Installing Windows 11 without a Microsoft account is now impossible

Microsoft has officially confirmed that new versions of Windows 11 will require an Internet connection and a Microsoft account during the initial system setup at the OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience) stage. Previously, such requirements already existed, but there were still ways to install the system with a local account without a network connection.

Now, installation is impossible without the Internet – the system will not allow you to complete the setup. Creating a local account without a Microsoft ID is no longer supported at the system level. This applies to all editions: Home, Pro, Education and Enterprise.

In Windows 11 Build 26058 (Canary channel), the company completely removed the ability to “bypass the connection” even via the command line (Shift + F10 and the oobe\bypassnro command). Even in corporate environments, where authorization could previously be avoided, logging in via a Microsoft ID is now required. At the time of publication, the only working workaround remains entering a fictitious e-mail address.

Why Microsoft does this

The corporation is actively promoting its cloud and online services: data synchronization between devices, backup, OneDrive, Microsoft Store, Copilot and other tools. Having a single account allows you to centrally manage devices, synchronize settings and simplify the distribution of updates.

You can no longer install Windows 11 without the Internet. Even if you want to use a local account, you will have to first connect to the network, log in to your Microsoft account, and only then – log out of it and create a local account manually.

If you cannot enter your Microsoft ID, the only thing left to do is switch to another, more “friendly” operating system – after all, support for Windows 10 ends in a week.

Users who previously installed Windows 11 with a local account can continue to work for now. Microsoft only periodically displays a reminder to log in. This way, you can install, for example, Windows 11 25H2 or an early build without the Internet, and then update it.

Nevertheless, the trend is clear: in the future, Microsoft seems to completely abandon local accounts, although this will not happen immediately.