Ever since the unofficial ISO build of Windows 11 was leaked, thousands of people have tried it to check-in what Microsoft has got for them.
And they’re not disappointed. Some have experienced the new design changes, features, wallpapers, support for a free upgrade, and now – surprising options in the OOBE experience of Windows 11 Home.
According to one reader from Neowin, the Windows 11 Home doesn’t have the option to skip the log-in process without creating/signing into a Microsoft account. But, he found a workaround anyway.
Microsoft Forcing Users in Windows 11
For long, newbies and uninterested users installing a new Windows OS into their systems can skip the log-in process that demands a Microsoft account to proceed.
Microsoft often asks the users to connect to an internet connection while setting up the OS for the first time and recommends signing in with a Microsoft account for a better experience. But, this is not liked by many as Microsoft takes in more data regarding your usage.
Thus, most users skip the signing process by creating an offline account, for their privacy. But, with the launch of Windows 11, this is not possible anymore – as seen by Adam (warwagon) from Neowin.
Trying to set up the Windows 11 Home build, he realized that Microsoft has removed the option for signing in without an internet connection. Even for the desktop editions, it forces users to sign in or create a Microsoft account to proceed.
Until now, desktop users can plug out the ethernet cable while installing to avoid the sign-in process, and proceed with a local account. But in Windows 11 Home, Microsoft asks users to connect to a WiFi network in case a cable ethernet is unavailable.
Further, unlike in the case of Windows 11 Pro, the Home edition has an offline account option removed in its setup process. Thus, forcing the user to create a Microsoft account anyway.
But, Adam found a simple yet funny workaround, that actually worked. He said pressing the Alt + F4 keyboard shortcut is able to close the sign-in window, and proceed to the next slide without any complications!
While this is a surprising move, it’s glad to know that there’s still a way to skip the Microsoft account sign-in process. Microsoft is all set to officially announce the Windows 11 OS on June 24th.