Microsoft closes worrying Windows 11 account bypass hack – all it took was one click
- Clicking ‘More Info’ will skip Microsoft account prompts when setting up Windows 11
- It now shows the user’s data policies, so you’ll need to log in with your account (or create one)
- Having an account can make certain things easier, but it is one less option for consumers.
Microsoft has finally fixed one of the easiest ways for attackers to bypass your account requirements when installing Windows 11, but it’s bad news for anyone who doesn’t want to sign in to (or create) a Microsoft account during setup.
Previously, users only needed to click the “Learn More” hyperlink on the login screen to be taken to a local account creation screen.
Ultimately, it marks another step in the company’s ongoing efforts to make Microsoft accounts mandatory during the initial setup of Windows 11 on consumer PCs.
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Microsoft wants you to use an account to activate Windows 11
Before the fix, users could click the “Learn More” link and be taken to a screen that allowed them to enter a local username, create a password, set security questions, and complete Windows 11 setup without even entering their Microsoft username or password.
Instead, the link now opens a page that explains how the company manages user data.
The change “has recently been quietly patched on the server side,” Bob Pony said in a Bluesky post after revealing that “a new method to bypass the required Microsoft account sign-in in Windows 11 Home Edition was discovered” just a month ago.
Local accounts are still supported to some extent, but creating them requires technical knowledge to use a third-party tool or command-line methods, or enterprise versions of Windows instead of consumer operating systems.
Signing in with a Microsoft account from the start has some benefits, such as faster setup of system integrations with OneDrive, the Copilot app, and other Microsoft products; however, it eliminates user choice for those who prefer not to link their PCs to their online account.
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