Question local account on Windows 11

[mmp09]

Hi,
I read somewhere that Windows 11 Home does not allow you to create a local account? But the trick is not to be connected to the net?
My laptop will come pre-installed with Windows 11 home.
So upon first boot, will it allow me to skip connecting to wifi network? If so and I do so can I then create a local account on Windows 11?
I will also ensure that lan is not connected to my router during that time.
Please confirm. Thanks.

 

[Colif]

this should show you how - https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/install-windows-11-without-microsoft-account

 

[mmp09]

Thank you @Colif. Just a small query. I have gone thru the article, so I hope the process is same for pre-installed Windows 11 laptop. Upon first boot it will start the setup process?

 

[Colif]

on a new laptop it should be in the Out of Box Experience mode which is waiting for you to setup users.

 

[USAFRet]

I read somewhere that Windows 11 Home does not allow you to create a local account?

Absolutely incorrect.

They DO want you to use an MS account for initial license activation.
But you do NOT have to use that account thereafter.

All my systems have 3 accounts.
MS account - used for any license issues, or in the incredibly rare instance I need something from the MS Store.
Local Admin - When I install something, or anything needing Admin permissions.
Local Standard user - This is for every day activities. Like right now.

How to?
After it is all set up, simply create a couple of Local accounts, and use those.
On this, my main system, I've not logged into the MS account in months.

On a brand new Surface Go laptop I bought a couple months ago, I've logged into the MS account exactly once.

 

[dehdstar]

Hi,
I read somewhere that Windows 11 Home does not allow you to create a local account? But the trick is not to be connected to the net?
My laptop will come pre-installed with Windows 11 home.
So upon first boot, will it allow me to skip connecting to wifi network? If so and I do so can I then create a local account on Windows 11?
I will also ensure that lan is not connected to my router during that time.
Please confirm. Thanks.

For anyone coming into this. I finally upgraded to 11 and noticed this as well. Home edition is a little harder because it assumes most people have some internet presence. The Enterprise and Pro versions, I'm sure, offer more advanced local account options, but that's just me speculating, as these two versions have historically demonstrated more options that are tailored toward the professional over the home user.

First, to note, it seems windows 11 straight-up makes the first account being logged into the Administrator. This is bad because you should never use the admin on a daily basis, much less link your email and services to it, as Microsoft expects. Hackers try hard to access the admin account on a PC and if you're already clicking on s*** and opening links with your admin, you're making their job easier.


Setting up Windows (it's easy)

When setting up your profile/ installing Windows 11, do so OFFLINE. If you are online, it makes you create an account, with no offline/ local option presented. This means, you must not have an ethernet cable plugged in and do not sign into your WIFI to "keep Windows up to date" (or however it is they word it). You can do that later. You should then be able to spy the option to proceed without a Microsoft account.

If you've already fubarred yourself and are trying to disassociate, use the admin account to create 2x local user accounts. They will automatically have been made a standard account. You can then manage accounts and make one admin, sign into it, and delete the old admin (don't forget to back stuff up, if deleting files along with the profile). Make one of those accounts admin and leave the other standard and use the standard as your daily.

If you really must log into a Microsoft account, I suggest doing it from another browser that actually values your privacy, like Firefox or Brave or any browser that isn't an MS product as they will not automatically associate your MS account with your Windows profile and ah heck you up.

I also delete all the MS bloatware, such as Office, Outlook, Xbox App...etc. There are third party email apps you can use. I also uninstall/ disable Cortana.