How to bypass internet connection to install Windows 11

Windows 11 requires an internet connection to finish the initial setup (Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)) for the Home and Pro editions starting version 22H2, but there’s a way to bypass the requirement.

Since Microsoft wants users to connect computers with a Microsoft account, the company has changed the initial Windows 11 setup to make it nearly impossible to continue configuring a new device or clean installation without an internet connection.

If the setup detects that the device doesn’t have a network connection, you’ll land on the “Oops, you’ve lost internet connection” page. If you click the “Retry” button, you will be prompted to connect to the internet. 

You could easily skip this requirement in older versions and continue offline with a local account, but this is no longer possible on Windows 11 22H2 and higher releases. However, for those who may not have an internet connection at the time of the installation or want a more traditional offline experience, there is a workaround to bypass the requirement and finish configuring the out-of-the-box experience without an internet connection, whether you are setting up Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.

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In this guide, you will learn the workaround to continue setting up Windows 11 without an internet connection. These instructions will walk you through the steps to perform a clean installation, but the workaround also works when setting up Windows 11 on any method that may require completing the Out-of-Box Experience.

Install Windows 11 without internet connection

To install Windows 11 without an internet connection, use these steps:

1. Start the PC with the Windows 11 USB flash drive.

2. Press any key to continue.

3. Choose the installation language and format.

   

4. Click the Next button.

5. Choose the keyboard and input method.

   

6. Click the Next button.

7. Select the “Install Windows 11” option.

   

8. Check the “I agree everything will be deleted” option to confirm this process will delete everything on the computer.

9. Click the “I don’t have a product key” option.

   

   Quick note: The computer will activate automatically if you’re reinstalling the operating system. If this is a new device that has never included a version of Windows, you will have to provide a product key.

10. Select the edition of “Windows 11” your license key activates (if applicable).

    

11. Click the Next button.

12. Click the Accept button.

13. Select each partition in the hard drive you want to install Windows 11 and click the Delete button. (Usually, the “Drive 0” is the drive that contains all the installation files.)

    

14. Select the hard drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to install the latest preview of the operating system.

    

15. Click the Next button.

16. Click the Install button.

    

17. Choose your region setting on the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE) after the installation.

18. Select your region setting after the installation on the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).

    

19. Click the Yes button.

20. Select your keyboard layout setting.

    

21. Click the Yes button.

22. Click the Skip button if you do not need to configure a second layout.

23. On the “Oops, you’ve lost internet connection” or “Let’s connect you to a network” page, use the “Shift + F10” keyboard shortcut.

    

24. In Command Prompt, type the OOBE\BYPASSNRO command to bypass network requirements on Windows 11 and press Enter.

    

25. The computer will restart automatically, and the out-of-box experience (OOBE) will start again.

    Quick note: You will need to select the region and keyboard settings again to get to the network connection page.

26. Click the “I don’t have internet” option.

    

27. Click the “Continue with limited setup” option (if applicable).

    

    Quick note: After clicking on “I don’t have internet,” you may get redirected directly to the local account creation page.

28. Click the Accept button (if applicable).

29. Confirm the name of the local default account on Windows 11.

    

30. Click the Next button.

31. Create a password for the account.

    

32. Click the Next button.

33. Confirm the account password.

34. Click the Next button.

35. Select and complete the three security questions to recover the account.

    

36. Click the Next button.

37. Choose the privacy settings.

    

38. Click the Next button.

39. Click the Next button again.

40. Click the Accept button.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 (version 24H2, 23H2, 22H2, or 21H2) will continue the installation on the computer.

Update August 12, 2025: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.