🪟 Windows 11 setup without a Microsoft account

graph LR

    start["🖥️ Start Setup"] ---> check{"Admin already set up?"}

    check --- No --> bypass

    subgraph res["🖥️ Log in screen "]
        direction TB
        reset["🔁 Shift+Click Restart"] --> factory["♻️ Factory Reset"]
    end
    style res fill:#ffff

    subgraph bypass["🌐 Network screen"]
       direction TB
       press["⌨️ Shift+F10 "] --> type["⌨️ OOBE#92;BYPASSNRO"] --> offline["📴 Choose 'No internet'"] --> admin["🔑 Local Admin"]
    end
    style bypass fill:#ffff

    check --- Yes --- res --> bypass
    bypass --> done["✅"]

⚙️ Basic Setup

These steps are for a fresh install where no admin account has been assigned yet.

1. Proceed through Windows setup normally until you reach the “Let’s connect you to a network” (or Microsoft account sign-in) screen.

   Warning

   Do NOT connect to any Wi-Fi at this screen — the bypass only works while the machine is offline.

2. Open a command prompt from this screen using Shift + F10. On some laptops this might be Shift + Fn + F10. If the shortcut does not respond immediately, press it again at the network screen.

3. Click inside the terminal window with your mouse first — otherwise keystrokes won’t register.

4. Type the following command and press Enter. This restarts the computer without enforcing an internet connection:

   OOBE\BYPASSNRO

5. After the restart, re-run setup and choose “I don’t have internet”, then continue with the limited/local setup path.

6. You will be prompted for admin account details:

   • Name: Admin
   • Password: e.g. Admin29**
   Warning

   Do NOT enter your personal name or details here. This is an admin account and should not be in your name.

🔁 Factory Reset

Use this route if the computer already has an admin (or other) account set up. You do not need to sign in first — this is triggered from the lock/sign-in screen.

1. On the sign-in screen, press and hold Shift, then click Restart from the power button in the corner.

2. This boots into Advanced Startup. Begin a factory reset (“Reset this PC”), removing the existing setup.

3. Once the reset finishes and the machine returns to the out-of-box setup screens, continue from step 4 of Basic Setup and proceed the same way from there.

✅ You’re Ready!

With these steps, Windows 11 should be set up manually without needing a Microsoft account sign-in 🚀.