Post actualizado el día octubre 25, 2026 by DeiviSanzPlay
Windows 11 is no longer a system that installs in twenty minutes. Version 24H2, released in late 2024, hardened the initial setup process (OOBE) and requires an internet connection for many tasks. If you’re in an office without an Ethernet cable, in a rural home with intermittent mobile coverage, or simply want a clean machine without a Microsoft account, you need to know what options exist, which ones work, and which ones stopped working.
Why Windows 11 asks for internet as soon as it boots
The «Let’s connect you to a network» screen appears before you can create a local user. Microsoft introduced it to push the use of linked accounts and services like OneDrive or Windows Hello. On machines with Windows 11 Home, moreover, the local account disappeared as a visible option in the normal flow starting with build 22H2.
There are three scenarios where this becomes a real problem:
- Machines without a recognized network card. Old laptops or motherboards with WiFi chipsets that Windows 11 doesn’t include in its driver package. Without a network, the installer gets stuck.
- Installations in controlled environments. Workshops, classrooms, or point-of-sale systems where there should be no internet connection during deployment.
- Privacy. Users who don’t want to associate the machine with a Microsoft account or create a cloud profile.
The command that still works (and the nuance almost nobody mentions)
The most widespread method is the Shift + F10 shortcut during the network screen, which opens a console and lets you run OOBEBYPASSNRO. When you run it, the system restarts the flow and the «I don’t have internet» option appears. However, in version 24H2 that command was removed in some builds. The alternative that is documented is to create the BypassNRO registry key in HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionOOBE with value 1, which requires typing several lines in the console.
A practical detail that’s hard to discover: if the machine has WiFi but no Ethernet, the shortcut works the same way, but the installer may keep trying to search for networks. Disconnecting the card from the BIOS or disabling the WiFi adapter through the OOBE’s own network menu (network icon > disable) prevents the flow from returning to the connection screen.
Clean installation without a network: concrete steps
Before you start, be clear about which version you’re going to use. Media created with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool includes basic network drivers, but not those for modern WiFi chipsets. If your machine doesn’t boot with a network, you’ll need a USB with the manufacturer’s drivers or a USB Ethernet adapter.
- Boot from the installation USB and proceed to the «Let’s connect you to a network» screen.
- Press Shift + F10 to open the console.
- If OOBEBYPASSNRO responds with an unrecognized command error, type the registry key indicated above and restart the flow with shutdown /r /t 0.
- When it comes back, choose «I don’t have internet» and continue with «Continue with limited setup».
- Create a local user with a name and password. You don’t need to answer the security questions.
After reaching the desktop, the system may ask for drivers. That’s when you should connect the machine, but with the local session already active, not during the OOBE.
What doesn’t work and you should know before trying it
Disabling the network adapter from Device Manager before the OOBE doesn’t work: the installer detects it again on restart. Entering a Microsoft account offline doesn’t work either; the system validates the login against the servers and returns a generic error.
Another important limit: this procedure doesn’t avoid activation. Windows 11 still needs a connection to verify the license in most OEM editions; phone activation exists, but it requires a call and isn’t available for all licenses.
Finally, images modified with third-party tools that promise to skip the entire process pose a real security risk. According to Microsoft’s official documentation, the installation media must come from its channels; any altered ISO can include unwanted software.
Alternative for machines already installed
If the machine already has Windows 11 with a Microsoft account and you want to migrate to a local account, you don’t need to reinstall. From Settings > Accounts > Your info you can switch to a local account, although the system will ask for the Microsoft account password and, in some versions, a connection to validate it. This route is simpler, but it doesn’t solve the case of a machine that has never booted without a network.
In summary: the classic command method works in many builds, but not in all of them. The registry key is the documented and more stable route. And if your machine lacks network drivers in the installation media, neither option will save you: you’ll need to prepare the USB with the drivers before you start.
