
Thank you ‘Tom’ for the article on How To: “Maintain only a local account on your Windows 11 PC“.
By default, you must log in with a Microsoft account in order to install Windows 11 and go through the box (OOBE) setup process that triggers either as part of installation or the first time you turn on a new Windows PC. It seems like Microsoft really wants you to log in to Windows 11 using its account system, both so it can track you, …and so you can get benefits such as synchronizing your wallpaper and preferences across different computers.
However, there are many reasons why you would want to install Windows 11 using a local account only. Maybe you want to install Windows 11 with a local (non-Microsoft) account because you are installing the OS on a child’s PC or on a PC that you plan to sell, give to a friend or donate to a charity (without giving other people access to personal data). Or perhaps you just like your privacy and don’t want to create an account with Microsoft in the first place.
Whatever your reason for doing so, it’s easy to install or set up Windows 11 without using a Microsoft account. Below, we’ll show you the method: which involves issuing some commands during the install / OOBE process. We’ve tested the method on the latest major Windows 11 version, 24H2, and they work.
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