{"id":337,"date":"2013-06-28T14:53:53","date_gmt":"2013-06-28T13:53:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.infobyte.hr\/blog\/?p=337"},"modified":"2025-04-08T19:14:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:14:46","slug":"windows-8-1-preview-how-to-install-without-microsoft-account-skip-microsoft-account","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infobyte.hr\/blog\/337\/windows-8-1-preview-how-to-install-without-microsoft-account-skip-microsoft-account\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 8.1 Preview – How to install without Microsoft account (skip Microsoft account)"},"content":{"rendered":"At last, perfect replacement for Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail is available, called OE Classic - Click here to download!<\/a>

Windows 8.1, also known as Windows Blue was released as Windows 8.1 Preview<\/a>. If you wanted to try it out and install it like I did, you may have found that there is no option to skip connecting it to Microsoft account. In fact, FAQ on Microsoft page – http:\/\/windows.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows-8\/preview-faq<\/a> says the following:<\/p>\n

Warning – In order to use Windows 8.1 Preview you must sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account. The option to create a local account will be made available at the final release of Windows 8.1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So according to this you can’t install it and bypass Microsoft account and additionally, there is no option to skip connecting it to Microsoft account and creating a local account instead. However, there is a way to do this.<\/p>\n

Update:<\/strong> It seems that this “feature” has made it into the final version as well. But the following methods to avoid it still work:<\/p>\n

Method 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n1. Click on link Create a new account<\/strong> (near the bottom of screen, below the “Don’t have an account?” text)<\/p>\n

2. When sign up form appears click on Sign in without a Microsoft account<\/strong> (also on the bottom).\n<\/div>\n

Method 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n1. Disconnect your Internet connection before installing Windows 8.1 (or after the first part of installation has finished). Windows detects at some point if there is an active Internet connection – if it isn’t available, it will skip the screen where Windows wants you to Connect this PC to your Microsoft account<\/strong> and offer you to create a local account instead. This is the simplest method of skipping this screen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Method 3:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nYou can keep your Internet connection enabled. When a screen called Connect this PC to your Microsoft account<\/strong> appears it will ask you for Email Address<\/strong> and Password<\/strong> (for Outlook.com or similar Microsoft service). If you have one you may put it in or if you don’t have it (or use Gmail instead), you have an option to create one. I suppose you want neither otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this right?<\/p>\n

1. If you don’t want to create Microsoft account enter some invalid email here for example:<\/p>\n