Windows 11 Home will need a Microsoft account, but Pro won't

The release of Windows 11 is still a number of months away, and we're still learning a lot about Microsoft's latest operating system update. In addition to the confusion about hardware requirements, there have been questions about other necessities.

According to sources close to Microsoft, anyone opting for Windows 11 Home will be required to have a Microsoft account. The same is not true for Windows 11 Pro; users will be able to use local accounts if they want.

See also:

• Windows 11 is making important changes to the way system updates work
• The Windows 11 release date is almost certainly in October
• Check whether your computer can be upgraded to Windows 11 using Win11SysCheck

The news comes courtesy of PCWorld whose unnamed source confirms what many people had been led to believe: that during the installation process, Windows 11 Home requires a Microsoft account. But it seems that the account only needs to be used during the installation of Windows 11; once the operating system is up and running, it will be possible to switch to a local account if you prefer.

Anyone installing Windows 11 Pro is freed from this constraint and will be able to use a local account right from the very beginning.

It's not entirely clear why the company is necessitating the use of a Microsoft account, but opting to use a local account does involve limitations. It means, for instance, that it is not possible to synchronize content and settings between devices. However, PCWorld's source insists that anyone opting to use a local account won't have a "diminished or limited experience".

This is not the first time Microsoft has declared war on local accounts, and with Windows 11 the company is getting more aggressive in its stance.