Nice guide. One small practical tip I rarely see mentioned: if the setup forces a Microsoft account, just create a fresh throwaway account during install. In my experience it only asked for a name and password, no phone or extra data. Once Windows finishes installing you can immediately disconnect that account and leave it unused, or delete it later if you prefer. No command-line tricks needed, just a quick burner account and you’re done.

Plus: I also recommend running O&O ShutUp10++ (ShutUpWin11) for quick privacy hardening. It’s portable and includes a good default preset that makes Windows less intrusive. From the same developer, O&O AppBuster lets you remove bundled apps that can’t normally be uninstalled. Both are one-time portable tools, and while Windows updates may re-enable some settings or reinstall apps, it’s still a solid baseline to start from.

Or of course, ditch Windows for Ubuntu, Mint, Zorin or other solid distro, but you can't always do that for friends and family without causing issues for them.