Overcome Windows Setup Annoyances

With each passing version of Windows 11, Microsoft has made it ever more difficult for users to configure things to their liking so that it can steer them toward using more of its products and services. We see this hostility throughout the system, but in this chapter, we focus on Windows Setup, as described in Step-by-Step: Windows Setup First-Boot Experience and Step-By-Step: Windows Setup Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). And two key issues emerge:

Crapware. PC makers have long installed crapware and other superfluous utilities in Windows, providing users with a compromised user experience that didn't reflect what Microsoft intended. But with Windows 11, now Microsoft installs its own collection of crapware too, in the form of sponsored apps and shortcuts in the Start menu.
Forced Microsoft account (MSA) usage. While we feel strongly that most users are best off signing into Windows 11 using a Microsoft account, we also acknowledge that experienced users should be able to use a local account (or what Microsoft sometimes calls an offline account) if they wish, and as they have in all previous Windows versions.

Fortunately, we can work around both of these issues. And while these issues may be of little concern to casual users, we think it's important to have the choice.
Perform a super-clean install of Windows 11 without the crapware
If you are looking for the cleanest possible install of Windows 11, one without any crapware from Microsoft or your PC maker, a simple hack will do the trick. But it's important to go into this knowing the downsides, none of which are particularly daunting:

PC maker utilities that you may find to be useful will not be installed either. So check with your PC maker to see whether you can download the installers for the utilities you do want and keep them handy for manual installation afterward.
Some drivers specific to your PC may not be installed when you first boot into the Desktop. To solve this problem, simply check for updates in Windows Update (Settings app > Windows Update). And if that doesn't fully solve the problem, you can look for an app that your PC maker supplies for this purpose. (Key examples include Dell Update, HP Support Assistant, and Lenovo Vantage.)
When you use this method to install Windows 11, the Start menu will be almost empty, with just a handful of app shortcuts. (Don't worry: All the in-box apps included with Windows 11 are installed normally. They can be found in the All apps list.) If you use app shortcuts in the Start menu frequently, you'll have to manually pin the ones you need. (The good news? You don't have to unpin the ones you don't.)

Ready to dive in? Great! Here are the steps for performing a super-clean install of Windows 11":

Boot your PC with your Windows 11 installation media. Start the clean install process as described in Windows Setup First-Run Experience. As you may recall, the very first step, titled Windows Setup, offers three options t...