Windows 11 is official and while you may not be able to download it yet, pretty much everything about the software has come to light – well, apart from the official release date.

While it is known that this new OS will be a free update just like we got Windows 10, Microsoft revealed that users will be required to have a Microsoft account to enjoy this new software. This is not entirely new as previous versions of Windows did also require a Microsoft account but they did not make it mandatory to have one –  something that Windows 11 is doing.

This means that to set up Windows 11, you will require an internet connection, unlike before where you could skip the Microsoft account setup and just have a local account on your PC or laptop. “For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features,” read Microsoft’s statement.

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While it is not clear whether you will be able to change to a local account from settings, what is clear is that Microsoft is pushing users to have accounts to access features on their new software. It is also not clear whether this applies to pro versions as Microsoft did specifically mention Home. “Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use,” read the description.

This new update will be available to all current and new Windows users. The new OS will appear like a normal update on your device, just like you have been getting Windows 10 updates. However, for the software to work on your device, it will need to meet the minimum requirements which include; a PC with a dual-core 64-bit CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.