Well, it was fun while it lasted. After a few years of letting it slide, Microsoft is removing the workarounds that let you install Windows 11 without an internet connection or a Microsoft account.
The change is currently happening in a test build, but it’s inevitable that you won’t be able to get Windows 11 without having a Microsoft account. Previously, you could avoid the setup screens that you’d normally see on paid-for Windows installations.
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Windows Insider Program lead Amanda Langowski said in a blog post on Monday that those setup screens — called the Windows Setup experience (or “out of box experience”) — are “critical” during install.
“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,” Langowski said.
Several months ago, Microsoft disabled the “bypassnro command,” with which people could install Windows 11 without being on the internet or having a Microsoft account. This week’s revisions also eliminate the “start ms-cxh:localonly” command, which helped people install the OS locally. It’s pretty much the final step in eliminating the ability to install Windows 11 without being connected to the internet.
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Over on the subreddit r/Windows11/, there has been a lively discussion — with both pros and cons — about Microsoft’s changes. One Reddit user called the changes “absolutely frustrating,” and another commented, “If Microsoft wanted to collect our data, don’t let them.”
However, some Redditers defended the Windows 11 updates. One pointed out that whenever there’s a new Windows release, people hate it until they love it. And one commented, “why is everybody raging about this but it’s totally fine to login to your Google or apple account on your phone?”
A representative for Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
