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Microsoft could make account-free Windows 11 installs a thing of the past
Microsoft
The offline Windows 11 install looks like it could officially be a thing of the past.
Microsoft is officially shutting the door on local accounts during Windows 11 setup, confirming that all new installations, Home and Pro alike, will now require a Microsoft account.
The company recently removed the last remaining workaround using the command BYPASSNRO, which previously allowed users to bypass the requirement by tricking the system into thinking there was no internet connection during setup. With this change, any new installation of Windows 11, including clean installs, must be connected to the internet and signed in with a Microsoft account before reaching the desktop for further setup.
This is the first time Microsoft has enforced the account requirement across all consumer versions of Windows. Windows 10 allowed users to create local accounts by default, and even early versions of Windows 11 Pro included a local setup path. But with the rollout of cumulative update KB5035942 in the Insider Preview channel, those options are now gone. Once setup launches, the only path forward is through Microsoft’s ecosystem.
The change will likely spark some pushback from longtime Windows users, especially anyone who values the control and privacy of local accounts without an online connection. Many see this move as part of a broader trend toward locking users deeper into Microsoft’s cloud services. Others will simply be annoyed that there’s no option to continue setup without having some sort of control over whether their PC connects to the internet.
It’s a relatively clear power move. Requiring a Microsoft account gives the company more visibility into user behavior and helps promote its cloud services and apps like OneDrive, Edge, and Windows Copilot, most of which are already closely tied to an online ID.
While enterprise users can still use domain or other accounts to bypass the new requirement, most users will have few options. Tools like Rufus can still modify install images to remove account requirements, but Microsoft could eventually block those methods as well. The changes will officially arrive in the next few weeks, so if you’re looking to do a fresh install, now might be the time to go ahead and do it.
Brittany Vincent has covered gaming, anime, tech, and entertainment for over a decade. When she’s not writing, she’s…
Windows 11 to simplify battery monitoring with mobile-inspired icons
Microsoft is preparing changes to its laptop battery charge indicators, which should be coming to future versions of Windows 11 in the coming months.
The updates are set to make clear distinctions between the different battery states, such as an unplugged battery, a charging battery, or a battery with an unknown status. While all Windows 11 users are scheduled to get the new battery-level icons, Windows 11 Insiders are set to get first dibs. According to Windows Latest, Microsoft previewed the battery icons to pre-release users in a video conference in early March. This conference revealed the icon images but did not give much further information about the coming design changes, such as a release timeline.
Latest Windows 11 update slows Intel’s newest desktop processors
Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 24H2 (KB5050094 and KB5051987) updates are causing some serious performance issues, especially for Intel Core Ultra 9 285K users, as Neowin reports. The updates interfere with CPU speeds when a user minimizes a program or the app is out of focus. However, older Intel processors remain unaffected.
It’s reported that apps are “massively throttled,” causing the CPU’s clock rate to drop significantly and deteriorating overall performance. Some users have resorted to using beta BIOS or changing power settings to preserve CPU performance during background processes. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K slowdown is causing some major headaches as the issues occur across various apps, including Prime95 and 7Zip. This suggests that the 24H2 performance issues are not limited to one app but are linked to KB 5050094 and KB5051987 updates.
I’ve been waiting for this possible Windows 11 transfer tool
A new transfer app for Windows 11 may be in the works, as Dongle and Microsoft watcher Phantomofearth discovered it in a preview build, as Windows Latest reports. If released, the transfer app could offer options like “Back up to this PC” and “Transfer files to a new PC,” streaming the migration process without needing an external storage device or cloud services.
Once you’ve made your selection, the process continues. The app could ask you to connect your old PC to the same Wi-Fi network, highlighting that it’ll use wireless transfer mode. If you’ve used Nearby Sharing, the transfer app’s process will feel familiar since it might be used to make the transfer process possible. The app could ask you to pair the two PCs to begin the transfer. The app should start the transfer session on the new PC and recommend connecting to a power source since the process could take a while. However, the app could not show the available controls or the set of files it’ll copy.
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