This process is called a clean install, which is ironic as there's nothing particularly clean about it: Microsoft has enshittified Windows Setup.

I’ve dedicated my adult life to helping others use Windows as efficiently and effectively as possible. But my focus has shifted, decidedly, in recent years thanks to the enshittification of the ...

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. We are at a rare moment in Microsoft history, when the company that defined the modern PC is supporting a single version of its flagship operating ...

CATANIA, Italy, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OOBE Protocol today announced that it has entered a new expansion phase, marked by its ongoing European company formation and the opening of ...

Windows Recall is one of the biggest AI features Microsoft has added to Windows 11. It’s useful, but it comes with some privacy trade-offs. If you're a Windows 11 user, and specifically an owner of a ...

Today is the official end-of-support date for Microsoft’s Windows 10. That doesn’t mean these PCs will suddenly stop working, but if you don’t take action, it does mean your PC has received its last ...

Windows 10 holdouts, unfortunately, are going to have to upgrade to the newest version of the operating system soon. That's because the end is nigh for Windows 10, and Microsoft doesn't want anyone to ...

Microsoft is blocking another way to choose a local account in Windows 11. You'd force a local account by disconnecting from the network. The block is currently in place in the latest Windows 11 ...

Microsoft is tightening the reins on new installations of Windows 11 with stricter Microsoft account requirements. As participants in the Windows Insider Program have ...

Of the many minor to medium-size annoyances that come with a modern Windows 11 installation, the requirement that you sign in with a Microsoft account is one of the most irritating. Sure, all ...

The number of work arounds is ever shrinking... When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Add us as a preferred source on Google The latest ...

Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. is a senior editor and author of Notepad, who has ...