Microsoft are pushing back hard against local user accounts in Windows 11.
So much so that they’re really trying to go Microsoft Account Setup only with future Windows installations and updates.
We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE). 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. Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.
There’s no explanation given as to why Microsoft have issue with local accounts other than users needing to complete OOBE (Out-Of-Box-Experience) to setup their device correctly.
What’s the benefit of Microsoft Accounts only?
A Microsoft account does have a plus. Automatic backup of Product keys and Bitlocker recovery keys could be beneficial to a lot of home users. I’m sure there are those out there who may use One Drive for data storage and sharing but all of these things can be done manually with a local account.
For myself the real question is, what’s in it for Microsoft? People have been calling out “data harvesting” for a while now but when you’re the authors of an Operating System you could do that in a myriad of different ways without forcing online accounts. If people are thinking of their personal documents and files then I find it highly unlikely that Microsoft desperately need your Assassin’s Creed save data because they just can’t reach a 100%. Likewise, many won’t have any data useful to a corporation such as Microsoft.
All of this is only going to increase business costs and workload so what’s their long game?
The long game?
Subscription? I suspect Microsoft might be planning on a Windows subscription at some point in the not-too-distant-future. They’ve done it with Office and a number of other products so why not Windows itself?
The day of something like this may be upon us
Subscription models seem to becoming the de facto standard these days. The peak of Capitalism is getting people to pay for things they already have. You don’t own your software and games, you’re renting a licence to use them.
Right now I have a Windows 11 25H2 DVD image sat on my server with AI removed and the option for a local account during install (Chris Titus, thanks again). If I need to reinstall at any point I shall use that. In the meantime I’ll be looking at current Linux alternatives for my current desktop PC software packages should I need to jump ship.
