Windows 11 Installation Bypassing the Microsoft Account
New Trick in Windows 11 Installation: Bypassing the Microsoft Account Requirement
For IT professionals, sysadmins, and power users — here’s a useful Windows 11 installation tip.
Microsoft recently removed the hashtag hashtag#BypassNRO.cmd script from Windows 11 preview builds, which previously made it easier to bypass the Microsoft Account (MSA) requirement during setup.
While registry tweaks still technically work, they now require more manual input.
But a new, much simpler workaround has surfaced:
Steps to bypass the Microsoft Account requirement during setup:
1. When you reach the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen, press Shift + F10 to open the Command Prompt.
2. Type: start ms-cxh:localonly
3. Hit Enter — this forces Windows into a local account setup flow, bypassing the MSA prompt entirely.
This method, discovered by X user Wither OrNot and verified by BleepingComputer, provides a more streamlined way to install Windows 11 with a local user account.
Great little trick for clean installs
Note:
• This method is confirmed to work on Windows 11 22H2 and later.
• Future updates may disable this workaround.
• Not recommended for managed work or school devices, as organizational policies may block or restrict local account setups.
Disclaimer:
This information is intended strictly for legitimate and educational purposes — such as setting up personal devices or regaining access to your own system. Always respect software terms of use and organizational IT policies.
For IT professionals, sysadmins, and power users — here’s a useful Windows 11 installation tip.
Microsoft recently removed the hashtag
hashtag#BypassNRO.cmd script from Windows 11 preview builds, which previously made it easier to bypass the Microsoft Account (MSA) requirement during setup.
While registry tweaks still technically work, they now require more manual input.
But a new, much simpler workaround has surfaced:
Steps to bypass the Microsoft Account requirement during setup:
1. When you reach the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen, press Shift + F10 to open the Command Prompt.
2. Type: start ms-cxh:localonly
3. Hit Enter — this forces Windows into a local account setup flow, bypassing the MSA prompt entirely.
This method, discovered by X user Wither OrNot and verified by BleepingComputer, provides a more streamlined way to install Windows 11 with a local user account.
Great little trick for clean installs
Note:
• This method is confirmed to work on Windows 11 22H2 and later.
• Future updates may disable this workaround.
• Not recommended for managed work or school devices, as organizational policies may block or restrict local account setups.
Disclaimer:
This information is intended strictly for legitimate and educational purposes — such as setting up personal devices or regaining access to your own system. Always respect software terms of use and organizational IT policies.