By default, to install Windows 11 Home (and versions of Pro that are build 22H2 and up), you must have (or create) a Microsoft account. You might want to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account for several reasons, even if they are free.

If you are installing Windows 11 on a computer for a child, a computer you intend to sell or give to a friend or a computer you intend to gift to a charity (without providing others access to personal data), you might wish to use a local account. Or maybe you value your privacy and don't want to open a Microsoft account in the first place.

Whatever your motivation, installing Windows 11 without logging into a Microsoft account is possible. We should point out that Microsoft is attempting to make creating a local Windows account more challenging. Thus our procedures, provided below, have recently been modified slightly.

How to Install Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account

A straightforward approach for creating a local account includes executing a command to prevent Windows from requiring Internet connectivity during installation and then turning Internet access off at precisely the proper moment in the setup procedure. Nevertheless, you can alternatively create your install CD using Rufus, eliminating the need to log in; the procedure is described lower down this page.

Follow these instructions to set up without a Microsoft account if you have already downloaded and made a Windows 11 boot disk using Rufus or another program.

1. Continue the installation of Windows 11 until you reach the "Choose a country" prompt.

   

The time has come to turn off the Internet. To stop Windows 11 from requiring you to have an Internet connection, you must first issue a command.

1. Hit Shift + F10. A command prompt appears.

1. Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO to disable the Internet connection requirement.

The computer will reboot and return you to this screen.

1. Hit Shift + F10 again, and this time, Type ipconfig /release. Then hit Enter to disable the Internet.

1. Close the command prompt.

1. Pick the region and carry out the installation. Keyboard and an additional keyboard choice.

   

   A screen saying "Let's connect you to a network" appears, warning you that you need the Internet.

   1. Click "I don't have Internet" to continue.

      

      A new login screen appears, asking "Who's going to use this device?"

      1. Enter a username you want to use for your local account and click Next.

         

      2. Enter a password you would like to use and click Next. You can also leave this field blank and have no password, but that's not recommended.

1. Complete the rest of the installation process as you normally would.

Thanks.