The Windows setup process has generally required an Internet connection and Microsoft account sign-in since the Windows 11 ...

Microsoft is cracking down on bypass methods that let Windows 11 installs use a local account, and avoid an internet requirement during the setup process. In a new Windows 11 test build released today ...

Windows Insider Program lead Amanda Langowski said in a blog post on Monday that those setup screens -- called the Windows Setup experience (or "out of the box experience") -- are critical during ...

As part of the Windows Insider Program, in June 2025, Microsoft released at least ten preview builds (including three in the Beta, three in Dev, and two in the Canary Channels) with a slew of new ...

As part of these updates, the software giant introduced various improvements to its AI features, such as better handling of queries when using the AI agent in the Settings app. Windows Recall gained ...