I will be switching to Linux once my laptop is obsolete!!! I will only be getting Linux stuff from there on in!!! :-)
Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account
Submitted 7 hours ago by ardi60@reddthat.com to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theverge.com/news/793579/microsoft-windows-11-local-account-bypass-workaround-changes
Comments
richardmtanguay@lemmy.zip 1 hour ago
floofloof@lemmy.ca 1 hour ago
If you have a drive where you can back up your stuff before installing a new OS, there’s no need to wait.
ardi60@reddthat.com 6 hours ago
Here’s your bypass:
In OOBE, go through MS account creation. Tell it you were born today. It’ll let you set a password for the MS account before rejecting you due to COPA requirements. At this point, you can make an offline account without having even created an MS account, let alone having to use one.
This will not go away - it’s a legal thing. MS doesn’t want to deal with COPA stuff for very young kids, so this flow exists. Enjoy.
Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 hours ago
This is the rule for any account or mobile game, too - if it asks your age before asking for consent to farm, put any age below 13. It’ll either not farm you because it’s illegal or it’ll kick you out. If the latter, good riddance really
FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
I’ve always done 1/1/1984 for obvious reasons but this is a good tip
Lfrith@lemmy.ca 6 hours ago
Also setting up iso through rufus which gives options to disable it.
adarza@lemmy.ca 5 hours ago
rufus doesn’t help with preloads that you don’t want to or can’t, for whatever reason, overwrite with a ‘clean’ install.
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 6 hours ago
If that actually becomes a thing people do, that could prompt MS to start to require either a face scan or showing some government ID just to install Windows, though, if the way Google’s handling KYC on YT if your account gets flagged as underage, and soon Android app dev, as well as KYC going out across other sites, is any indication.
MagicShel@lemmy.zip 4 hours ago
Let them. The entire world is slowly migrating to Mac and Linux. I haven’t even had the option of windows at my last 3 jobs. (To be fair, I’ve never had the option of desktop Linux, but this last one said pick a computer—I’m not positive that they would’ve balked at Linux.) That said, idk what’s so great about Mac over Linux, but I guess it’s not corporate friendly.
I’m trying to think of which MS products we even have in our ecosystem. Office, I guess. Corporate world will never wean themselves off of Excel.
dmtalon@infosec.pub 6 hours ago
What if they just ask your age as step 1 of the setup?
TachyonTele@piefed.social 4 hours ago
Same thing, that doesn’t change anything.
goatinspace@feddit.org 6 hours ago
AtariDump@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
From the other time this was posted:
95 is the stick, and ME is the stick up someone’s butt.
JoMiran@lemmy.ml 5 hours ago
LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 hours ago
I despise that I have to use this OS at work. I would never run windows on my own computer again. Its just insanity. Next they’ll require a credit card to make a Microsoft account.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 22 minutes ago
its on our work computers, i believe windows 11 with all the BLOAT too.
floofloof@lemmy.ca 1 hour ago
I could see them requiring government-issued ID. The age verification laws coming into effect in various states and countries make this a logical step for Microsoft. They might even start their own age verification service where you give them your ID and they vouch for your age with the sites you visit in Edge. Of course it has the totally accidental side effect that everything you do on your computer can be monitored and legally tied to your identity.
ImgurRefugee114@reddthat.com 4 hours ago
Switched to Linux full time at the start of 2025 and haven’t looked back. I fully intend to go the rest of my life without using windows again.
aurelar@lemmy.ml 2 hours ago
I’ve been using Linux exclusively for more than ten years. You’ve made the right choice. As if you needed anyone to tell you 😆
oppy1984@lemdro.id 52 minutes ago
Same, I made the switch about 9 years ago when I was self-employed. Then I took a job with a small company running windows and it sucked. Now I’m 6 years in with my current, a mega corp, and they are all in on Microsoft. I’ve been so aggravated with the limitations of Microsoft products when I could get things done with a FOSS product in no time. Of course IT blocks FOSS installs because of corporate policy…🤬
Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works 4 hours ago
“It would bypass critical steps…”
Which step is that, data collection? Shoving OneDrive down my throat by putting my Desktop in it with no way to easily remove it?
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 21 minutes ago
collecting data, and training AI of course.
Feyd@programming.dev 6 hours ago
“While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use.”
Lol sure. If that was the real reason they’d simply let you create a local account. The audacious lying is just insulting.
NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
Don’t plug to many otherwise people might start jumping ship!
Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 7 hours ago
just making it easier to act like they don’t even exist. I’ll never, EVER get an account for MY computer.
cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 6 hours ago
There’s no online accounts needed for Linux.
NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Same, I refuse to have my OS linked to anything other then a local account.
