Share with others:
A Microsoft account is now required to install Windows 11
The joke is gone. In its latest update, Microsoft made it mandatory to have a Microsoft account to install Windows 11.
In the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview, the company says it will remove a well-known scripting workaround that allowed end users to skip the requirement to connect to the Internet and sign in with a Microsoft account to complete the new PC setup process.
It is already a requirement to have a Microsoft account to install a Windows 11 computer, but many people know of a workaround that allows you to bypass this restriction with a simple command (bypassnro).
For those setting up computers for businesses or secondary users, or simply not wanting to link a computer to a Microsoft account on principle, this command was very convenient and also very easy to enter during installation.
Microsoft cites security as one of the reasons for this change:
“We are removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the collection to improve the security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit the installation with internet connectivity and a Microsoft account.”
Since the bypassnro command is disabled in the latest beta, it will likely be ported to production versions in a few weeks. However, hope is not lost, as for now the script can be reactivated by editing the registry by opening a command prompt (press Shift + F10) during the initial installation and running the command:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f shutdown /r /t 0
This workaround has been proven to work for now, but there is no guarantee that Microsoft will not remove it soon.
Microsoft has been making it harder to upgrade to Windows 11 lately, while also encouraging people to move away from Windows 10, which will lose support in October. The company is also further limiting the ability to install Windows 11 on older computers that don't support TPM 2.0, and is using full-screen ads to encourage you to buy a new computer.
