Setting up Windows 11 typically requires a Microsoft account, but there are legitimate reasons to use a local account instead.

Overview

This issue affects new Windows 11 installations where users need or prefer to use a local account rather than a Microsoft account.

Affected Systems

• Windows 11 Home
• Windows 11 Pro
• New PC setups
• Fresh Windows 11 installations

Resolution Steps

• Start Windows 11 setup
• Proceed to the country selection screen
• You can do the following at any stage of the welcome wizard:
• Press Shift+F10 to open command prompt. 
  
  • On a laptop you may to use Fn + Shift + F10
• Type start ms-cxh:localonly and press Enter
  • If text not going into box, try clicking into the command prompt, OR close it and try the Shift + F10 again.
• A dialog will appear to create a local account
• Enter your desired username and password
• Complete remaining setup steps

Alternative method

If the above doesn't work, try this:

• Start Windows 11 setup
• Press Shift+F10 to open command prompt
• Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press Enter
• Wait for automatic reboot back to setup screen
• Press Shift+F10 to open command prompt again

Additional Notes

• Method verified as of June 2025
• You'll need a keyboard with function keys (F1-F12)
• If command prompt doesn't open with Shift+F10, try fn+Shift+F10
• You can always add a Microsoft account later through Settings if desired
• There Windows editions (Education/Enterprise/IoT Enterprise/LTSC) that allow local user sign in without Internet connection. 
  

Source: https://x.com/witherornot1337/status/1906050664741937328

Follow Up

If you've encountered this issue and followed the steps outlined in this article, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to share whether this solution helped resolve the problem. Additionally, if you found a different method that worked, we encourage you to share that as well. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us and others who may face similar issues.

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