Microsoft Is Blocking Another Sign-In Workaround For Windows 11 Setup

Microsoft really really doesn’t want you to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, and the company is quite hell-bent on making sure you can’t skip past this step. The latest loophole the software giant has plugged involves the most recent “start ms-cxh:localonly” method, as discovered in a recent test build.

Another Windows 11 Loophole Closed

Microsoft argues that by skipping account sign-ins this way, users “inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use.” No internet connection? Tough luck, as the company insists that Windows 11 setup must be done “with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure device is setup correctly.”

That said, Microsoft does offer a way for users to rename their user folder if they don’t want it to be tied with Microsoft Account’s name. Based on the steps outlined in the changelog, It’s a rather complicated process that, ironically, requires user to access command prompt via Shift+F10 to work. Maybe this feature will be presented as an advanced option formally in the final build, though.

So, is there no more ways to skip the mandatory sign-in process? There’s still one more method, albeit significantly more complicated than a simple command: this process involves something called an “answer file” which is generally used for commercial environments for deployments en masse. That being said, it’s unclear if this method will be Microsoft’s next target, particularly for Home edition users.

Pokdepinion: Microsoft sure is hell-bent on this one.