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In brief: Just days after Microsoft removed a handy script from Windows 11 Insider builds that allowed people to skip the Microsoft Account requirement for installation, resourceful testers have already discovered a new method. Unlike the previous one, this one is surprisingly simple.
The removed “BypassNRO.cmd” script previously allowed users to bypass the mandatory Microsoft Account login during setup and create a local account instead.
In a recent blog post, Microsoft justified its removal, claiming it enhances “security and user experience” by ensuring all users complete setup with an internet connection and a linked Microsoft Account.
While manually tweaking the registry can still achieve the same result, that method is clunky and not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, one user going by Witherornot1337 has shared a much smoother alternative on X. The workaround involves opening a Command Prompt (Shift + F10) and entering “start ms-cxh:localonly.”
Improved bypass for Windows 11 OOBE:
1. Shift-F10
2. start ms-cxh:localonlyOnly required on Home and Pro editions. pic.twitter.com/ZUa89ZPBI3
– Wither OrNot (@witherornot1337) March 29, 2025
PC World notes that this command triggers a legacy-style Windows 10 setup window where users can create a local account with a username and password, requiring no registry edits or restarts. Witherornot1337 provided a short video demonstration showing how easily the trick works.
Microsoft’s removal of BypassNRO.cmd only affects Windows 11 preview builds in the Dev Channel. Stable releases can still use the script. However, if Microsoft sticks with this change – and it’s Microsoft, so why wouldn’t it – the script will likely vanish from public releases later this year.
Microsoft’s apparent hard stance on requiring an online account to install Windows is annoying and unfortunate because not everyone has one. Many users also have privacy concerns regarding the company’s potential to monitor their activities.
Perhaps more importantly, some users prefer keeping their Windows login tied solely to their device. Having your credentials stored in a company’s SSO is just waiting for a leak to happen like the one Oracle recently suffered.
Microsoft phased out the official local account option in Windows 11’s setup some time ago, leaving workarounds like BypassNRO.cmd as the only alternatives. Now that Microsoft has closed that loophole, the new command-line trick offers a lifeline – at least temporarily. The big question is how long it will last before the company patches out this method, too.
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