The reason Windows 11 requires a Microsoft account is actually pretty boring

It's common knowledge that Windows 11 steers you towards a Microsoft account. Most people explain this as data collection or lock-in, and that explanation feels tidy. But what happens when you give in or keep refusing to sign in doesn't always match this narrative. More importantly, you should be asking why Microsoft made the account so central in the first place. The explanation isn't as dramatic as you may expect, but it's also more practical than the conspiracy versions.

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