How can I set up Windows 11 22H2 with a local account?

Question

After installing Windows 11 22H2, the wizard forces me to connect to the Internet and use a Microsoft Online Account. Is it possible to bypass it and use a local account?

Answer 1

Yes you can

When you reach the “Let’s Connect You To A Network” page, hit “Shift” and “F10” on the keyboard at the same time.

This will bring up the Command Prompt

In this new cmd window, type in “taskmgr” and press “Enter” on the keyboard. This will bring up the Task Manager window so you can see all running processes. Expand the Task Manager by clicking the “More Details” button, and then find

“Network Connection Flow.”

Select this process and then hit the “End Task” button.

Now you can close the cmd and taskmgr windows and return to the Windows 11 setup, where you will enter a name for a local account.

***I found a slightly faster way, once cmd prompt is open type in

OOBE\BYPASSNRO

hit enter and close cmd window, now you can enter a local user account name

Answer 2

• Use the email address no@thankyou.com.
• Type any password (e.g. 123456).
• The wizard says "Oops, something went wrong".
• Click Next to open a screen that allows you to create a local account.

Answer 3

Below is not for updating from Windows 10/11, but for installing 22H2 from scratch, or performing clean install.

First, download the Windows 11 22H2's iso and rufus that make a USB memory a bootable Windows installer. That sounds as same as just making it by yourself, but there's reason I recommend using rufus - It allows you to bypass the requirements of network and Microsoft account by just clicking one box.

When you start rufus, it shows the UI of the software. Pick your USB memory, and once you've selected your USB memory, then hit SELECT to select Windows 11's iso.

Once it's done, rufus automatically assumes you've selected Windows' iso. Hit START, and after that a box will show up.

Tick the box that says Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account, and then hit OK (Disable data collection is optional, if you don't like the data collection then tick it).

That's it. When rufus completed flashing iso to the USB memory, restart your PC, boot from USB memory, start installing Windows normally. It will ask you to connect internet, but ignore it, and voila it won't ask you to login to Microsoft account.

Answer 4

One option is to proceed and log in with a Microsoft account or create a new one.

Once you're in Windows then you can create a local admin account, log in to the local account, and delete the Microsoft account.