Windows 11 local account workaround discovered just as Microsoft closes previous loophole in Insider Build

Apr 3, 2025 - 22:30

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Windows 11 local account workaround discovered just as Microsoft closes previous loophole in Insider Build

A new workaround that bypasses the Microsoft account requirement when setting up a Windows 11 PC has been discovered. This comes right after an old workaround was plugged by the company.

The new workaround, discovered by Wither OrNot on X (and was confirmed to work by BleepingComputer) takes advantage of one line of code that is implemented into the command prompt during a Windows 11 install.

The new workaround is even more straightforward than the previous workaround that Microsoft shut down (which required registry tweaks). Only two steps are required: Pressing Shift + F10 to get into the command prompt when the Windows 11 installation wizard appears, then executing the command start ms-cxh:localonly in the CMD.

Improved bypass for Windows 11 OOBE:1. Shift-F102. start ms-cxh:localonlyOnly required on Home and Pro editions. pic.twitter.com/ZUa89ZPBI3March 29, 2025

This bypasses the Microsoft account requirement and opens up a new window where users can input credentials to make a new local account instead. It works on Windows 11 Home and Pro, and apparently works on other editions, such as Windows 11 Enterprise, too.

However, the X poster claimed that killing the internet on non-Home and non-Pro versions of Windows 11 still works to bypass the Microsoft account requirement.

This discovery couldn't have come at a better time. Starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5516, Microsoft killed a previous workaround that also used the command prompt (the OOBE/BYPASSNRO method) to restore access to local account creation during Windows 11 installs. As a result, the only way to get this same workaround working in the a preview build was to implement the same functionality through the Windows Registry, significantly complicating things..

Specifically, the workaround of this workaround required implementing reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE” /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f to the registry, then rebooting the system. Only then did the OOBE/BYPASSNRO command work in the command prompt.

Regardless, there are other workarounds to bypass the Microsoft account requirement in Windows 11. The Rufus method in our "How to Install and Log In to Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account" tutorial still works, and it is arguably the easiest method of them all.

Rufus is a bootable USB drive creator that has built-in functionality to disable the Microsoft account requirement right on the drive itself. Rufus also sports a plethora of other Windows 11 bypasses, including RAM, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and BitLocker automatic encryption bypasses.

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