Here’s a New Trick to Installing Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account

Shortly before the weekend, Microsoft made a significant change to the preview versions of Windows 11 for Insiders on the Dev Channel. The company announced that it was removing the BypassNRO.cmd script from these builds as part of an effort to enhance security and user experience. This change means that all users will now be required to exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.

The BypassNRO.cmd script was a command line tool that allowed testers to install Windows 11 using a local account, bypassing the requirement for a Microsoft Account. While it's theoretically possible to manually create the same registry entry used by BypassNRO.cmd, doing so requires advanced knowledge of the Windows registry and is a much more tedious process.

However, resourceful Windows Insider testers have found a replacement solution that works without requiring Microsoft Accounts. A user named Witherornot1337 has published instructions on X/Twitter for how to install Windows 11 using a local account. The process involves opening the command prompt from the Windows key + X menu and entering a specific command.

When you run this command, a Windows window will appear that looks like an old Windows 10 window. In this window, you can create a local account with a username and password, then continue with the installation of Windows 11. The entire process works without restarting Windows and is significantly simpler than hacking your own registry entry.

A video clip accompanying the instructions shows the entire process in action, making it easy to follow along. However, the question remains: how long will Microsoft allow this solution? At present, BypassNRO.cmd only affects the preview version of Windows 11, meaning that the public versions of the OS still include the tool.

But if this change holds, we can expect BypassNRO.cmd to disappear from all Windows 11 PCs later this year. While there's no word yet on whether Microsoft will extend the availability of this workaround, it's clear that the company is taking steps to improve the security and user experience of its operating systems.

This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German. We hope you found this guide helpful in understanding how to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know below!