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Microsoft recently released its first major update for Windows 11, adding several new and intriguing tweaks. However, the optional update seems to have mandated the Microsoft account login for both Home and Pro versions. This issue existed only with the Home versions of Windows previously.
The 2H22 feature update brought several adjustments to the latest OS, some of which the community has tirelessly requested since its launch last year. Users can download and install the update for free from the Windows settings. Windows 10 users with an eligible PC can upgrade too.
Is Microsoft mandating login with the new Windows 11 2H22 feature update?
While installing the update through Windows settings is the easiest way, some users like to clean install their OS. Clean installation has its share of benefits, including the easy removal of incompatible programs, a faster system, and more. That said, a user reported being forced to log in using a Microsoft account while clean installing the Windows 11 2H22.
One will require an internet connection to clean install Windows 11, be it the Home or Pro version, following the 2H22 update. Interestingly, the original 2H21 version came with a similar clause, but one could bypass the requirement with a trick.
Before, clean installing the Windows 11 2H21 Home required an internet connection, but a simple workaround could nullify the need. Upon reaching the 'No internet' page, one could use the Shift+F10 shortcut key and type a command to bypass the internet requirement. However, this workaround no longer works with the 2H22 update.
The Pro license for Windows 11 2H21 didn't even require a workaround, allowing users to clean install the OS freely without the internet. In fact, Windows 10 featured the same confusing clause with its Pro and Home versions. The Pro version didn't require internet access, but the Home version mandated the need for it.
One may want to clean install without an internet connection to stop Windows from installing outdated drivers. Some users may require systems that are off the internet on a permanent basis. With 2H22's clause, an individual without internet access will not be able to install the latest operating system on their PC.
The 2H22 update also reportedly installs OneDrive automatically. While it could serve as a useful program for many, OneDrive shouldn't be an automatic install. As the user reported, Microsoft made it a rule to automatically add the cloud storage app with every cumulative update.
Microsoft's behavior towards user data has increasingly grown towards the 'suspicious.' Unfortunately, it's not just Microsoft. Tech giants like Google, Meta, and more have given users every reason to keep their doubts intact.
As of now, users will require a working internet connection and a valid Microsoft account to clean install Windows 11 2H22. Although Microsoft is yet to confirm it officially, the American software giant may remove the clause in the future, but the chances are pretty bleak.
