help avoiding issues while setting up new computer that has W11

I am setting up a new computer and at the 'unlock your microsoft experience" page..

Apparently I have the Home Edition, which does not include a local account option button when setting up

I do not want a ms account.  I don't want to encounter the bitlocker issues.  I don't want the new W11 desktop.

I do not intend to use Edge, MS365, cortana, copilot, or anything else.

I understand you can set up a local account and maybe do other things to avoid dealing with W11.

I do not intend to click the "sign in" button on this page before exploring all options and having a plan for avoiding W11.

All of my work is 100% confidential; no way I want MS in my life.

I can return the computer at this point but what else could I buy?

I only bought this for the hardware and because some sites will not use my windows 7 due to lack of current security standards.

Do apple products avoid all this?

All help greatly appreciated.

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Does this work?   "Quick tip about local accounts: When you’re setting up Windows 11 on the first boot, it doesn’t give you a choice to sign in with a local account. You may think you have to use a Microsoft account, but it’s easy to bypass. Just type ‘a’ in both the username and password fields. It will say it failed to sign in and let you use a local account."

Edited by !@@**##, 29 November 2025 - 04:19 PM.

You might look this over from BC....  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/new-windows-11-trick-lets-you-bypass-microsoft-account-requirement/

That worked.  I opened the command window and typed    start ms-cxh:localonly.     Note I did this at the "'unlock your microsoft experience" page.

But, I could not perform the next recommended step ["When done installing, you can confirm a local account is being used by clicking on the Start button and then clicking on your account name, as shown below."] because my next page did not have those options.  At that location on the page it says "Recommended:  Get Started Welcome to Windows    Install WhatsApp."   It was possible to get online.  I did not find a way around using Edge, but am able to download Firefox.

Terrific advice!

Yeah, I am a Firefox fan. I like it because they don't push AI on me (M/SOFT you listening?) and there are multiple security and privacy add-ons for free. 

So Apple would have all your details.   Eventually you wll need to sign in.  Will get nagged that there is something wrong with your account.

As for making a account it is no big deal.  As can at this time still revert to a local account.

Install your Motherboard Drivers  if not already done so.      Use O&O ShutUp10 to turn off Telemetry and turn off stuff. 

Note the Microsoft Store is a integral part of updating Windows 11.  Do not go anywhere but Library as will install everything back in again. 

You do not need to log in to the store just kill the pop-up login window.

As has been said, once you get past the OOBE (all the setup pages), simply check that you are using a local account in settings. 

You need to be aware that MS is closing off ways to set up a local account every day so advice, even if only a couple of weeks old, may no longer work. 

Generally if you connect the PC to the internet during OOBE you are going to end up with a MS account. If this is what you've done then You'll need to get the Windows 11 iso on a USB stick and do a clean install of the OS without being connected to the internet. When you get to the nag screen about connecting to the internet try the commands / methods again.

As has been said, after you install, before importing any data turn of device encryption in settings.

If you have privacy concerns you'll also want to "Unlink" One Drive. 

Having unlinked One Drive then make sure you have a good backup strategy.

Easy to find YouTubes on both things.

This is very helpful and I think it is set up OK. 

But, I am having trouble with the networking.  This is W11 Home Edition.  My 4 other computers are W10 and W7, and I would like them to flawlessly access each other's folders (which the W7s and W10s can).  Essentially, from the W11, I can see the others displayed at the \\ level, but when I click to open I get messages that I do not have permission to access the W7 [\\COMPUTERNAME] and cannot access W10 [\\COMPUTERNAME] (check the spelling ... otherwise there might be a problem with your network ... Error Code 0x80070035).  I have tried all the usual steps but am still encountering this problem.  Maybe it is just a matter of mapping?

Online, I have found many discussions of this well-known problem; most just address the simple settings, but some discussions propose very elaborate work-arounds, and most discussions result in "did not work."

Of course this is just a quick summary of all the details.  Is this an issue to move to the networking forum?

Edited by !@@**##, 12 December 2025 - 11:01 AM.

Moved to networking forum