How to Set Up Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account in 2026

This is a repost promoting content originally published elsewhere. See more things Dan's reposted.

When you reach the “Let’s sign in” screen (or any network/account screen during setup), press Shift + F10. This opens a Command Prompt window. Type the following and press Enter:

start ms-cxh:localonly

I hope to never need to install Windows again – I hope that part of my life has passed – but should I need to install Windows then, as usual, I’ll want to do so without a Microsoft account. And as that’s apparently become more-difficult now, I’ll be consulting this guide.

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