Title I do not want a Microsoft account. Microsoft doesn’t need any more info about me than they already have. Thanks
When you reach the screen asking for your Microsoft account info hit shift + F10 to open a command prompt and type in oobe\bypassnro. Your laptop will restart and you’ll start over with the setup process. Disconnect from WiFi/Ethernet and go through the setup process, including setting up a local account.
This works because there is a
bypassnro.batfile in theoobedirectory, which modifies the relevant registry entries. If it gets removed, you’ll need to find its contents online and type them into the command prompt manually.Or use this as an opportunity to learn Linux. It’s been very usable for a while. If you’re confused by distro selection, try Mint Cinnamon first.
or copy it to a usb drive; last time i checked external drives will automatically map to the next available drive letter, so you could just plug one in and type D:\bypassnro
that is assuming the script doesnt use relative paths or have any checks against doing this
Doesn’t work anymore if the computer has been updated on Windows 11.
Two of my family members bought two different laptops from Walmart on the same day about a month ago and asked me to help them set them up. This method worked on one but not the other. Nothing I did on the second worked. I even got Task Manager to open and close the OOBE but then the computer restarted and wouldn’t let me do that again.
Edited for clarification: Both computers never connected to the Internet prior to or during initial setup of Windows. I always try to set up a computer without connecting to the Internet because of crap like this. The second computer simply hit a virtual brick wall and wouldn’t let me proceed until I connected to the Internet to sign into a Microsoft account.
I ended up having to sign in with my Microsoft account and then create a local account/andmin and then delete the account with my Microsoft account attached.
was it on wireless or plugged into network? can’t skip if it detects you have internet, need to disconnect the nic and try again, just ‘ipconfig /release’ is enough to kick it and reboot, then you get , “I dont have internet” option and can make locak account.
Never connected to the Internet. This was straight out of the box and didn’t connect to a network at all.
Seems some computers have been updated to later versions of Windows 11 before being boxed up and these newer versions have this even if you never connect to a network.
I just did it last night on windows 11 24h2
Huh, that’s strange.
But now that you say that, I started thinking of differences between the two laptops I had worked on, and one of the differences between these two laptops was that one was the standard Windows 11 and the other was Windows 11 in S Mode. The laptop in S Mode was the one that wouldn’t let me bypass the OOBE.
I wish I would have checked the exact version each were running but I did not, so it may not come down to the version but laptops with S Mode may just have zero way to bypass.
This is the answer. That’s how i did it for my client
“Install Linux” isn’t the answer you’re looking for I assume?
Seriously, Linux. It’s way overdue that regular consumers switch. How much longer do people want to be Microsoft’s bitches?
Be free.
There are quite a few distros that are very beginner-friendly, such as Mint and Ubuntu, Zorin - and my favorite Elementary. It’s seriously gorgeous.
Ars Technica’s How to install Windows 11 on supported and unsupported PCs, 24H2 edition says to use Rufus. I say to use the Swirl.
did you Google it? hundreds of sites and posts on how to skip it, pretty elementary stuff
Haven’t tested this with the most recent Windows 11 installer but in the past what I do during the install is select that I’m setting the system up for a corporate / domain account. From there it allows to enter a normal Windows username/password like normal (you don’t actually need a domain name but you can make one up if you want).
That is only an option on the Pro version. Most computers come with Home.
I use Linux, so I haven’t run into this myself, but I assume that one can buy a copy of Windows 11 Pro separately from the PC itself, even if one doesn’t currently have the Pro edition.
kagis
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/windows-11-pro/dg7gmgf0d8h4
Yeah. Though this says that they’re currently out-of-stock of the USB installer.
True, forgot all about the Pro/Home differences. Yet another reason to avoid Windows Home editions. To be fair OP didn’t mention if they are on Windows 11 Home or Pro but perhaps you’re right maybe they’re on a Home edition.
Another comment mentioned Rufus which works well for Windows 11 Pro but I haven’t tested it with a current Windows 11 Home installer so can’t be sure how well it works for that.
Dont connect to wifi or ethernet. You won’t be able to make an online account without a connection
all these comments and only one is the correct answer
Install Linux?
Jk, just click you don’t want an account when asked (it’s a bit greyed out).
Source: installed win10 on a dell optiplex the day before yesterday.
Edit: don’t know if it works on w11, but the upgrade to w11 is proposed in the settings from the installed w10.
They removed that option from win 11, you need to run a batch file and disconnect interfaces
Okay thanks, updated my post a little.
I came here knowing what I would see, with a bunch of upvotes to hand out.
There should be an option to use a local account. I think the text is small and borderline hidden.
edit: Looks like this is only for Windows 10 and older. I did find that if you type fake@fake.com and fake as your password on the MS account it will say there was a problem and let you proceed without an account.
Nope, requires using a command prompt and executing the
OOBE\bypassnro.batbatch file that does the neccessary registry changes and restarts.
So much bad advice on here. On Windows 11 Pro, just select “Domain join instead”.
I do believe there are some registry keys u can mess with. Ive done it previously can also disablw tpm and system requirements. Alternatively check out tiny11 its a minimal installation no bloat and i think it bypasses account requirements as well.
Meh. I’ve had an Xbox account for years now, I just used that.
