Microsoft says that they are planning to update Windows 11 Pro so that it will require an Internet connection and a Microsoft account during this set of phases of the operating system. These changes will mirror the requirements Microsoft added to Windows 11 home last year, meaning you won’t be able to avoid Microsoft accounts by creating a user account locally during setup.

For a while now, Microsoft has been pushing Windows users increasingly to use a Microsoft account with Windows 10. And with this new change in the Windows 11 Pro OS, it won’t sit well with many people who are hoping to avoid Microsoft data gathering in Windows.

Similar to the Windows 11 Home screen, the Windows 11 Pro Edition also requires Internet connectivity during the initial device setup OOBE only. If you do choose to set up a device for personal use, a Microsoft Service account will be required for that setup as well. Microsoft is currently using and testing this change in Windows 11 bills, and this feature (Sorry this is not a feature) Will roll out to the Windows 11 Pro versions in the coming months. Right now Windows 11 Pro users can just avoid a Microsoft account by disconnecting their PC from the Internet setup and using a local user account instead, But that likely won’t be the case in a few.

This new requirement, however, does not affect the existing Windows 11 Pro users. It means that the new fresh installations of Windows 11 Pro will be requiring a Microsoft account and Internet connectivity during setup in those people who are hoping to avoid that will have to use a dummy Microsoft account, then create a local one afterward.