this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2025
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Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account (www.theverge.com)
submitted 16 hours ago by ardi60@reddthat.com to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] ardi60@reddthat.com 119 points 15 hours ago (5 children)

Here's your bypass:

In OOBE, go through MS account creation. Tell it you were born today. It'll let you set a password for the MS account before rejecting you due to COPA requirements. At this point, you can make an offline account without having even created an MS account, let alone having to use one.

This will not go away - it's a legal thing. MS doesn't want to deal with COPA stuff for very young kids, so this flow exists. Enjoy.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

My go to is to pop open the console and run "ipconfig /release" right before you create an account. Win 11 will have you set up a local account if you don't have a network connection.

[–] cley_faye@lemmy.world 10 points 8 hours ago

Back in my day, we had to make ourselves looks older online to get things, not younger! hehe

[–] Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

This is the rule for any account or mobile game, too - if it asks your age before asking for consent to farm, put any age below 13. It'll either not farm you because it's illegal or it'll kick you out. If the latter, good riddance really

[–] FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I’ve always done 1/1/1984 for obvious reasons but this is a good tip

[–] hamFoilHat@lemmy.world 7 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

I've used 1/1/70 since it's the unix epoc, what's 1/1/84?

[–] eleijeep@piefed.social 5 points 7 hours ago

Thank you both for telling me the answers to your security questions.

[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 36 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

Rufus can be used to disable account creation along with other settings.

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 20 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

rufus doesn't help with preloads that you don't want to or can't, for whatever reason, overwrite with a 'clean' install.

[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 20 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

If os can't be installed off a usb then that means linux can't either, which makes it a pretty sad machine to spend money on.

So it must be a work or school device then? Which users wouldn't be installing OS on anyways with it being handled through IT.

[–] ms_lane@lemmy.world 6 points 13 hours ago (3 children)

There are plenty that will boot/install Linux just fine but won't do a nice clean install of Windows 11.

Modern Thinkpad E16 (AMD) is one of them, a clean USB won't work, it will always stick at not finding required drivers.

You need to inevitably create a USB install from the MS USB Media Creation tool, running on the machine itself from the included crapware Windows - to get an installer USB that will work.

Different if you're just pushing a wim over the network from endpoint/scm, but it's basically broken for local users.

[–] jodanlime@midwest.social 3 points 4 hours ago

I had this issue at work, I was able to fix it by using the windows media creation tool instead of just writing the iso to the drive. Not sure why that worked, but it has every time so far.

[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 4 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

That's unfortunate. Looks like thinkpads aren't worth getting. I generally do not trust manfucturer preinstalled OS.

[–] eleijeep@piefed.social 3 points 7 hours ago

I generally do not trust manfucturer preinstalled OS.

Especially pertinent for Lenovo.

[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 10 hours ago

Only if you want to run Windows on that model I guess. My kid has an E16 AMD and installed Fedora Linux from a USB no problem.

[–] anamethatisnt@sopuli.xyz 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Do you have more info regarding that ThinkPad E16?
I'm mostly working with T series laptops and haven't had the problem, but always good to know if or when an E16 shows up.

[–] Exec@pawb.social 1 points 6 hours ago

Usually all ThinkPads work mostly the same regarding Linux support (bar the usual Nvidia driver shenanigans if you ever trip that), but I'd be concerned about the E-series themselves. If you want a cheaper than T-series ThinkPad you should get an L-series one. Not as expensive as the T-ones, but still retains some usable chassis durability, double replaceable memory slots, replaceable keyboard, etc.
I've started calling the E-series as E-waste.

[–] dmtalon@infosec.pub 2 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

What if they just ask your age as step 1 of the setup?

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 3 points 13 hours ago

Same thing, that doesn't change anything.