[EN] Creating a Local User Account During the Windows Initial Setup and Bypassing the Internet Requirement

Hello everyone,

When you purchase a brand-new computer from a store or perform a fresh Windows installation, you are welcomed by the initial setup screen of the operating system. This stage is called OOBE, which stands for Out-of-Box Experience.

Through the OOBE screen, Windows allows you to configure basic settings such as region, keyboard layout, network connection, user account creation, privacy options, and several initial system preferences. Although this process may seem simple under normal conditions, it can sometimes become time-consuming or restrictive, especially with newer computers and Windows 11 installations.

This is particularly important if you are preparing the computer for corporate use, technical service, mass deployment, testing environments, or any scenario where you need more control over the initial configuration.

Internet Connection Requirement During Windows Setup

In recent Windows versions, especially Windows 11, an internet connection has become much more important during the initial setup process. In many cases, Windows asks you to connect to a network and may not allow you to continue without internet access.

However, this is not always practical. You may not always have an active internet connection during installation. For example, in technical service environments, warehouses, field deployments, or newly released hardware platforms, connecting to the internet may not be possible at that moment.

Another common issue is that Windows may not automatically detect or install Ethernet or Wi-Fi drivers during the setup process. In such cases, the computer may physically have network hardware, but because Windows cannot recognize the network adapter, it cannot connect to the internet.

As a result, the user may get stuck at the network connection step during the OOBE process.

Microsoft Account Requirement in Windows Home Edition

Another common issue during installation is the Microsoft account sign-in requirement. Especially in Windows Home editions, creating a local user account can be more difficult compared to Windows Pro editions.

While Windows Pro may provide more flexibility in some scenarios, Windows Home often redirects the user directly to sign in with a Microsoft account.

This can be a serious waste of time for people who prepare multiple computers. Creating or using a separate Microsoft account for every device is not practical. It also creates unnecessary management overhead, especially in technical service or corporate preparation scenarios.

In many cases, the requirement is simple: start the computer quickly, create a local user account, install the necessary applications, configure the system, and prepare the device for delivery or use.

Why Is a Local User Account Important in Mass Deployment?

A local user account allows you to sign in to Windows without using a Microsoft account. This approach is especially useful in several scenarios.

When newly purchased computers need to be prepared quickly, the setup can be completed without dealing with Microsoft account sign-in.

In corporate environments, if the computer will later be joined to an Active Directory domain, creating a temporary local administrator account during the first setup stage is often a more practical approach.

In technical service or system preparation processes, using a Microsoft account for each computer is usually unnecessary.

In environments without internet access, a local user account makes it possible to continue the setup process.

If the network adapter driver is missing and the device cannot connect to the internet, creating a local account is one of the most practical ways to complete the initial setup and reach the desktop.

For this reason, being able to create a local user account during Windows setup is an important requirement for system administrators, IT technicians, and deployment teams.

Differences Between Rufus and Ventoy Usage

The tool used to prepare the Windows installation USB can also affect this process.

For example, when preparing a Windows USB drive with Rufus, the tool may provide several options to bypass certain Windows 11 requirements. These options can help bypass Microsoft account enforcement, TPM checks, Secure Boot checks, or internet connection requirements.

However, the situation may be different when using multiboot USB tools such as Ventoy. Ventoy is a very practical solution for booting multiple ISO files from a single USB drive. However, some of the special bypass options provided by Rufus may not be automatically applied during Windows installation.

Because of this, users who install Windows with Ventoy may encounter the internet connection or Microsoft account requirement more frequently during the OOBE stage.

In such cases, using the command line during the Windows initial setup screen can be very helpful.

Opening Command Prompt During the Windows Initial Setup

It is possible to open Command Prompt while you are on the Windows initial setup screen. To do this, use the following key combination:

Shift + F10

On some laptops, function keys may behave differently. In that case, you may need to use the following combination instead:

Fn + Shift + F10

After pressing this key combination, a Command Prompt window will open. From this screen, you can run certain commands that affect the Windows setup process.

