Setting up a new laptop - How do I get around needing a Microsoft account?

When you reach the screen asking for your Microsoft account info hit shift + F10 to open a command prompt and type in oobe\bypassnro. Your laptop will restart and you'll start over with the setup process. Disconnect from WiFi/Ethernet and go through the setup process, including setting up a local account.

This works because there is a bypassnro.bat file in the oobe directory, which modifies the relevant registry entries. If it gets removed, you'll need to find its contents online and type them into the command prompt manually.
Or use this as an opportunity to learn Linux. It's been very usable for a while. If you're confused by distro selection, try Mint Cinnamon first.
- or copy it to a usb drive; last time i checked external drives will automatically map to the next available drive letter, so you could just plug one in and type D:\bypassnro
  that is assuming the script doesnt use relative paths or have any checks against doing this
Doesn’t work anymore if the computer has been updated on Windows 11.
Two of my family members bought two different laptops from Walmart on the same day about a month ago and asked me to help them set them up. This method worked on one but not the other. Nothing I did on the second worked. I even got Task Manager to open and close the OOBE but then the computer restarted and wouldn’t let me do that again.
Edited for clarification: Both computers never connected to the Internet prior to or during initial setup of Windows. I always try to set up a computer without connecting to the Internet because of crap like this. The second computer simply hit a virtual brick wall and wouldn’t let me proceed until I connected to the Internet to sign into a Microsoft account.
I ended up having to sign in with my Microsoft account and then create a local account/andmin and then delete the account with my Microsoft account attached.
- was it on wireless or plugged into network? can't skip if it detects you have internet, need to disconnect the nic and try again, just 'ipconfig /release' is enough to kick it and reboot, then you get , "I dont have internet" option and can make locak account.
- I just did it last night on windows 11 24h2
- Matter of Time... Take note folks
This is the answer. That's how i did it for my client

Setting up a new laptop - How do I get around needing a Microsoft account?

I use Linux. Not trolling, it's just what I decided to do so I could avoid Microsoft spying craziness... and their bloatware, too.

If Linux is not an option for you, maybe an utility like Win11Debloat could help you use Windows whiled minimizing (removing?) all the spying and bloat? https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat

Same. Linux for more than a decade. It's been great. Runs all my games, my work stuff, and anything else.
- 100% with you.
  I'm 50+, I'm not a geek and for the last 35 years or so I mostly was an happy Apple customer/user (I only used Windows for a couple games and, recently, on a PC laptop). I was happy using Apple and even earned decent money doing so but, a few years ago, I grew tired of seeing Apple acting like a dick — more and more greenwashing while at the same time making it impossible to upgrade or fix hardware, and then they released the turdiest keyboard ever created on this planet (yep, looking at you Butterfly keyboard) and insisted on using it for years, despite so many of us complaining. So, I decided it was time to try something else. Windows did not impress me much. Then, I tried Linux and was so impressed how simple it was to use (I don't do fancy stuff on my computer, I write) and how I could (more or less simply, but quite often it's simple) tweak it to do exactly what I wanted, and how nice it was to run even on very old hardware (making for less e-waste, which is a good thing), I was sold. Plus, I won't lie, the whole freedom and privacy considerations, the GNU philosophy, were becoming an important factor too as I realized how we were increasingly deprived of those.
  I still own a Mac today but, unless there is some kind of revolution at Apple's HQ, I don't see myself buying a new Mac after this one dies of old age. My main computer is now my Linux machine. I keep the Mac out of laziness and habits... Also because I would miss one specific app: Scrivener, a writing app I've been using probably for the last 15 years, if not more. And, yep, I've tried many alternatives available under Linux and they don't cut it for me.
We got one!
I would recommend "Sophia script". It is a highly customizable debloat script for Windows 10 & 11.

"Install Linux" isn’t the answer you’re looking for I assume?

Googling this is unreliable because Microsoft keeps patching out ways to do it. I couldn't get what I read online to work when I got my Windows 11 laptop back in May, but what did work was using the keyboard button that turns on airplane mode.

I get why Microsoft (acting in its own best interest) wants to discourage offline accounts but trying to ban them completely is ridiculous (especially since Windows 11 works just fine with the offline account). I think I would have returned the laptop out of spite if I couldn't get an offline account to work, but I'm probably much more spiteful than most people.

Here you go!

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-windows-11-without-microsoft-account

AtlasOS is also pretty good to set up after windows is installed but before anything else is set up.

https://atlasos.net/

Atlas OS is definitely a good option.
I've been running it on my home media PC and it does the trick.
As far as getting to the point where you can sign in to run the atlas installer, I've had good luck with downloading a Windows ISO and burning it to a USB stick with Rufus with the setting in Rufus set to create a local admin account.

You switch to Linux. Windows 10 was the last operating system from Microsoft that still allowed local accounts and no wifi connection.

