- Microsoft may drop the need to set up Windows 11 with a Microsoft account
- A company executive says software engineers are working on it
- There is no indication yet of when the change might be implemented
Microsoft has told users that big improvements are coming to Windows 11 — improvements that cover how much artificial intelligence appears in the software, how updates are handled, and more — and the operating system’s setup process may also get a welcome tweak.
As seen by Windows Latest, in response to a user query on X about being able to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, Microsoft boss Scott Hanselman says that software engineers are now “working on it”.
Hanselman is a vice president at Microsoft and is part of the team tasked with pushing the company forward with reliability and performance upgrades for Windows 11. So far, Microsoft’s changes have been mostly well received.
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Being able to set up a Windows 11 computer without the hassle of signing into a Microsoft account is something else that will likely prove popular with users — as you can see if you read some of the comments below Handselman’s post.
Putting users first
Although it is still technically possible to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, the solutions are quite technical and difficult. The local account option has been gradually pushed out of the software over the years.
As we’ve written before, it removes user choice and flexibility, and there are undoubtedly some users who would rather not tie their copy of Windows 11 to a Microsoft account – or even have a Microsoft account at all.
That Scott Hanselman says it’s also something he hates is significant. It shows that Microsoft is willing to change features for the benefit of end users instead of prioritizing the company’s best interests.
While there’s still a lot of work to do to restore trust and goodwill with users, Microsoft is doing okay so far (and we’re only in March). There’s no indication yet of when this might roll out – and apart from Scott Hanselman’s post on X, there’s no official confirmation that the change will happen.
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