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Create a Local Account on a Windows 11 Device

· 3 min read
Keith Tan
Keith Tan
Software Engineer · M365 Developer

Hey friends!

With Microsoft set to officially end support for Windows 10 in the coming days, many users are preparing to transition to Windows 11. In this short guide, I’ll show you how to bypass the Microsoft Account requirement and set up a local account during the Windows 11 installation.

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The Problem​

During the Windows 11 setup process, Microsoft now requires users to sign in with a Microsoft account. In most editions, especially Home and Pro, there's no visible option to create a local account—unless you’re offline, and even then, newer builds sometimes block that path too.

If you want to avoid using a Microsoft account—whether for privacy reasons or lack of internet access—you'll need to take a different route.

The Solution​

Thankfully, there's a hidden command you can use during setup to skip the Microsoft account requirement and go straight to local account creation.

Get started​

win_11_setup_01

  1. Initial Setup

    Boot from your Windows 11 installation media (USB or ISO). Start the installation as usual and follow the prompts until you reach the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen.

    win_11_setup_0

  2. Get to the Command Prompt

    On the network screen, press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window.

    win_11_setup_03

  3. Enter the Bypass Command

    In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:

    start ms-cxh:localonly

  4. Continue with Setup

    This command will close the current setup window and open the local account creation screen. From here, you can set a username and password just like in older versions of Windows.

    win_11_setup_02

  5. Finish Installation

    Complete the remaining steps to finish installing Windows 11 with your new local account—no Microsoft sign-in required.

Final Thoughts​

This method is a quick and effective workaround for users who want to install Windows 11 without being forced into a Microsoft account. While Microsoft may continue tightening restrictions in future builds, as of now, this command works on current versions of Windows 11.

If you're setting up multiple machines or just value your privacy, keeping this trick in your toolkit can save you time.

'till next time. - K