Windows 11 is closing a loophole that let you skip making a Microsoft account

Bypass Methods and Their Limits

• Commenters confirm that on Windows 11 Pro, choosing “Organization” → “Sign-in options” → “Domain join” still allows creating a local account (no password required).
• This does not work on Home editions, which lack domain join.
• The removed bypassnro.cmd script was just a registry tweak plus reboot; some note you can still manually set the same key—though others expect Microsoft to remove the underlying BypassNRO support entirely.
• Tools like Rufus that inject “skip account/TPM” options are mentioned; it’s unclear how long such methods will keep working.

Motivations and Antitrust Concerns

• Many believe the “enhance security and user experience” justification is disingenuous, seeing the real goals as:
  • Forcing cloud integration and upsell paths.
  • Better ad targeting and telemetry.
  • Locking users into Microsoft services and an app‑store model.
• Some argue this could be an antitrust “tying” issue (dominant OS linked to online services) and may warrant formal complaints.

Security, Privacy, and BitLocker

• Several argue an online account increases attack surface, so security claims are backwards.
• A detailed comment notes that new Windows 11 installs can auto‑enable BitLocker and silently upload recovery keys to the Microsoft account, likening this to key‑escrow systems and pointing to past account key compromise as a worrying precedent.

Offline, Shared, and Enterprise Scenarios

• People question how to set up machines with no or restricted internet (labs, clubs, kiosks, ATMs, air‑gapped/government systems).
• Some say enterprise deployment tools are a different path, but small organizations and shared machines relied heavily on the bypass.
• Others report that even having no network devices present no longer guarantees an offline‑account option.

Comparisons with Linux and macOS

• A large subthread debates Linux vs Windows for development and gaming:
  • Some say Proton/Steam Deck make Linux gaming “good enough”; others cite anti‑cheat and specific titles as blockers.
  • For dev work, several find Linux vastly more productive; others prefer Windows + WSL.
• macOS is contrasted favorably: you can skip Apple ID at setup, still install most software, and accounts feel less intrusive.

User Experience, Dark Patterns, and Sentiment

• Many describe Windows 11 as increasingly hostile: repeated prompts for telemetry/ads, preinstalled bloat, “booby traps” where logging into one Microsoft app silently converts the OS account.
• There is strong emotional backlash; multiple commenters say this finally pushed them to abandon or avoid Windows, or to freeze on Windows 10 and/or use VMs only.