Microsoft is hellbent on objectively making their OS worse. That mock up of a Windows XP start menu modified to look like how Windows 10/11 looks now was sobering.
If you’re using the Pro version you can still select “other sign-in methods > domain join” and create a local account that way. For now.
I presume just not being connected to the internet at all still allows you to create a local account. I hope, anyway.
Pull the cable or power down your wireless access point if you have to…
You’d think, but no. They expect everyone to have internet access during setup. If you don’t, then it just won’t let you move forward in the setup until you connect.
There was a workaround to enter the wrong credentials for a Microsoft account which would allow you to create a local account in the hopes that you would log in and then reset your password once in Windows. There was also a workaround using a bypass oobe (out of box experience) command in Command Prompt. Without reading this article, I’m assuming this blocked one or both of these methods.
