Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Necessitates Microsoft Account and Internet Connection During OOBE Setup

Microsoft has officially announced that it is discontinuing the ability to bypass the Microsoft account requirement during the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) for Windows 11. Methods such as oobe\bypassnro and start ms-cxh:localonly that were previously used for this purpose will no longer function. Our investigations confirm that newer builds have effectively blocked these workarounds.

Currently, when performing a clean installation of Windows 11 25H2, users will be prompted to log in with a Microsoft account during the OOBE phase. Although there were alternative methods to avoid this requirement, such as executing oobe\bypassnro in the Command Prompt, these tools will soon become obsolete.

Significant Changes Ahead

In a blog post dated October 6, Microsoft confirmed its plans to disable all known methods for creating a local account during the Windows Setup experience. The company states, “We are removing known mechanisms for creating a local account in the Windows Setup experience (OOBE).” This change will roll out with Builds 26120.6772 and 26220.6772, currently accessible to testers through the Beta and Dev channels.

Testing the New Setup Process

I conducted a test with a fresh ISO of Windows 11 Build 26120.6772, exclusive to joiners of the Windows Insider Program, by starting a Virtual Machine instance. Upon booting, the system required confirmation of the detected country or region, as shown below:

Subsequently, I arrived at the “How would you like to set up this device” screen, with two options available: “Set up for personal use” and “Set up for work or school.” I selected the personal use option, to avoid domain requirements.

Set up Windows 11 with Microsoft account

Utilizing the keyboard shortcut Shift+F10, I accessed the Command Prompt and tested the following commands:

oobe\bypassnro
start ms-cxh:localonly

Our tests revealed that neither command had the desired effect. Using oobe\bypassnro resulted in no action or prompted a reboot back to the Microsoft account sign-in error, while start ms-cxh:localonly yielded similar results, redirecting back to the same screen below:

Attempts to utilize the older oobenetworkconnectionflow also failed, leading to continuous loops in OOBE. We found that the registry toggle for BypassNRO did not work, and inputting fake email addresses simply returned users to the sign-in prompt without offering a pathway to create a local account.

Understanding the Microsoft Account Requirement

Microsoft has justified this requirement by stating that devices are not fully configured without a Microsoft account. Essentially, they argue that if a user skips this step during OOBE, the device may lack essential setup components, leading to an incomplete experience.

According to Microsoft, “Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account to ensure the device is set up correctly.” They stress that avoiding these steps could result in a device that is not optimally configured for use.

Although our tests confirm that Windows 11 cannot be set up with a local account in the latest builds, it’s essential to note that a Microsoft account does not have to be a permanent fixture. Users can sign in, create a local account after setup, and subsequently log out of the Microsoft account without issues.

Future Implementation Timeline

The enforcement of the Microsoft account requirement is still in the testing phase, and it may take a couple of months before Windows 11 ISOs reflect this change. I am continuing to explore how Microsoft is implementing this adjustment and will provide updates if any new methods come to light.

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