Elon Musk fact-checked on X by Community Notes, was upset about missing local account on Windows
You can create a local account on Windows 11, even during setup
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Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter in 2022 and renamed it X, was fact-checked by his own system, Community Notes. It’s a community-driven feature on X where users add context to a post, usually to highlight any false claims or misinformation.
So, Elon Musk took to X to vent his frustration about not being able to set up a local account on Windows during installation and instead being forced to use a Microsoft account.
Soon, Community Notes added a fact-check to the post, which states, It is still possible to set-up the latest version of Windows without a Microsoft account.
The confusion here arose since Microsoft changed the initial setup of Windows 11. While you could earlier quickly set up your Windows device without a Microsoft account, it now requires making some rather complex modifications but is still possible.
Many X users were quick to point out the workarounds, ones that still work.
You can set up Windows 11 with a local account
So, as it is, you can still set up Windows 11 with a local account. All you need to do is disconnect from Wi-Fi or Ethernet (basically, Internet) during the initial OS setup.
Also, you can enter an email like [email protected] when asked for the Microsoft account, type any random password, and when informed that the account as been blocked, proceed with with a local account.
Or you can always create a Microsoft account and then switch to a local account later on.
To do that, press Windows + I to open Settings > go to Accounts from the navigation pane > click on Other users > choose Add account > select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information > choose Add a user without a Microsoft account > complete the account creation.
Besides, if you are installing the latest iteration from a Windows 11 bootable USB drive, third-party tools like Rufus offer a direct option to remove the Microsoft account requirement during setup. Simply tick the checkbox for Remove the requirement for an online Microsoft account.
The choice for a local account is understood, especially given the privacy concerns. But, you will miss out on certain features that are exclusive to a Microsoft account. We recommend you weigh the pros and cons of both before making the final decision!
What’s your take on Microsoft making local accounts difficult to set up? Share with our readers in the comments section.
