{"id":47314,"date":"2025-04-04T17:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T21:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=47314"},"modified":"2025-11-07T17:37:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T22:37:04","slug":"windows-11-install-to-require-internet-and-microsoft-account","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/04\/windows-11-install-to-require-internet-and-microsoft-account\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 11 Install to Require Internet and Microsoft Account"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microsoft<\/a> (via Will Dormann<\/a>, Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

We’re removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the build to enhance security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

Lawrence Abrams<\/a>:<\/p>\n

A previously unknown trick lets you easily bypass using a Microsoft Account in Windows 11, just as Microsoft tries to make it harder to use local accounts.<\/p>

[…]<\/p>

When installing Windows 11 and you reach the screen asking, “Let’s connect you to a network,” you can use the Shift+F10<\/strong> keyboard combination to open a Windows command prompt.<\/p>

At this prompt, type start ms-cxh:localonly<\/code> and press Enter <\/strong>on your keyboard to open a “Microsoft account” window where you can create a new local user for the Windows 11 install.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n

During my recent adventure<\/a> reinstalling old versions of macOS, I found that it’s now commonly recommended that Mac users have an Internet connection when installing, even if they’ve made a full installer disk. Otherwise it may not succeed. I also found that, even when using a freshly downloaded .pkg<\/tt> of the latest version (of that cycle), the installer would often download what seemed like gigabytes of files. I have little confidence that Mac users still have control over reinstalling archived versions of the OS onto their own hardware without Apple’s verification\/meddling. This seems to also<\/a> be the case when restoring an IPSW file.<\/p>\n\n

Previously:<\/p>\n