Microsoft has blocked the bypass that allowed you to create a local account during Windows 11 setup by typing in a blocked email address

Summary:

In the past, you could bypass the sign-in requirement by choosing ‘Offline Account’ or ‘Sign in with a local account instead.' However, Microsoft removed this option in recent years, meaning you would need an active internet connection to create a Microsoft account for a new Windows 11 install.

Some users discovered that they could bypass this requirement by using the following blocked email addresses: example@example.com, a@a.com, or no@thankyou.com, and then typing in a random password. While this would let you fall back to proceeding with an offline account until recently, it now results in an ‘Oops, something went wrong’ message, which will return you to the same email input screen.

Thankfully, there remains another way to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. When you’re at the log-in screen, you can hit Shift + F10 and type OOBE/BYPASSNRO, which will let you create a local account instead if you do not have an internet connection (so disconnect the internet for this). However, non-tech-savvy users will likely not know this, so many would likely end up creating another unwanted online account.

This is just one of the controversial steps Microsoft has recently been taking, like including ads in the Start Menu, nagging Windows 10 users to upgrade, or adding a watermark if your PC does not support AI features.

Linux keeps winning by doing nothing.

Brazenly forcing anti-consumer features like this is an obvious sign of monopoly and abuse of their dominating position on the market. They should have been broken up a long time ago along with all the other big tech companies who have been pulling this sort of crap.

Don't connect to the internet.

Open a cmd window with F10 (maybe it's shift-F10?) and type the following:

OOBE\\BYPASSNRO

You can thank me later.

Windows users should be outraged.

We're at a point where a company makes an operating system used by a majority of the population while they force you to use your personal online account to log in, and they record everything you do on screen and collect an obscene amount of other information about you.

Picture MS getting breached in a couple years. What would that look like for you, the individual? Do you really trust all these screenshots are also locally stored? I doubt it. If they are today, do you trust they always will be?

I got a message on my computer, Win10, saying my computer wasn't capable of being upgraded to Win11, but it would be protected by updates until October? 2025. Nice of them to give me a reminder to switch to Linux.

Congrats in building stalking software right into the OS.

A bunch of abusive relationships about to get a whole lot worse when the other party can track literally everything they do.

For anyone who has to install Windows 11; download the full ISO then use Rufus. You'll be able to disable some of the enshittification.

Fuck you, MS, for making people create an account to use something they paid for.

The enshitification intensifies; the rate appears to have become exponential. This one is a deal breaker for me. I want to buy or use an OS that is my OS. I do not want any login beyond what I deem necessary for security purposes. Everything you and the software that runs on your computer does is loggable at the OS level. I don't want an email address bound to all that. Fuck Microsoft.

I can’t reveal too much but MS’s long game is to have everyone sign up for a Live account. They want to do what Apple did with Apple ID and iCloud, making every customer sign up for one. Expect more of this.

Permanently Deleted

This is just for Home edition, yeah? Pretty sure Professional still allows you to create offline accounts without a Microsoft account before joining a domain.

Huh? What if you're installing windows on a machine with no internet connection? Which is an entirely normal legitimate thing to do. It's not a requirement after all.

I have a number of machines that use a local account, they don't need a Microsoft account and will never be linked to one, it's unnecessary.

Time for Linux. I don't like to change, I've used windows from 3.1. But I see no other option. They will pull the plug on 10 while at the same time are trying their best to make their shitty 11 even worse.

Windows is malware Jfc

Linux Linux Linux

Can you still skip connecting to internet?

They're really trying their best to make windows as unfriendly as possible, pretty annoying when they've already been paid, bunch of pricks

So glad I'm a Linux user..

Nothing new.

How is seemingly everybody blind to the actual workaround but "knows" about a supposed "bypass" email??

Actual solution/workaround: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/set-up-windows-11-without-internet-oobebypassnro/4fc44554-b416-4ecb-8961-6f79fd55ae0f

I have and use a Microsoft account. I would always setup my computer offline because I don't want my home folder to be called "myema"il@email.com

Seriously who thought that was a good idea? Your account literally has your name tied to it, call it that!

Glad I use Arch.

Many years of windows. No longer my problems.

Airplane mode. Don't connect to internet

The Kingdom of Torvalds becomes more and more attractive for Windows refugees every day.

U can just open cmd and run a command or Evan better use tiny11 and the activator program that way u dont even need to pay the assholes

OOBE\BYPASSNRO FTW

Wow, exactly the feature I wanted. An account that Microsoft can link its spyware too. I'm sure that database won't be sold or stolen.

Wow.. it's like Microsoft really does want to lose customers. Welp.. I guess I have to find a linux distro as my main driver. Ubuntu seems so damn user friendly and "mainstream" I might just stick to that. I'd play around with ArchLinux or Fedora, but fkin lol at a noob trying to setup either one through terminal/commands.

So am i missing something (yes well definitely but still)? You need an online account to login to windows. So if im somewhere where there is no internet i just cant login to my w11 laptop? I cant use my laptop.. wow. I havent touched windows in a long time but still. Thats gotta be nice for ppl that are always on the road for work. Damn.

I did this on Windows 10 not because I didn't want my Microsoft account linked but because I wanted my username to by my first name and not like part of my first and part of my last name.

Don't mind me. Just setting up a Windows 10 torrent to download while I'm at work.

Christ I am sick of Win11.

They work fast dont they? How long has this loophole existed in windows 10?

Damn you Microshaft!!!!

Well there's some dude out there that recompiled windows 11 with some shitty laptop, cigarettes in his hand, & some beer into useful windows & lighter

Does Rufus installer still give the option to bypass all this BS when flashing a windows ISO to a USB?

for my main computer, sure, fine, whatever. I'll sign into my Microsoft account, I don't mind. but my Plex/Minecraft server... maaaaaaannnn come the fuck on. I guess my server can just stay windows 10 for the next 20 years 🤷🏻‍♂️

/me listening to the sound of a WinXP virtual machine booting under Debian Linux

They can shoot their foot with a grenade launcher next. I'm already out of range.

We noticed this a few months back. There are still other workarounds.

Ive had microsloth blocked for 3 years so they can jam all the jumpers they want

You can still bypass it by checking an option when using Rufus with the win11 iso

I guess that you still can unplug your lan cable and create a local account?

So Microsoft is essentially doing what Google and Apple have been doing for years and we think Microsoft are anti consumer because of this?