How to Bypass the Annoying "Microsoft Sign-In" Step in Windows 11

How to Bypass the Annoying "Microsoft Sign-In" Step in Windows 11

Windows

Abdullah Musa

April 14, 2025

Operating system installation should be about setting up your hardware, not being forced into a cloud ecosystem. While Microsoft has made an internet connection and account login mandatory for Windows 11, regaining your privacy and control with a traditional local account is still entirely possible with a few hidden commands.

Welcome to MusaBase! In this guide, I'll demonstrate how to bypass the mandatory Microsoft account requirement during Windows 11 installation.
I'll cover two effective methods to skip this prompt, allowing you to create a local account instead. Choose the method that best fits your setup and preferences.

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Important Update: The methods described in this guide are designed for Windows 11 versions before 24H2 / Dev channel builds 26200+. Microsoft has made the Sign-in to Microsoft step mandatory in newer updates, so these workarounds may not work on the latest versions. If you are using the newest builds, the steps outlined here might not allow you to skip Microsoft account setup. I'm currently testing updated methods for the latest Windows 11 releases and will update this article as soon as a reliable solution becomes available. Until then, this guide is fully compatible with older Windows 11 versions.

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Table of Contents:

• OOBE Method
• Local Only Method
• What's Next?

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OOBE Method

1. Disconnect from the Internet:

• First, unplug your Ethernet cable or disable Wi-Fi. In short, disconnect your PC or laptop from the internet.

2. Open Command Prompt:

• On the network setup screen or "Let's connect you to a network" screen, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt (CMD).

3. Run the Bypass Command:

• In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

OOBE\BYPASSNRO

After you run the above command, your PC will restart. You will then see an additional option labeled "I don't have internet" on the setup screen.

4. Create a Local User Account:

• Click on "I don't have internet". This will allow you to proceed with setting up a local user account for Windows 11 without needing to sign in with a Microsoft account.

The command essentially runs a hidden script in Windows 11's OOBE that bypasses the network requirement normally enforced during setup.

• OOBE: This stands for "Out-of-Box Experience". It refers to the initial setup process that new or reinstalled Windows goes through (choosing language, region, connecting to the internet, etc.).
• BYPASSNRO: Although not officially documented, "NRO" is generally interpreted to represent "Network Readiness Operations" or a similar phrase. In practice, this part of the command's name indicates that the script's purpose is to bypass or "bypass network readiness" requirements during the setup process.

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Local Only Method

This method is faster and more efficient than the OOBE method because your PC does not need to restart. The procedure is very similar to the previous method.

1. Disconnect from the Internet:

• Unplug your Ethernet cable or turn off Wi-Fi.

2. Open Command Prompt:

• At the "Sign-in to Microsoft" screen or "Let's connect you to a network" screen, press Shift + F10 to open CMD.

3. Run the Bypass Command:

• In the Command Prompt, type:

start ms-cxh:localonly

After running the above command, an overlay window will appear. From that window, you can create a local user account, bypassing the Microsoft account sign-in requirement, without needing to restart your PC. Once the local account is created, you will continue directly into Windows 11.

This command instructs Windows to initiate a mode where you can bypass the default Microsoft account sign-in requirement and instead create a local user account. This method leverages a custom Microsoft URI scheme (ms-cxh:) to trigger the appropriate interface or workflow for offline account creation.

• start: This is a built-in command used in the Windows CMD that tells Windows to launch an application or process associated with a URI or file.
• ms-cxh:localonly: This part is a URI that Windows recognizes. The ms-cxh: scheme is one of several Microsoft-specific URI protocols (similar to ms-settings: or ms-drive:) that allows us to invoke particular system functions or interfaces. The "localonly" tells the Windows setup or configuration process to offer a local account creation option instead of requiring an online Microsoft account.

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🎉 Congratulations, you've successfully bypassed the Microsoft sign-in!

Microsoft may continue to complicate things with future updates, but there will always be a way to regain control over your hardware. You now have a clean local account setup without unnecessary cloud restrictions.

What's Next?

💻 Dual-Boot Architecture: Now that your Windows setup is ready, why not pair it with a powerful Linux system? Check out my Ultimate Arch Linux Dual-Boot Guide to get the best of both worlds.

🌐 Linux on Windows: If you prefer staying within the Windows environment but still need Linux tools, follow my tutorial on installing WSL/WSL2 on Windows.

🛠️ Support & Feedback: If Microsoft introduces a new update that breaks these steps, or if you face any issues with the instructions, please let me know in the comments. I am more than happy to help.

Keep exploring and taking control of your operating system. If this guide helped you, consider subscribing for more technical walkthroughs.
101 out, I’ll see you in the next one! 🚀

Abdullah Musa April 14, 2025