Opening the Local User Account Creation Screen

After Command Prompt opens, type the following command and press Enter:

start ms-cxh:localonly

This command opens the local user account creation screen during the Windows setup process. This allows you to create a local user account and continue the installation without using a Microsoft account.

This method is especially useful on brand-new computers that come with Windows Home edition, because Windows Home tends to enforce Microsoft account sign-in more aggressively during the first setup.

After running the command, you can create a local username, set a password if required, and complete the setup process.

The Older Method: oobe\bypassnro

In older Windows versions, the commonly used command to bypass the internet connection requirement was:

oobe\bypassnro

When this command was executed, the system would restart and the OOBE screen would provide an option to continue without connecting to the internet.

However, depending on the Windows version and update level, the behavior of this command may vary. In some newer builds, this command may not produce the expected result or may be replaced by different methods.

For this reason, in current setup scenarios, the following command can be a more practical option:

start ms-cxh:localonly

Since this command directly opens the local account creation screen, it is very useful in fast deployment environments.

In Which Scenarios Can This Method Be Used?

This method can make the setup process easier in many different scenarios.

For example, if a newly purchased computer needs to be prepared quickly, the setup can be completed with a local user account without creating or signing in with a Microsoft account.

If Ethernet or Wi-Fi drivers are not automatically installed during Windows setup, you may not be able to connect to the internet. Instead of getting stuck at the setup screen, you can create a local account and reach the desktop. After that, the required network drivers can be installed manually.

If you are installing Windows using a multiboot USB drive such as Ventoy and cannot pass the internet requirement step, this method can help you complete the installation more easily.

In corporate environments, if the computer will later be joined to an Active Directory domain, creating a temporary local administrator account during the initial setup is usually more practical.

For technical service teams and people who prepare multiple computers, this method saves a significant amount of time. Instead of signing in with a Microsoft account on every device, a standard local setup account can be created and the preparation process can be completed much faster.

Windows Updates and the First Setup Process

When a new computer is started for the first time, Windows usually begins several update operations. These updates may include drivers, security patches, Microsoft Store applications, and system components.

In some cases, completing all updates can take a long time. This becomes even more time-consuming in environments with slow internet connections or when multiple computers are being prepared at the same time.

By quickly reaching the desktop with a local user account, you can continue installing required applications, loading drivers, configuring settings, and preparing the computer while Windows updates continue in the background.

This approach provides a more efficient workflow for technical service teams and system administrators.

Important Points to Consider

There are a few important points to keep in mind when using this method.

First, the password of the local user account should be selected carefully. Especially if the device will be used in a corporate environment, simple and predictable passwords should be avoided.

After the setup is completed, if network drivers are missing, the correct drivers should be downloaded from the manufacturer’s official website and installed manually.

Once the computer is connected to the internet, Windows Update should be run and all missing updates should be completed.

If the device is being prepared for corporate use, additional steps such as domain join, security policies, antivirus installation, disk encryption, and user permission configuration should also be applied.

Using a local account during setup does not permanently prevent the use of a Microsoft account. After the installation is completed, a Microsoft account can still be added later if needed.

Although the Windows setup process is designed to be user-friendly, the internet connection and Microsoft account requirements can sometimes make the process more difficult.

This is especially common on brand-new computers, Windows Home devices, systems where Ethernet or Wi-Fi drivers are not automatically installed, and installations performed with multiboot USB tools such as Ventoy.

In such cases, you can open Command Prompt during the Windows initial setup screen by pressing:

Shift + F10

or, on some laptops:

Fn + Shift + F10

Then, you can run the following command to open the local user account creation screen:

start ms-cxh:localonly

The older alternative method used in previous Windows versions is:

oobe\bypassnro

With this method, you can complete the Windows installation quickly and practically by creating a local user account without getting stuck on the internet connection or Microsoft account requirement.

This is a very useful and time-saving solution, especially for IT technicians, system administrators, and teams that prepare multiple computers.