Install Windows with a local account

What you will achieve

Complete Windows 11 or 10 setup with a local offline account instead of a Microsoft account, where your build still allows it.

1) Bypass network requirement (Windows 11)

1. At the Let's connect you to a network screen during setup, press Shift + F10.
2. Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press Enter. The PC reboots back into setup.
3. When network setup reappears, choose I don't have internet, then Continue with limited setup.

2) Create the local account

1. Enter a username and password when prompted. Security questions are optional on some builds — skip if offered.
2. Decline Microsoft 365 and OneDrive prompts unless you want them. You can link a Microsoft account later in Settings.

3) Windows 10 setup method

1. On Windows 10 setup, look for Offline account (wording varies: Domain join instead or Limited experience).
2. If only Microsoft account appears, disconnect Ethernet and disable Wi‑Fi via the network icon before that step.

4) Convert an existing Microsoft account to local

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Your info.
2. Choose Sign in with a local account instead and follow the prompts.
3. Sign out and back in with the new local credentials.

5) Create local account after setup (Settings)

1. Settings → Accounts → Family & other users → Add someone else to this PC.
2. Choose local account path, then sign out and use the new account for daily work.

6) Why Microsoft pushes online accounts

1. Online accounts enable Find My Device, Store purchases sync, and OneDrive integration.
2. Local accounts remain valid for privacy-focused or offline lab machines — you lose automatic device recovery features.

7) Provisioning work/school devices

1. Autopilot and domain join flows may force cloud or Entra ID sign-in — local account bypass does not apply to managed enrolment.
2. For lab VMs, use generic local accounts and disable internet during OOBE consistently across the fleet.

8) Verify account type after setup

whoami /user
net user %username%

9) Enterprise and shared PC notes

Shared kiosks and classroom PCs often use Autopilot or Sysprep images with local generic accounts created in audit mode. If you are building such an image, create the local admin in audit mode via sysprep /generalize documentation paths rather than OOBE bypass on every device. For single home PCs, OOBE bypass is sufficient.

1. Document the local username and password in your password manager — recovery without Microsoft account means no online password reset.
2. After setup, optionally add a Microsoft account later for Store and Xbox without converting the primary login: Settings → Accounts → Email & accounts → Add an account.
3. Windows 11 Home still allows local accounts via bypass on current builds — Pro adds domain join during setup for Active Directory environments.

Related guides

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• Partition disks during Windows setup