Hey folks! I just got a new Snapdragon laptop and I'm curious if there's any way to set it up without having to log in with a Microsoft account. I want to avoid the pre-installed bloat as well, but I can't use a USB because I won't have one, and my internet connection isn't reliable at the moment. I've heard about some methods involving Rufus, but those aren't an option for me right now. Any suggestions? Should I hold off until I can use Rufus, or is there a workaround I can try?
2 Answers
You can usually create a local login when you first set it up, but it depends on your Windows version. If you're running Windows Home, you'll need to make sure you stay offline; otherwise, it forces you to log in with an MS account. If it's the Pro version, it's usually much easier to set up without an account.
Yeah, I remember hearing that too. I really hope I can find a method that works!
You might want to try not connecting to the internet during the setup process. Once you're at the setup screen, press SHIFT + F10 to bring up the command prompt, then type in "OOBEBYPASSNRO" (without the quotes). This could help you skip the Microsoft account requirement during setup.
Thanks for the tip! I'll give that a shot.
I heard they made changes that limit this option. But you could run the new command if that doesn't work: ***start ms-cxh:localonly***. Just a heads up, if it's a laptop, try holding down the function key with F10 if the command prompt doesn’t pop up like it should.
From my experience, when I first got my laptop with Windows 11, I couldn't find a way to create a local account. It made me set up a Microsoft account before I could even access my desktop.