Microsoft has released a new Windows Insider Preview Build 26220.6772 that could make it harder or impossible to set up Windows 11 without first signing in to a Microsoft account.

Spotted by our friends at Tom's Hardware, the patch notes for the build refer to the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE) or the setup process for a new Windows 11 installation. This update makes it harder to get around restrictions to use a local account.

The notes mentions removing "local-only commands" saying that previous "known mechanisms" for bypassing Microsoft sign-ins are being looked into.

"While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use,

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