Windows 11 setup tries hard to make you sign in with a Microsoft account, and Microsoft keeps closing the old ways around it. I set up a lot of PCs at work and at home, and these are the methods that still work as of October 2026, from the most reliable to the last resort. Pick the one that matches where you are: before installing, during setup, or after Windows is already installed.
Quick answer
The easiest way is to build your USB with Rufus and tick the option to skip the Microsoft account. If Windows is already at the sign-in screen, press Shift + F10, run reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f, restart, and choose I don't have internet. On Windows 11 Home you can also try the Learn more link on the sign-in page. If none of those appear, finish setup and add a local account afterwards.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- OOBE\BYPASSNRO is going away. Microsoft removed the script from Insider builds in 2025, and it is missing from the newer 26H2 builds. It still runs on many older installation images.
- The registry value behind it still works on current retail builds, so you can set it yourself (Method 3).
- New in September 2026: on Windows 11 Home, the small Learn more link on the Microsoft account screen leads to a page where you can create a local account, with no commands.
- Fake email tricks, such as signing in with a blocked address, no longer work reliably and are not worth the time.
Because this keeps changing, write down your Windows version (press Win + R, type winver) if something here does not match what you see.
Method 1: Build the USB with Rufus (before you install)
This is the most reliable method, because it does not depend on what Microsoft changes in the setup screens.
- Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft and the latest Rufus.
- Select your USB drive and the ISO, then click Start.
- In the Windows User Experience box, tick Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account. You can also tick Create a local account with username and type the name you want.
- Install Windows from that USB. Setup will not ask for a Microsoft account.
If you install Windows on many PCs, you can also boot the installer over the network instead of using USB sticks. I explain that in installing Windows 11 over a network with an Ethernet cable.
Method 2: The Learn more link (Windows 11 Home, during setup)
- Go through setup until you reach the Let's add your Microsoft account screen.
- Click the small Learn more link under the sign-in box.
- Choose the option to create a local account and follow the screens.
This was found in September 2026 and works on retail Home media. Microsoft may remove it in a later update, so if you do not see the option, move on to Method 3.
Method 3: Shift + F10 and the BypassNRO registry value
- At the first setup screen (country or keyboard), press Shift + F10. On some laptops it is Shift + Fn + F10. A Command Prompt opens.
- Type
OOBE\BYPASSNROand press Enter. If the PC restarts, skip to step 4. - If you get "not recognized", the script is gone from your build. Run these two lines instead:
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
shutdown /r /t 0- After the restart, unplug Ethernet and do not join Wi-Fi.
- On the network screen, click I don't have internet, then Continue with limited setup.
- Enter a username and a password and finish setup.
Method 4: start ms-cxh:localonly
At the Microsoft account screen, press Shift + F10 and run start ms-cxh:localonly. On builds where it still works, a small window opens where you type a username and password, and setup carries on with that local account. Microsoft blocked it in Insider builds in late 2025, so it may not work on your media.
Method 5: My unattended setup script
I made a small script for PCs where none of the above appear. It downloads an answer file from my bypassnro repository on GitHub and restarts setup with it. It needs a working internet connection at the setup screen.
curl -L bikrambhujel.com.np/bypass -o skip.cmd
skip.cmdBefore you run it, know exactly what it does, because it is more than a bypass:
- It runs Sysprep with the answer file, which creates two local accounts, Admin and User, both with no password, and signs in to Admin automatically once.
- It removes many preinstalled apps and optional features, turns off Copilot and search suggestions, and left-aligns the taskbar.
- It deletes the answer file and
Windows.oldon first sign-in.
Set a password on both accounts straight after setup (Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options), or delete the User account if you do not need it. Read the files on GitHub first if you are not sure, and do not use this on a PC that already has data you need.
Method 6: Add a local account after setup
If setup forces you to sign in, let it, then switch afterwards. This always works.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Other users and click Add account.
- Choose I don't have this person's sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
- Set a username and password. To make it an administrator, select the account and choose Change account type.
- Sign out, sign in with the new local account, and remove the Microsoft account under Other users if you no longer want it.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| You have not made the USB yet | Method 1: Rufus |
| Windows 11 Home, already at the sign-in screen | Method 2, then Method 3 |
| Windows 11 Pro, already at the sign-in screen | Method 3, then Method 4 |
| Nothing else shows a local option | Method 5 or Method 6 |
| Windows is already installed | Method 6 |
Problems you might hit
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Shift + F10 does nothing | Try Shift + Fn + F10, or click into the setup window first. |
| BYPASSNRO is not recognized | Use the reg add command in Method 3. |
| No "I don't have internet" option | The registry value did not apply. Run the command again and make sure the PC restarts. |
| Work laptop asks for a work account | Use your organization account. A company PC needs it for Intune and access to company apps. |
On a work device managed by your IT team, do not bypass the sign-in. The device needs its work account to enroll in management and get company apps. I say that as the person who usually has to fix it afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account in 2026?
Yes. Rufus, the BypassNRO registry value and the Learn more link on Windows 11 Home all still work on current retail media as of October 2026, and you can always add a local account after setup.
Does OOBE\BYPASSNRO still work?
On many installation images it does. Microsoft removed the script from newer 26H2 builds, but setting the BypassNRO registry value by hand from Shift + F10 still works there.
Is a local account less secure than a Microsoft account?
Not if you set a strong password or PIN. You lose cloud sync and online password recovery, so keep a note of your password and turn on BitLocker or device encryption with the recovery key saved somewhere safe.
Can I switch to a Microsoft account later?
Yes. Go to Settings, Accounts, Your info and choose Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
Why does my work laptop not let me skip the sign-in?
Company devices are usually set to join Microsoft Entra ID during setup. That is intentional, so sign in with the work account your IT team gave you.