How to Install Windows 11 with Local Account

Here's how you can install Windows 11 with a Local Account and omit the Microsoft Account requirement. It forces the latter by default if you have connected your device to the Internet. However, if it is not your plan, you can bypass the enforcement and set up Windows 11 with a traditional account type.

Before proceeding, let's figure how one account type is different from another one.

Modern Windows versions allow the user to work with two different types of accounts. By default the operating system offers using a Microsoft Account. It is an online account which connects to Microsoft's own services and apps, and brings extra features like OneDrive, Office 365, and setting synchronization to users' hands. Microsoft Account debuted in Windows 8/

The local account is pretty limited. It is a classic account type, which have been available for ages in older releases of the OS. It can't be used to work with built-in online service, but it can use an empty password, it doesn't require PIN. However, many users still prefer this traditional way to sign in.

This post will show you three different methods to install Window 11 with a Local Account.

Install Windows 11 with a Local Account

1. Run the setup from a bootable media like USB stick.
2. Follow the prompts on the screen until you reach the Account page.
3. In the email, phone or Skype box, type any non-existing address. I advise you to enter 1@1.com as the shortest suitable sequence.
4. Click Next, and specify any password. Again, you can simply type 1 and hit Enter.
5. Windows 11 will show you the "Oops, something went wrong page". Click on Next here.
6. Voila, you are now prompted to install Windows 11 with a local account!

That's the easiest and the fastest way to set up the OS without creating a Microsoft Account. However, this is not the only way you can use. There's a couple more.

Install Windows 11 Offline

Windows 11 requires the Internet connection to finish the setup. Initially, this requirement was only mandatory for Windows 11 Home edition. However, starting in build 22557, this also applicable to the Pro edition. If the above reviewed trick didn't help you, and the OS doesn't finish the setup without an Internet connection, try the solution below.

To install Windows 11 offline, do the following.

1. Once you see the "Lets connect you to a network" screen, press the Shift + F10 shortcut keys.
2. This will open the Command prompt window, where you need to type:
   taskkill /F /IM oobenetworkconnectionflow.exe.
3. Now hit the Enter key and close the Command prompt window.
4. Return to the setup program. You should be able to create a local account.

Disconnect the Internet connection

That's obvious that if you can simply disconnect the Internet and prevent Windows 11 from creating a Microsoft account. However, keep in mind that this should be done before the OOBE starts. Otherwise, the OS will remember that the connection was available. It will keep asking you to reconnect to the internet and proceed with a Microsoft Account.

Finally, one more method is to create a special answer file, autounattend.xml.

Using an answer file to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account

You can put the below autounattend.xml file to the root of your bootable USB drive or image, so it will do for you the following tasks.

• Will allow to select a Windows edition
• Perform the disk management
• Connect to a network
• Specify the desired password for a local account (but you can omit that)
• Set the time zone.

The sample configuration file that you can use looks as follows.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <InputLocale>0409:00000409/InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>EN-US</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>EN-US</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>EN-US</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>EN-US</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <LocalAccounts>
                    <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
                        <Description>Local user with admin privileges</Description>
                        <DisplayName>User</DisplayName>
                        <Group>Administrators</Group>
                        <Name>User</Name>
                    </LocalAccount>
                </LocalAccounts>
            </UserAccounts>
            <RegisteredOwner>User</RegisteredOwner>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

This file is for English version of Windows 11, and it will install the English (US) locale.

The best thing about it is that it will automatically install Windows 11 with a local account named User. It will have administrative privileges, and by default won't have a password.

You will be prompted to specify it during the install, but you can just click Next or hit the Enter key and proceed without it.

You can download the above file using this link.

Extract it and put to where you Boot and EFI folders of the installation media are located, e.g. to the root of the drive.

That's it.

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