Microsoft does everything it can to force one to use a Microsoft account in order to install a Microsoft product. When you do a manual install of Windows 11 Pro, there is a bypass option that you can select so that you do not have to login with a Microsoft account – i.e. you can create a local account in order to continue with the install. It is a different situation when you do a manual install of Windows 11 Home. Microsoft does not give one any openly available options to use a local account in the install process.
One option is to use one’s current Microsoft account or create a new one. Then after the install is complete, one can go back and delete the Microsoft login account and create a local account. I never trust that process.
Here is the workaround for not having to use a Microsoft account to complete a Windows Home OS installation:
- When doing the OS install from a USB thumb drive, do not connect the PC to the network.
- At some point in the install, you will see a screen to connect to a network.
- Select the option in the lower left hand corner of the screen “I do not have internet”.
- The next screen will give you a chance to connect to a network again.
- Select the option in the lower left hand corer of the screen “Continue with a limited setup”.
- The install will then continue. The next screen will have you create a local account. Create the local account and continue with the install
- At the completion of the install, you can then setup your hardwired or wireless network interface to connect to the Internet.