In the wake of the first major post-release update for Windows 11, the latest Windows Insider preview introduces new features, UI changes, and redesigned apps to users in the Dev channel. Although new features and improvements, such as the Windows 11 taskbar updates, will likely be appreciated, the coming requirement that users sign in with their Microsoft account during setup may be a bit of a headache to some users.
Previously, if your computer was not connected to the internet, you could use a local user account during setup. However, according to the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 2257 changelog, both Windows 11 Home and Pro will require that users sign in and be connected to set up their devices going forward.
In many cases, signing in is required to access a host of essential digital services such as cross-device sharing, cloud storage, and syncing. Still, most other major OSs let you set up a new device without a connection. In fact, in macOS, Apple still allows users to set up their new devices with local accounts. Another OS giant, Google, even features a dedicated guest mode option letting users browse the internet on Google Chrome without having a Google account.
Whether it’s a good thing or not is still to be decided. But Windows 11 is poised to become the first major operating system to require a registered and signed-in account to access even the most basic features. Microsoft has yet to announce the date from which this ‘new normal’ for Windows 11 users will take effect, but given how fast updates have been rolling out with their new premier OS, we might be looking at a public launch in a few months, if not sooner.
Most users won’t be affected by this change, but developers who frequently install Windows for testing or those trying to set up a new PC in a place with no internet connection will be affected. Check out our latest article on installing Android apps on Windows 11 while you wait for the latest update.
