As most of you know, on this website we directly test many computers, desktops and laptops, and even portable consoles that have the Windows operating system installed out of the box. These are devices that come to us with factory settings and we have no choice but to go through the Windows initial setup wizard, so we have been able to see first-hand how this has changed over time… and it has changed for the worse.
Microsoft Online Account and Privacy in Windows
So when you buy a laptop and it comes with Windows preinstalled (same for a desktop or laptop console), the initial setup wizard no longer allows you to create a local account (the “little tricks” no longer work) » to use [email protected] or [email protected], without even using oobebypassnro) and you must use a Microsoft account in any case. Of course, it is also mandatory that you have an Internet connection… in the past you could remove the cable or not connect to a WiFi and you were offered to create a local account, now if you do that directly you cannot start the PC.
In short, you can no longer create a local account not linked to Microsoft to install Windows. It is impossible.
No matter what Microsoft says otherwise, Windows has never been a privacy bulwark, but having to tie your PC to a corporate online account only makes things worse. For starters, the initial Windows setup wizard, which used to take just 5 minutes, is now a process that lasts about an hour, preventing you from enjoying your device right away.
If you haven’t created a Microsoft account, you will have to do so, and in doing so, it will ask you for personal information from the start, data that is not only your first and last name that you can falsify, but it is also mandatory to provide information such as your date of birth or your telephone number… data that Microsoft already stores.
And you’ll say “well, I can also put fake data in there”… yes, that’s true, but the attack on your privacy doesn’t stop there. When you use a Microsoft account during the initial setup wizard, it turns on “your stuff” by default, like OneDrive for example. If you don’t remember or don’t bother to turn it off first, all your files and documents will be stored in Microsoft’s cloud service and will be on their servers. YOUR documents, YOUR servers. Plus, you only have 15GB of capacity, and when you fill it up, you’ll start having problems with inaccessible files (You may receive errors that will prevent you from accessing your own files!, sync errors that will prompt you to upgrade to a paid plan, etc.
Of course, if it’s a laptop it will also force you to set up Windows Hello, this will require you to create a PIN that you will necessarily have to use to log in to your own PC, whether you like it or not. It will also install Office 365 out of the box and prompt you to pay for it, as well as other native Windows apps.
In short, your PC is no longer yours, it belongs to Microsoft, as well as your personal files and data. It’s a privacy trap and, worse, there’s not much we can do to avoid it. You’ll have to follow tutorials and guides to keep Windows configured so that it’s more usable and not give everything to Microsoft, something most users won’t have the knowledge or inclination to do. It’s such an unfortunate situation.
is there a solution?
The truth is that it’s a bit complicated. What we usually do is create a generic Microsoft account for the initial setup of those computers that we need to test frequently, and then we create a local account without any Microsoft services associated with it. Uninstall Office and Onedrive, etc.
Another alternative, if you want to have a Windows operating system, especially because of the compatibility of games and applications, is to install Windows 10. If you have purchased a laptop that comes with the operating system pre-installed and you do this, you will not even need a license because it is associated with the computer card and you will have Windows activated directly.
