How To Install Windows Without A Microsoft Account

Microsoft may want to make it difficult, but you can still set up a Windows 11 installation without a Microsoft account using a local account, and in this guide, I'll show you how. The company isn't hiding that it wants you to use a Microsoft account when setting up your computer since it offers additional benefits, including better integration with cloud services (such as OneDrive and Microsoft 365 apps), content synchronization between computers, and better security.

However, many users still prefer the more traditional experience with a local account. In the past, you had the option to skip the online account, but it was later removed from the Home and Pro editions. Then, you were able to skip the requirement using a fake email address to fall back to the local account settings, but now, Microsoft has put a stop to that workaround.

Regardless of all the roadblocks, whether you're installing the Home or Pro edition of Windows 11, you still have a few other workarounds to set up an installation with a local account. 

In this guide, I'll explain the different ways to set up a new installation of Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. 

If you have to set up a Windows 11 device without a Microsoft account, you must proceed with the traditional setup and use one of the available solutions in the out-of-box experience (OOBE).

To start a fresh installation of Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Start the PC with Windows 11 USB flash drive.
2. On the prompt, press any key to boot from the device.
3. Click the Next button in the "Windows Setup" interface.

• Quick tip: If your language, time and currency, and keyboard are different from the default selections, select the correct settings before continuing.

4. Click the Install now button.

5. If this is a reinstallation, click the "I don't have a product key" option to continue. Otherwise, enter the product key if this is your first time installing the operating system.

• Quick tip: You can always complete the installation and activate it using the Settings app.

6. Click the Next button.
7. Select the edition of Windows 11 (If applicable).

8. Click Next.
9. Select the "I accept the license terms" option to continue.
10. Click Next.
11. Click the "Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)" option to continue with the installation.

12. Select the partition with the current installation (usually "Drive 0"), and click the Delete button.

• Quick tip: If "Drive 0" has multiple partitions, you must select and delete each partition to allow the setup to use the entire hard drive for the new setup. The Windows setup will create the required partitions automatically during the process. It's also not necessary to delete the partitions on secondary drives.

13. Click the Yes button.
14. Select the empty drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to proceed with the installation.

15. Click the Next button.
16. Use the "Shift + F10" keyboard shortcut to open Command Prompt on the Windows 11 setup.
17. Type the following command to disable the internet connection requirement to set up Windows 11 and press Enter: oobe\bypassnro

• Quick note: The command doesn't have any spaces. Also, the computer will restart at this moment.

18. Use the "Shift + F10" keyboard shortcut to open Command Prompt on the Windows 11 setup.
19. Type the following command to drop the network connection and press Enter: ipconfig /release 

• Use the "Shift + F10" keyboard shortcut to open Command Prompt on the Windows 11 setup.
• Type the following command to disable the internet connection requirement to set up Windows 11 and press Enter: oobe\bypassnro

20. Type the following command to close the Command Prompt and press Enter: exit
21. Select your region to set up the device.

22. Click the Next button.
23. Select your keyboard layout setting.

23. Click the Yes button.
24. Click the Skip button.

26. Click the "I don't have internet" option.

27. Click the "Continue with limited setup" option.

28. Confirm the account name for Windows 11.

29. Click the Next button.
30. Create the account password.

31. Click the Next button.
32. Confirm the account password.
33. Click the Next button.
34. Configure the three security questions in case you have to reset the password.

Quick tip: If you click the "Next" button without setting a password, the computer will sign in automatically, and you won't have to complete the security questions. However, I do have to warn you that setting up a computer without a password is a security risk. If you do this, proceed at your own risk.

35. Click the Next button.
36. Choose your privacy settings.
37. Click the Next button.
38. Click the Next button again.
39. Click the Accept button.

Once you complete the steps, you will be able to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. Since you're not using an online account, you won't have to go through the annoying promotional offers to purchase the different services that Microsoft offers.