14 DAY TRIAL // Installing Windows 10 without a Microsoft account appears to be getting harder, as Microsoft has enabled a rather controversial option for more users across the world.
A change that was discovered in Windows 10 last year made setting up the operating system with a local account much more difficult, as Microsoft just wants everyone to use a Microsoft account to log in.
A Windows 10 device that is connected to the Internet would no longer show the local account option when setting up the operating system, instead insisting for users to log in with or create a Microsoft account.
Using a Microsoft account in Windows 10 comes with a series of benefits, such as sync options, but on the other hand, not everyone wants to use this method. As a result, a local account makes much more sense, although starting last year, setting one up isn’t necessarily a very straightforward experience.
Just disconnect the PC from the Internet
Because devices with an active Internet connection were only provided with an option to configure Windows 10 with a Microsoft account, the workaround here was to just disconnect the computers from the Internet. If no Internet connection is detected, then the Windows 10 setup experience also displays a local account option, in which case users can continue setting up the OS without a Microsoft account.
German site Dr. Windows says this approach is now being used in other countries as well, after Microsoft originally rolled it out in the United States only. Despite the criticism, Microsoft somehow decided to stick with this idea, probably as it wants more people to start using Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.
For now, the easiest way to configure a local account when setting up Windows 10 is to just disconnect the device from the Internet, although I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised if the software giant finds a way to make it this method less convenient as well.