A trick to skip creating a Microsoft account during Windows 11 setup has been fixed, but there is another workaround

Normally, when setting up a new Windows 11, you are asked to connect to the Internet and sign in to your Microsoft account, but it was possible to avoid this by entering a specific command. However, Microsoft has announced that it has removed this command line in the latest preview build at the time of writing.

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516 (Dev Channel) | Windows Insider Blog
https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2025/03/28/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-26200-5516-dev-channel/

Windows 11 blocks easy Microsoft Account skip during setup | Windows Central
https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/microsoft-will-force-windows-11-installs-to-use-a-microsoft-account-confirms-removal-of-popular-setup-bypass

Windows 11 is closing a loophole that let you skip making a Microsoft account | The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/news/638967/microsoft-windows-11-account-internet-bypass-blocked

Windows 11 version 22H2, builds 26200.5516 and 26120.3653, now require an Internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup.

Windows 11 Pro is expected to require a Microsoft account, just like Home - GIGAZINE

However, running 'BypassNRO.cmd' from a command prompt interrupted the setup process, allowing me to avoid connecting to the Internet and logging into my Microsoft account.

How to skip 'Connect to the network' and create a local account in 'Windows 11 Home (22H2)' - GIGAZINE

In an official blog post on March 28, 2025, Microsoft wrote in the update for preview build 26200.5516, 'To improve the security and user experience of Windows 11, we are removing the BypassNRO.cmd script from the build. This change will require all users to have an Internet connection and a Microsoft account to complete setup.'

The removal of BypassNRO.cmd is an update available in the preview build at the time of writing, but it may be pushed to the official version within the next few weeks.

However, a method to avoid Internet connection without using BypassNRO.cmd has already been posted on X (formerly Twitter). According to phantomofearth, by opening Registry Editor from the command prompt on the Windows 11 setup screen, changing the name of the 'DWORD(32-bit)' in the 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE' key to 'BypassNRO' and the value to '1', and then restarting the computer, you can avoid Internet connection and logging in to your Microsoft account.

You can still bypass the network requirement in OOBE by setting the BypassNRO DWORD yourself. Open regedit, create the DWORD under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE, set it to 1 and reboot. Only the script is gone. https://t.co/VJVG2Pd6w4 pic.twitter.com/0pOn2Cw3ze

— phantomofearth ???? (@phantomofearth) March 28, 2025

There are also other methods, such as trying out unattend.xml automation to bypass the setup phase, but Windows Central, which aggregates Windows-related news, says, 'This is a lot of work and requires creating a new Windows installation image from scratch.'