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After installing Windows 11 22H2, the wizard forces me to connect to the Internet and use a Microsoft Online Account. Is it possible to bypass it and use a local account?

Ramhound
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Haozhe Xie
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  • @Ray Local account option is also available only in the Pro edition – gronostaj Oct 02 '22 at 08:47
  • Check this out: [How to Install Windows 11 Without an Internet Connection](https://www.groovypost.com/howto/install-windows-11-without-an-internet-connection/). – Alexey Oct 02 '22 at 13:39

4 Answers4

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Yes you can

When you reach the “Let’s Connect You To A Network” page, hit “Shift” and “F10” on the keyboard at the same time.

This will bring up the Command Prompt

In this new cmd window, type in “taskmgr” and press “Enter” on the keyboard. This will bring up the Task Manager window so you can see all running processes. Expand the Task Manager by clicking the “More Details” button, and then find

“Network Connection Flow.”

Select this process and then hit the “End Task” button.

Now you can close the cmd and taskmgr windows and return to the Windows 11 setup, where you will enter a name for a local account.

***I found a slightly faster way, once cmd prompt is open type in

OOBE\BYPASSNRO

hit enter and close cmd window, now you can enter a local user account name

Moab
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8
  • Use the email address [email protected].
  • Type any password (e.g. 123456).
  • The wizard says "Oops, something went wrong".
  • Click Next to open a screen that allows you to create a local account.

enter image description here

Haozhe Xie
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    ```thankyou.com``` is a registered domain. Using an email address of a domain you don't know, to even try to register windows is an exceptionally BAD idea from a security point of view ! – 1NN Sep 29 '22 at 15:42
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    Better to use example.com as that is guaranteed to be an example domain which will not process mail and which will error on HTTP requests. – fooquency Sep 29 '22 at 20:18
  • @fooquency Still not guarenteed; it's a well-known fact that the domain indeed is reserved for special use but there's nothing (rules don't count; they can be broken) stopping whoever has access to it from setting up their own tenant. – aytimothy Sep 30 '22 at 05:46
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    @aytimothy The example domains are operated by ICANN. It is exceptionally unlikely they will abuse them. Far less likely than any other existing domain, anyways. – Polygnome Sep 30 '22 at 10:07
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    If ICANN is abusing domains, all bets are off anyway because they own `.` the domain all other domains are subdomains of. – user1937198 Oct 01 '22 at 11:20
  • more importantly, it's exceptionally easy for Windows to blacklist `example.com`. GitHub blacklists `example.com` domain for account registrations, for instance. A reasonably long keysmashed domain name (i.e. `lakshgjfkhqlerkjtl.com`) on any TLD would be a better bet - if NXDOMAIN gets you to the "oops" screen, that is. – Арсений Пичугин Oct 02 '22 at 07:14
5

Below is not for updating from Windows 10/11, but for installing 22H2 from scratch, or performing clean install.

First, download the Windows 11 22H2's iso and rufus that make a USB memory a bootable Windows installer. That sounds as same as just making it by yourself, but there's reason I recommend using rufus - It allows you to bypass the requirements of network and Microsoft account by just clicking one box.

When you start rufus, it shows the UI of the software. Pick your USB memory, and once you've selected your USB memory, then hit SELECT to select Windows 11's iso.

Once it's done, rufus automatically assumes you've selected Windows' iso. Hit START, and after that a box will show up.enter image description here

Tick the box that says Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account, and then hit OK (Disable data collection is optional, if you don't like the data collection then tick it).

That's it. When rufus completed flashing iso to the USB memory, restart your PC, boot from USB memory, start installing Windows normally. It will ask you to connect internet, but ignore it, and voila it won't ask you to login to Microsoft account.

Skye-AT
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One option is to proceed and log in with a Microsoft account or create a new one.

Once you're in Windows then you can create a local admin account, log in to the local account, and delete the Microsoft account.

MonkeyZeus
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    That's not a good solution. Your Windows' key will be linked to that account. – Ismael Miguel Oct 02 '22 at 06:08
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    "It is essential that you link your Microsoft account to the Windows 11 license on your device. Linking your Microsoft account with your digital license enables you to reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter whenever you make a significant hardware change." [...] "After your Microsoft account has been added, on the Activation page you’ll see Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account." | https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows-c39005d4-95ee-b91e-b399-2820fda32227 – Ismael Miguel Oct 03 '22 at 14:27