data-processing page, then back to sign-in.
This is a setup change, distinct from an application crash such as the Snipping Tool glitches reported elsewhere in Windows 11. Microsoft has not published a separate explanation of the server-side change. Windows Latest's test found the old local-account route no longer worked on a fresh 26H2 installation image.
The trade-off for users
Signing in during setup can speed integration with OneDrive and Copilot. It also connects the profile to other Microsoft services. For people who do not want to link a new computer to an online identity, the change leaves fewer straightforward setup options.
The closure affects creating an offline profile during initial setup. It does not remove local accounts from Windows, which users can still select after installation through account settings.