Especially since most email accounts now need cell phone numbers, and home addresses.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Use Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, problem solved
salacious_coaster@infosec.pub 7 hours ago
If I was still a solo sysadmin, today I would be reevaluating the feasibility of dumping Windows altogether.
anon5621@lemmy.ml 7 hours ago
Technically it possible with using windows server edition ,clean no bloatware ,minimum processes Legally cost a lot not available for usual users only in crack way
ramble81@lemmy.zip 3 hours ago
Honestly I’m using Windows Enterprise. Local accounts, GPOs to get rid of all the telemetry and other bullshit. Never seen an ad in the start menu or any other place. Just nice clean windows. Basically it’s what companies use so that Microsoft doesn’t piss them off.
omgboom@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 hours ago
While yes, licensing them is a bitch, but a terminal server is a viable option
lazynooblet@lazysoci.al 1 hour ago
Is this about Windows Home edition? I don’t need to do anything hacky to get a local account but I also don’t use Home edition.
db2@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
One option is to install an older version and update after.
A better one is not use it because it’s trash.
Reality_Suit@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Dump windows. These megacorps need to fail.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 hours ago
The hole they will never plug: Not using Windows.
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 6 hours ago
In theory Pluton enforcement platform-wide, which also includes forced SecureBoot without the ability to install user-signed keys, could block alt OSes on PC though.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 5 hours ago
I’m gonna need an explanation how anything could prevent me from just formatting the drive and doing what I want, barring the use of proprietary hardware.
adarza@lemmy.ca 5 hours ago
just give 'em time. it’s still a bit early in the game for that play
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 6 hours ago
The Enterprise/IoT SKUs, which of course include LTSC, still let you use a local account-for now…
Godort@lemmy.ca 5 hours ago
I would be surprised if they force the requirement on LTSC.
I could believe they force it into enterprise licensing, but LTSC’s whole deal is that it doesn’t change and only gets security patches. It’s made to be used in kiosks, CNC controllers and the like. Machines that are supposed perform one task reliably.
This is also the reason it’s the best version of Windows for the desktop, and why Microsoft makes it so challenging to acquire licences.
dubyakay@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
How would they force that on IoT installs? You think people would be happy to have online-only creds set up on kiosks, terminals and parking meters?
twinklefruit@lemmings.world 5 hours ago
Lol.
I remember having to disable internet when installing windows 10 so I’m not forced to make a micro$hit account.
They really don’t care at all about users. It’s all about abuse at this point.
shalafi@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
Had to do that with Doom III in 2004. Old news.
It’s not really a big deal, unless you’re used to the freedom of Linux, which comes with it’s own issues. If M$ ever truly forces me into a corner, I’m out. And they won’t. Like Adobe allowing low-key piracy, they know they need the vast user base to remain relevant.
Max_P@lemmy.max-p.me 4 hours ago
At this point I just
net user addit, which just creates the user manually and then you can reboot and just log into it.It’s not like you need anything from the OOBE at all, so might as well just skip it entirely.
kylian0087@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 hours ago
I decided to make a customs iso. Not too difficult to do. Just add a unattended.xml file and boot and be done.
BurgerBaron@piefed.social 2 hours ago
Germans got us covered:
Quexotic@infosec.pub 5 hours ago
So I guess Lennox phone and Linux computer as well
Chais@sh.itjust.works 1 hour ago
Annie?
Zier@fedia.io 58 minutes ago
With the Sweet Dreams OS.
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
Doesn’t stop em from using Windows 11 as much as I want.
Which is none.
hddsx@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
You’re not required for work? Damn, lucky you
Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
I could probably make more money getting a job where I have to use Windows but honestly it wouldn’t be worth it.
dubyakay@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
My work offers alternatives.
But even if, my work laptop is just something I remote on from my desktop and switch around seemlessly.
Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works 4 hours ago
Glad I found one and used it. If I didn’t need Windows for my classes, I’d be on Linux already.
dubyakay@lemmy.ca 4 hours ago
What classes require windows? You can run most things in Linux. And for the cases where my classes had instructions on how to set up something on Windows, for Linux and MacOS they just had a foot note saying “You are on your own”.
Wispy2891@lemmy.world 54 minutes ago
I installed windows 11 a dozen time at work (never at home) and I just click on “domain login”, it just creates a local account and then after the install I have to manually join the domain. No Microsoft account enforcement at all.
It’s regular Windows 11, not Enterprise, we are a small company.
But I’m wondering, this bypass is too easy, is it because it sees that the DNS server is also an active directory server, so it allows that, or the trick is that you tell him you want to join a domain?
Or maybe it’s a domain enrollment bug because we’re using samba 4 under Debian as active directory server and not Windows server/entra id/whatever they call it this month?
purplemonkeymad@programming.dev 19 minutes ago
I don’t think they ever said they plan to require it for Windows Pro or above skus. It’s only home (you know the one business shouldn’t be using anyway) that they said they wanted to enforce it on.