TL;DR: Microsoft is eliminating a workaround that allowed users to bypass the requirement of having a Microsoft account during the Windows 11 setup process. This change means users will now need a ...

A new demo experience lets users try Copilot for the first time before ever hitting the desktop, during the out of box setup ...

This process is called a clean install, which is ironic as there's nothing particularly clean about it: Microsoft has enshittified Windows Setup.

Microsoft is removing known workarounds for local account creation in Windows 11 setup (OOBE), effectively making a Microsoft Account (MSA) mandatory for most users. The company cites proper ...