Windows 11 no longer allows that and it requires an internet connection and a microsoft account to use the OS. You might want to use Windows 10 until 2025 and then switch to Linux or get a microsoft account and deal with Microsoft Recall spyware. KDE Plasma DE looks alot like Windows 10 if the UI is the problem. Or if breaking the system is a concern, get yourself an atomic distribution (VanillaOS, Fedora Kinoite, Bazzite, etc.) If you are afraid your games won't run on Linux, check ProtonDB and decide.

If you use Rufus to create a W11 Bootable ISO, you can check the Mods section and setup a username for a local account out of the box.
- Ah yes forgot about Rufus, good tip! Never tested it with the current installer for Windows 11 Home but hopefully it still works fine.
Destiny doesn't run on Linux. By far its best feature.
Shit life sucking fucking game
- Buy a PS5. Problem solved. You can even link your accounts through Bungie so you don't have to start over.
I use android, always have. I don't particularly like apple or their OS. If I see someone asking for help with their iPhone, I either say the answer if I know it, or I don't comment at all. I'm not gonna bust in and start telling them they should use android instead.
Maybe they like apple, maybe they have to use an iPhone. Maybe they are helping an elderly relative set up their new iPhone. But the reason doesn't matter. I either answer their questions if I can, or I move on.
Comments like this are why I can't stand the Linux community.
- That's you. Everyone is different. I prefer to tell people my opinion. If you don't like it, you are free to ignore it.

Ars Technica's How to install Windows 11 on supported and unsupported PCs, 24H2 edition says to use Rufus. I say to use the Swirl.

Haven't tested this with the most recent Windows 11 installer but in the past what I do during the install is select that I'm setting the system up for a corporate / domain account. From there it allows to enter a normal Windows username/password like normal (you don't actually need a domain name but you can make one up if you want).

That is only an option on the Pro version. Most computers come with Home.
- I use Linux, so I haven't run into this myself, but I assume that one can buy a copy of Windows 11 Pro separately from the PC itself, even if one doesn't currently have the Pro edition.
  kagis
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/windows-11-pro/dg7gmgf0d8h4
  Yeah. Though this says that they're currently out-of-stock of the USB installer.
- True, forgot all about the Pro/Home differences. Yet another reason to avoid Windows Home editions. To be fair OP didn't mention if they are on Windows 11 Home or Pro but perhaps you're right maybe they're on a Home edition.
  Another comment mentioned Rufus which works well for Windows 11 Pro but I haven't tested it with a current Windows 11 Home installer so can't be sure how well it works for that.

all these comments and only one is the correct answer

Install Linux?
Jk, just click you don't want an account when asked (it's a bit greyed out).
Source: installed win10 on a dell optiplex the day before yesterday.
Edit: don't know if it works on w11, but the upgrade to w11 is proposed in the settings from the installed w10.
- They removed that option from win 11, you need to run a batch file and disconnect interfaces
I came here knowing what I would see, with a bunch of upvotes to hand out.

Dont connect to wifi or ethernet. You won't be able to make an online account without a connection

So much bad advice on here. On Windows 11 Pro, just select "Domain join instead".

Easiest way is to get Windows 11 LTSC from MAS

You can skip the windows account part and just install with a local account, don't you?

It's a hassle. Easiest way is to not be connected to the internet as others have mentioned. You used to be able to just use a banned email but even that doesn't work anymore and you're forced to make an account or even make a new email if it's connected to the internet.

Seriously, Linux. It’s way overdue that regular consumers switch. How much longer do people want to be Microsoft’s bitches?

Be free.

There are quite a few distros that are very beginner-friendly, such as Mint and Ubuntu, Zorin - and my favorite Elementary. It’s seriously gorgeous.

Can recommend ZorinOS. My mom was still on Win7 a few months ago and her computer was slow as hell.
Wiped Windows off the drive, repurposed it for storage, bought an SSD and installed Zorin. She loves it.
- Oh absolutely an SSD. Especially now they’re ridiculously cheap! My first ever one was a Samsung Evo 840 and it was crazy spendy. However, it is still in the same laptop which is an insanely resilient laptop. I think they didn’t market it much because it was too good lol.
  But now, among my machines I have like two dozen SSDs. They’re so affordable and a lot of good brands.
  I’d go with ElementaryOS though because it’s just so polished and elegant.

did you Google it? hundreds of sites and posts on how to skip it, pretty elementary stuff

I do believe there are some registry keys u can mess with. Ive done it previously can also disablw tpm and system requirements. Alternatively check out tiny11 its a minimal installation no bloat and i think it bypasses account requirements as well.

There should be an option to use a local account. I think the text is small and borderline hidden.

edit: Looks like this is only for Windows 10 and older. I did find that if you type fake@fake.com and fake as your password on the MS account it will say there was a problem and let you proceed without an account.

Nope, requires using a command prompt and executing the OOBE\bypassnro.bat batch file that does the neccessary registry changes and restarts.

Meh. I've had an Xbox account for years now, I just used that.