Forum Discussion
Possible to install windows 11 without microsoft account?
Hello tech community members,
I'm new to Windows and want to install Windows 11 on a PC given by my dad, but I don't have a Microsoft account and I'm not planning to create one. I've heard that it's possible to bypass the Microsoft account requirement during the installation process, but I'm not sure how to do it.
Could anyone provide a step-by-step guide or any tips on how to install Windows 11 without Microsoft account? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
[Latest update] Please don't send private message any more as I don't have time replying one by one. If you had the same question, please follow this step-by-step-guide with screenshots to get it done. I already successfully installed Windows 11 on my PC without Microsoft account. You can also contact the support to send you the custom ISO to skip the Microsoft account requirement.
Forcing you to have a Microsoft account in Windows 11 results in a neat self-denial of service attack. I upgraded to Windows 11 a couple of days ago (only because of the end of support for Windows 10, which I was very happy with). So I started up my PC this morning, only to be confronted with a screen that said I had to finish setting up my Microsoft account. There was no way to escape this screen. It then insisted that I log in to my Microsoft account. It told me it had sent a code to my email. However, since I could not get to my email because I could not get past this screen during log in, I was stuck in a denial of service attack courtesy of Microsoft. Well done Microsoft. In general I have been struggling now that I am on Windows 11, trying to figure out what no longer works and figure out how to fix it. I now have to almost always choose "See All" when I want to start up an application. The setting application is now a largely useless mess. And I am just getting started. Who knows what other things I have lost.
Jim MacNair
Before clicking "Setup for personal use", click Shift + F10 and command window will appear. Type "ipconfig /release" then close command window and click "Setup for personal use" then it will move to next screen which asks you for an username for local account. Then again click Shift + F10 and type "ipconfig /renew" then close command window and continue to steps ahead.
Installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account is possible. During setup, disconnect the PC from the internet to bypass the Microsoft account requirement and create a local account instead. For activation, Windows 11 retail keys Hyp_estkey microsoft partner
Installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account is possible. During setup, disconnect the PC from the internet to bypass the Microsoft account requirement and create a local account instead. For activation, Windows 11 retail keys Hyp_estkey microsoft partner
Came to this thread trying to set up an LG Gram I bought for my mother, and she has no Internet at her cabin, and no Microsoft account either. After reading through all the replies, I came upon a very elegant solution for my situation.
What worked for me was to turn Airplane mode on before the setup started, and click "I don't have Internet" when that option appeared.
Boom, local account, no Microsoft account needed.
- Came across this issue today with an antsy user who'd already started his laptop setup before allowing me to set it up and join the domain. Luckily, he got stumped when it came to the user account option. I started over, and did not get the option to connect or not to the internet, as he'd already connected. Turns out, the fix was super easy.
When selecting account type, choose work or school. On the next screen, there's an option for sign in another way, which lets you choose to sign in with a domain. This brings you directly to create a local user account. You don't actually need to have a domain to get this to work. Martinezipo and anyone who comes across this post. Simply disconnect your network cable or disable your wifi adapter if you connected to a wifi network. Hold Shift + F10 for the command prompt to appear now type
netsh interface show interfaceAfter this pay attention to the interface name for your wireless adapter:
On mine the wifi interface name is: Wi-Fi.
Replace Wi-Fi with your interface name.
netsh interface set interface Wi-Fi disablePress enter and now click Sign-In and it will let you create an account versus login in with email.
Don’t forget to enable your interface once in Windows.
This one worked for me (2025-02-16). Before that, I had tried the OOBE\BYOASSNRO method listed below, but it kept rebooting the laptop.
So thanks!
Disabling the Wi-Fi adapter caused the setup to stop. This doesn't work.
- yes this is possible you install windows 11 Follow the Windows 10/ 11 install process until you get to the "choose a country" screen. ...
Hit Shift + F10. ...
Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO to disable the Internet connection requirement. ...
Hit Shift + F10 again and this time Type ipconfig /release. I was able to install newest win 11 release (23H2) by hitting the airplane mode button on a HP laptop immediately after entering the country code during a clean win 11 install. Was able to then create a Local account.
- How I did it: Basically I had to setup WIndows 11 Pro using a Microsoft account, then created a local user account. Logging into that new account was tricky.
1 - In setup, I chose the Work/School setup rather than the personal setup
because the personal setup wouldn't recognize my Microsoft account email and password.
2 - Once setup was complete...
3 - Changed the laptop's Workgroup Name to my home Workgroup name that I had picked long ago.
I suppose you could leave the Workgroup Name as the default name, WORKGROUP, but I haven't tried that.
4 - Reboot for the Workgroup change to take effect.
5 - Create a new user:
Start / Settings / Accounts / Other Users
Other Users / Add Other User
Click Add Account.
In "How will this person sign in?" click "I don't have this person's sign-in information"
in the resultant Create Account dialog, click "Add a user without a Microsoft Account"
Enter the new user name (e.g., "Biff") and password that you choose.
6 - Make the new user an Administrator (if you wish)
Settings / Accounts / Other Users, select the user you just added (e.g., "Biff")
Click Change Account Type
Account Type: Administrator
Rebooted just for good measure.
7 - The tricky part: how to login as the new user
At the Login Screen...
Click Other User (in the screen lower-left)
Click Sign-in Options
Click the Key icon to choose a Password-based login
For email address, type the Workgroup name, backslash, the user name you created,
for example NEEDHAMIA\Biff
I suppose that's strictly-speaking a domain name rather than a workgroup name, but it works.
Type the password you chose when you created this user.
Click the arrow next to the filled-in password
Windows should now set up the new user, who doesn't use a Microsoft account.
The next time you sign in, it should offer the new user name,
so you just have to type the password and away you go.
