Since the release of Windows 11, Microsoft has gradually closed loopholes and methods that allowed users to bypass the Microsoft account requirement.
Originally, this was as simple as disconnecting your computer from the Internet before starting the installation process, but now you need to (at a minimum) edit the registry or use a special tool instead. Here's the best way to do it for now.
Use Rufus to Bypass Microsoft Account Requirements in Windows 11
Rufus is a free, open-source tool that allows you to create bootable media, such as USB flash drives and CDs, for operating systems such as Windows and Linux.
It also provides the ability to completely bypass the Microsoft account requirements as well as the excessive hardware requirements of Windows 11. All you need is an Internet connection and a flash drive. I would recommend something 16GB or larger.
The first thing you need to do is connect the USB flash drive. Try using a USB 3.0 port rather than a USB 2.0 port to get things running a little faster. USB 2.0 ports are usually black, while faster USB ports are usually other colors, such as blue or red.
The second thing you need to do is get a Windows 11 image. You can get the official ISO from the Microsoft website.
Once that's done, launch Rufus, click Select, and select the Windows 11 ISO you just downloaded. Alternatively, you can use Rufus to get a copy for you from Microsoft. Instead of clicking Select, click the arrow next to Select and select Load.
Once that's done, click “Download” and make sure you select “Windows 11”, although this should be the default option. Here you can make a few custom settings, such as which language version you want. I left mine alone because the default does what I need.
Once the download is complete, click “Start.”
The really important part is the Windows User Experience popup. Be sure to select the Remove Microsoft online account requirement check box.
Under the hood, Rufus uses a special file that is typically used to “automatically” install Windows 11. It simply tells the installation process add some keys to the registry.
If you want, you can also disable some Windows 11 hardware requirements. However, it's important to remember that some of these requirements (such as RAM requirements) exist for a good reason. Additionally, some software also requires these things to work correctly, so even if you manage to get around it now, it may become a problem later.
For example, an increasing number of games (unfortunately, even single-player ones) use anti-cheat, which requires both TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Without them, you're out of luck.
Once you click Start, you just need to wait for Rufus to finish formatting your drive. This usually only takes a few minutes, but the exact time will depend on the speed of your USB drive and the speed of the USB port.
Once the disk is ready, you can use it to install Windows 11. Simply connect it to your computer, change boot device to your new Windows 11 installation disc and follow the instructions you are given.
It's important to note that Microsoft could theoretically shut down this method of bypassing account requirements in the future, or at least make it more difficult for home users to use. I would recommend keeping this USB drive in a safe place in case you need to use it to reinstall Windows 11.
Manually bypass Microsoft account requirement
Rufus works by adding several registry keys to the autounattend.xml file, which provides a preset set of registry keys during the installation process. If you don't like automated tools, you can always do it manually. You should probably disconnect from the Internet first, although this is not strictly necessary.
During the normal Windows 11 installation process, when you reach the screen asking for your country or region, press Shift + F10 to open Command Prompt. Enter the following command to add a registry key that will disable the Microsoft account requirement.
reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Once this is done, you can continue with the installation as normal.
Microsoft is determined to push people toward using Microsoft accounts for anything and everything Windows, and it's likely that the few other ways to bypass a Microsoft account will suffer in the coming years.
I would recommend saving a copy of this version of Windows 11 as an ISO for future use, and I also recommend saving any bootable media you create – they may come in handy in the future.
