Windows 10 Home now forces you to sign in with a Microsoft account—unless you disconnect from the internet first. Microsoft has always wanted you to sign in with a Microsoft account, but now it’s going even further.
The option to sign in with a classic local Windows account was always rather hidden behind an “Offline Account” option. Now, we’ve confirmed that it’s vanished entirely from Windows 10’s setup process.
How Windows 10 Home Forces a Microsoft Account
The screenshots in this article were taken while installing Windows 10 version 1903 Home—that’s the current stable version of Windows 10, also known as the May 2019 Update.
During the first-time setup process—either after you install Windows 10 yourself or while setting up a new PC with Windows 10—you’re now prompted to “Sign in with Microsoft” and there are no alternate options.
On Windows 10 Professional, there’s reportedly a “Domain Join Instead” option that will create a local user account. But that’s only on Windows 10 Professional. Windows 10 Home doesn’t have this option at all.
If you try to click “Next” or “Create account,” Windows 10 will ask you for “a valid email address, phone number, or Skype name.” There’s no apparent way around it.
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Source: How-To Geek
