Elon Musk recently did something that all of us have probably done at least once: He bought himself a new Windows computer, specifically a laptop. When he wanted to start using it, he realized that he had to create a Microsoft account to do so. Most people know this, but apparently it caught Musk by surprise — and raised his hackles.
Musk expressed his displeasure about Windows 11’s Microsoft accounts on X (formerly Twitter), which he has purchased. Musk wrote there:
“Just bought a new PC laptop and it won’t let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their AI access to my computer! This is messed up. There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account. Are you seeing this too?”
But Musk wasn’t satisfied with that. Instead, he vented his displeasure under a tweet from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. You can view this tweet here at Bluesky. Musk wrote:
“Satya, I don’t mean to be a pain, but please allow users setting up a new Windows PC to skip creating a Microsoft account.This option disappears when the computer is connected to WiFi.
Also, even if you do want to sign up, it won’t allow you to use a work email address, and I only have work email addresses!”
Musk’s criticism of the account requirement for Windows quickly made the rounds on social networks. One X/Twitter user quipped: “This will go down in history as the most famous tech support X post of all time.” Here are some more funny reactions to Musk’s dispute with Microsoft.
Musk later announced that he had managed to set up his Windows PC without a Microsoft account, thanks to instructions from a follower. Yes, you can still use Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, but doing so requires some arcane workarounds.
This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
Author: Hans-Christian Dirscherl, Redakteur
Hans-Christian Dirscherl schreibt seit über 20 Jahren zu fast allen IT-Themen. Sein Fokus liegt auf der Koordination und Produktion von Nachrichten mit hohem Nutzwert sowie auf ausführlichen Tests und Ratgebern für die Bereiche Smart Home, Smart Garden und Automotive.