Microsoft remove option to create local Windows account

So apparently when setting up Windows 10 the option to create a local account is no longer available if an internet connection has been detected. You have to physically disconnect from the internet if you do not want a Microsoft account. Awesome.

Conversation 14 comments

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2019 - 4:02 am

    <p>What version of Windows 10 are you using?</p><p>We set up several new PCs a week at the moment with 1903 Pro and we set up a local account on all of them (network attached), which we then immediately delete, once it is in the domain.</p>

  • navarac

    29 September, 2019 - 4:42 am

    <p>It's well hidden/not obvious to persuade you to use a MS account if I remember rightly.</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2019 - 9:20 am

    <p>So… I've heard this reported but have never seen it. I always get the (well hidden) local account option.</p>

  • anoldamigauser

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2019 - 12:44 pm

    <p>I just walked my daughter through the process, and she was connected the entire time. They are just further obfuscating it.</p><p>When setting up the first account, after indicating that you do not have the email address, you will be presented with a choice of options, and the one you want is "Offline Account". I always have them set up a local admin account to which they know the password, and then have them add their own accounts as non-admin, local accounts, which is much easier and lets them get a better home directory name. They can then switch to their MSA and add their school accounts as well.</p>

  • Lordbaal

    29 September, 2019 - 2:57 pm

    <p>It is not hidden.</p>

    • anderb

      Premium Member
      30 September, 2019 - 7:24 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#472214">In reply to Lordbaal:</a></em></blockquote><p>You're right. It is not hidden. It's now labelled 'Domain join instead'. How did my mother not know this?</p><p><br></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tA9fo1R.png"></p><p><br></p&gt;

      • Lordbaal

        30 September, 2019 - 12:20 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#472424">In reply to anderb:</a></em></blockquote><p>You click on domain join instead.</p><p>It is not that hard. </p>

        • Tony Barrett

          30 September, 2019 - 12:50 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#472537">In reply to Lordbaal:</a></em></blockquote><p>It is if you don't have a clue what 'Domain join instead' means. I guess labeling it 'Create Local Account' was too confusing for MS to consider!</p>

          • Lordbaal

            30 September, 2019 - 4:28 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#472550">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's the way you have to go in order to sign up with a local account. You do not have to join a domain. But you have to click on it.</p>

      • madthinus

        Premium Member
        30 September, 2019 - 2:15 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#472424">In reply to anderb:</a></em></blockquote><p>On what version is this? </p>

  • madthinus

    Premium Member
    29 September, 2019 - 3:58 pm

    <p>It was more hidden in 1809 than it is in 1903. </p>

  • Anlong08

    Premium Member
    30 September, 2019 - 12:10 pm

    <p>Try setting up windows WITHOUT connecting to the interwebs when it prompts you to early in the process.</p>

  • Belralph

    30 September, 2019 - 6:18 pm

    <p>Just ran into this at work. If you are installing on a machine that has Pro associated with it, you get the option for join a domain instead even if you are connected to the internet. If the machine is associated with Home which can not join a domain, it will not give you any way to continue with a local account unless the install is done without internet connectivity. </p><p>I'm using the same 1903 usb key that I've had since the release so I guess Microsoft is pushing out a modified install process during the install as it didn't do this before. I have the luxury of working around this since I have Pro on everything but I hope this isn't a precursor to it being mandatory on 1909 installs. </p><p>This reeks of the early days of Windows 8 when you couldn't do anything without a MS account, not even update to 8.1 via the store. I made up dozens of throw away MSA accounts. I want to go back to paying for Windows, so it can be mine to use as I want and not Microsoft's. </p>

  • jmwoods301

    30 September, 2019 - 6:39 pm

    <p>Actually, it may not even be a "thing".</p><p><br></p><p>From Ghacks…</p><p><br></p><p>"We installed Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 version 1909 multiple times and the offline account option was presented to us each time. It is quite possible that Microsoft is A-B testing the chance or that the change affects only some regions and not others."</p><p><br></p><p>ghacks.net/2019/09/30/how-to-create-a-local-account-in-windows-10-1909-if-the-option-is-not-available/</p>

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