Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter (now X), appears to have purchased a new laptop and was disappointed to discover that he could not install Windows 11 on his new PC without a Microsoft account. Needless to say, he didn’t seem too excited about it.
Musk expressed his displeasure with this requirement via his official X handle, claiming that it allows Microsoft’s AI (Copilot) access to user data.
“Just bought a new PC laptop and it won’t let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their AI access to my computer! This is messed up. There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account. Are you seeing this too?“
In response to his post on the same thread, he labeled this specific requirement as “not cool”
However, readers added context to Musk’s post, saying, “It is still possible to set up the latest version of Windows without a Microsoft account.”
How to setup Windows 11 without a Microsoft account
Windows 11 can be installed without requiring an MSA. This could be because you are concerned about privacy or do not require an online presence. Here are three steps to follow:
- At the setup, select the “Offline Account” option.
- Then choose “limited experience.” This will allow you to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account.
- Finally, customize the settings and finish the setup.
Installing Windows 11 without an MSA has some limitations. Certain features and functionalities of Microsoft services may not function or be available. However, if you value privacy, this is an option.
