jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When you sign into a new computer, Microsoft wants you to sign in or create an account. You can avoid that.

When it asks for an email, enter no@knthanks.com
Password: nothanks

Microsoft will reply that something went wrong. Then you can sign in with a local account. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mSaWcmrVO3I

Below is a different version of the video I saw last night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDrKVmyM2qk

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

That is one aggravating problem… before was new PC or new Win install… now some of the updates try to force it. Of the 3 Win PCs (2 mine, 1 wife) I have avoided it on 1 but fell for it on 2… both late/tired and was trapped. However, on both I immediately signed out later and keep resisting their urging to sign back in.

The one time I did NOT fall for it, I noticed a small text message at lower left of screen that allows you to continue without giving them a e-mail.

junglejim1949 Loc: Sacramento,CA

Microsoft is invasive and annoying

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes! And persistent!

I'll relent and sign in, but it won't accept my password, so I have to get a new one.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Didn't watch any of the vids yet. I sign in every day or when away from the computer for more than 4hrs. As the Admin, it's a mistake. Next computer, if a pc. I'll create a second user & use that for everything except admin type stuff that is needed. Thanks for the links.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Always a good thing to have a 2nd account with admin privileges in the event you’re locked out by ransomware or other error.

HardwareGuy

There is also an option to configure the new PC offline. It's a small checkbox in the bottom left of the screen in one of the set up windows. Purposefully small print.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Naturally.

JoeBiker Loc: homebase: Houston, TX

Thanks, I haven't upgraded any of my computers to Windows 11 yet. But when I (eventually) do, I want local accounts.

I assumed MS would give in eventually; but if not, I hope they don't close this loophole.

Haenzel Loc: South Holland, The Netherlands

They probably won't give in. It's their business model to gather and sell data, in spite of the fact the buyer / user of their product has got to pay for the license. The majority of their users don't care being exploited. I personally would never accept this model..

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I hate to sound like a devil’s advocate for MS, but doesn’t every SW package you buy require an email and PW to register/activate? i know at least LR/PS, Capture One and Topaz all do.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, and that's why I have almost 400 passwords.

JoeBiker Loc: homebase: Houston, TX

I wouldn't mind activation (so much), once per machine, especially if I could put them all on one email account (I do have a very old hotmail account). I just don't want to have an email for every login. I take care of computers for my church, friends, and family (and I have too many computer, myself), and that is too much of a hassle.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

If it were, like other software, just furnish an email and password and sign in when you use it... but with Microsoft it goes much further. They want you to stay logged in (on all of their products), using that email you gave them, on multiple programs and multiple computers... then if you are not careful, they will control the amount of interaction of those programs and PCs... one example is things like consolidating and coordinating the browser's favorites between PCs. Some things like that, [a single example] a user (like me) may not want to let Microsoft control and coordinate for them... especially in the background and without MY consent. It makes me have to be constantly vigilant of what they may be doing... that I DO NOT WANT THEM TO DO FOR ME.

Where I have given them an email/password, I do NOT stay logged in (say for example on Office for mail or Word) all the time and am close to paranoid on what they are doing. I keep having instances of "why did that change" and realizing Microsoft did it for me while I was logged in to do something.

Sure, most or all of that could PROBABLY be disabled/changed... but it takes knowledge and effort to keep up on that. And in our case, it is multiple users/PCs and things like my wife asking... 'why did this change' and when I explain... she replies 'but I got a message at the top of 'a Microsoft product' that I was not logged in... so I logged in... and that is why/when it changed.

If I were keeping up with all of the settings on all the Microsoft products, and I spent the time to keep all of those settings like I wanted... maybe it would alleviate some of this... but I am an old man that is not interested in spending that time and effort... and if I want Microsoft to do something for me, I have to be VERY careful of the consequences/repercussions of that.

Bottom line, I give them a email/password ONLY when absolutely necessary and log in on a product ONLY when absolutely necessary... for fear of the HELP they will implement without my knowledge or consent.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I’m sure you have a different configuration than me, because I just don’t have any interaction by MS between the half dozen windows machines on my network. Likewise, I’m using an older version of Office that doesn’t require a login and I have OneDrive disabled, so just no issues.