Microsoft Account
The latest Microsoft Account coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Windows 11 Local Account Setup Debate Reignites as User Pleads for Offline Path, Raising BitLocker and Trust Concerns
A vocal Windows 11 user reignited a years-long debate on June 14, 2026, by publicly demanding that Microsoft restore the option to set up new PCs with a local account instead of forcing a Microsoft...
Reddit Outrage Revives Calls for a Visible Local Account Option in Windows 11 Setup
A late-May Reddit thread has once again lit a fire under Microsoft’s most persistent Windows 11 critics, reviving demands that the company offer a clear, front-and-center local account option...
Minecraft Outage on June 3, 2026: Bedrock Login Fails, Realms Hit by 502 Errors
A massive service disruption rocked the Minecraft universe in the early hours of June 3, 2026, leaving thousands of Bedrock players locked out of their accounts and Java Realms subscribers staring at...
Unsolicited Microsoft Verification Codes Signal Massive Credential-Stuffing Attack
A wave of unsolicited Microsoft verification codes is sweeping across Portugal and other regions in early 2026, triggering alarms among users who never attempted to sign in. Recipients report...
Windows 11 After 20 Years on Linux: Solid OS, Constant Microsoft Nudges
Jenny List hadn’t used Windows as a daily driver in nearly twenty years. That changed on June 2, 2026, when Hackaday published her detailed account of firing up an old ex-corporate laptop, its...
Windows 11 2026 Fixes Arrive, but Trust Gap With Users Only Grows
Microsoft is moving fast. By mid-2026, the company will have shipped at least three major quality-of-life updates aimed directly at the most vocal Windows 11 complaints. Fewer nag screens. Slimmer...
Microsoft Kills SMS Codes for Microsoft Accounts in May 2026, Pushes Passkeys and Authenticator
Microsoft will stop supporting SMS-based authentication and account recovery for personal Microsoft accounts beginning May 2026. The company informed users via email and a support document update...
Microsoft to Phase Out SMS Sign-In from 2026: Embrace Passkeys, Authenticator App, and New Recovery Methods
Microsoft has drawn a line in the sand for SMS-based authentication. In a May 2026 announcement, the company confirmed it will phase out SMS codes for signing into personal Microsoft accounts and for...
Windows 11 25H2 OOBE Hides Local Account – BYPASSNRO Still Works with Offline Trick
Microsoft shipped Windows 11 version 25H2 last month with one change that infuriated privacy-conscious users: the OOBE now hides the local account option even on Windows 11 Pro. The BYPASSNRO...
Windows 11 Local Account Privacy Costs: BitLocker, Tracking, and Ransomware Protection Gone
Paul Thurrott’s May 2026 “Switcher” essay throws a spotlight on a growing tension within the Windows 11 ecosystem. On one side: users who crave privacy and want to strip Microsoft’s cloud...
Windows 11 OOBE Finally Gets \
Microsoft has introduced a "Update later" option in Windows 11's Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) that allows users to skip initial setup updates and proceed directly to the desktop. This change...
KB5079473 update blocks Microsoft account access in Windows 11 apps
Microsoft has confirmed that its March 2026 cumulative update for Windows 11, KB5079473, is causing widespread sign-in failures for Microsoft accounts across native applications. The update, released...