To perform the Windows 11 setup, Microsoft requires that your system has an active internet connection. Before you start using Windows 11, it will ask you to login into your Microsoft account so that you can receive crucial updates and new features.
Why is an Internet connection required for a Windows 11 setup?
In Microsoft Windows, updates, downloads, and some functions require an active internet connection. Furthermore, the Windows 11 Home version requires a Microsoft Account to finish device setup on the first use.
However, for a variety of reasons, this may not be possible. You may prefer to use a local user account first, but connecting to the Web will force you to use a Microsoft account. The second probable issue is that the WiFi drivers required to connect to the internet are missing. Finally, you may want to get around this restriction if you don’t have access to a working Internet connection.
Users could easily bypass this requirement in previous versions and continue offline using a local account, but this is no longer feasible in Windows 11 upgrades. If you don’t have access to the internet at the time of installation or prefer a more conventional offline experience. In that case, there is a solution to avoid the requirement and complete the configuration of the out-of-box experience without the net connection, whether you’re installing Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
It was simple to get around this restriction in Windows 10. Users could select “I don’t have internet” and continue to set up a local user account and finish the setup. The “next” button in Windows 11 is greyed out at the “let’s connect you to a network” screen. Users of the Pro edition can select “I don’t have internet” and finish the installation with a local user account; however, users of the Home edition do not have this option.
Here you’ll discover how to work around Windows 11 without using an internet connection:
Install Windows 11 without using the internet connection
- Start the computer by plugging in the Windows 11 USB stick drive.
- To continue, press any key.
- Then press the Next button.
- Select “Install Now” from the drop-down menu.
- If you’re performing a reinstallation, select I don’t have a product key. If Windows 11 was previously activated when it was installed, it would be reactivated automatically.
- Choose the “Windows 11” edition that your license key activates
- Check the box next to “I accept the licensing conditions.”
- Then press the Next button.
- Choose Custom: Install Windows only from the menu.
- Select each partition on the hard drive where Windows 11 is to be installed and press the Delete key.
- To install Windows 11, choose a hard drive.
- Then press the Next button.
- After installation, select your region option on the first screen of the out-of-the-box experience.
- Select the Yes option.
- Choose your preferred keyboard layout.
- Select the Yes option.
- If you don’t have to configure a separate layout, click the Skip button.
- Use the Shift + F10 key shortcut on the “Oops; you’ve lost internet connection” or “Let’s connect you to a network” screen.
- To override internet requirements on Windows 11, run OOBEBYPASSNRO in the Command Prompt and press Enter.
- The computer will immediately restart, and the out-of-box experience (OOBE) will begin.
- Select the “I don’t have access to the internet” choice.
- Select the option to continue with a restricted setup.
- Accept the terms by clicking the button.
- On Windows 11, verify the username of the default local account.
- Then press the Next button.
- For the account, create a password.
- Then press the Next button.
- Confirm the password for the account.
- Then press the Next button.
- To recover your account, choose and answer the three security questions.
- Then press the Next button.
- Select the privacy settings.
- Then press the Next button.
- Press the Next button once more.
- Accept the terms by clicking the button.
Once you’ve finished the steps, Windows 11 will begin installing on your device.