Windows 11 Offline Install: Microsoft Disables Bypass Command, Registry Edit Still Works

Windows 11 Offline Install Trick Disabled: Registry Edit Workaround

Remember the handy trick to install Windows 11 without an internet connection or signing into a Microsoft account? The simple oobe\bypassnro command? It appears that Microsoft has quietly disabled it in newer system builds.

If you try that old command now during setup, you will probably be greeted with a clueless error message telling you that the command is not recognized. Microsoft's stated position is that this is all done to ensure that users benefit from the fact that they have an internet connection and an account right from the start. But it is just easier for everyone to set up with a local account first, and this modification definitely puts a spanner in the works.

Don't Worry, There's Still a Way

Fortunately, where there's a will (and a registry edit), there's a way. While the simple command is no longer available, you can still achieve the same result by making a temporary tweak during setup. Here's how to work around the need for an online connection using the Registry Editor:

1. When you get to the Windows 11 setup screen (the "Out of Box Experience" or OOBE), press Shift + F10 on your keyboard. This will open the Command Prompt.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type regedit and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor.
3. Go to the following key in the Registry Editor: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\\\SOFTWARE\\\\Microsoft\\\\Windows\\\\CurrentVersion\\\\OOBE
4. Right-click in the empty space on the right side of the OOBE key, select New, and then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Rename this new value to BypassNRO (make sure the capitalization is exact).
6. Double-click on the newly created BypassNRO value.
7. Change the 'Value data' field from 0 to 1 and click OK.
8. Close the Registry Editor and the Command Prompt window.
9. Now, restart your computer.

After you have rebooted, the install process should offer you the option to continue without internet access (normally labeled "I don't have internet") and allow you to set up a local user account, just as previously. It's a few more steps than the initial command, but it does work.