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To open Command Prompt during Windows 11 Setup, press Shift+F10. On some laptops, use Shift+Fn+F10 because the function-row keys may be configured for media or action controls.
You can use the same shortcut at the “Let’s connect you to a network” screen. Commands for bypassing the online-setup requirement are separate and depend on the Windows image; they are not guaranteed to work on every build.
Open Command Prompt from Windows 11 installation media
- Insert the Windows 11 USB flash drive or DVD.
- Boot the computer from that installation media.
- Choose the required language, time and currency, and keyboard settings.
- Select Next, then select Install now.
- When the Windows Setup screen appears, press Shift+F10.
A Command Prompt window should open over the Setup environment. You can run commands such as diskpart to inspect volumes or troubleshoot the installation.
If the shortcut does nothing on a laptop, try Shift+Fn+F10. Microsoft’s Windows Setup command-line options documentation describes the diagnostic prompt option; the Shift+F10 shortcut is also reported for Setup in the Microsoft Tech Community discussion.
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Open Command Prompt at the network screen
At the Let’s connect you to a network page, press Shift+F10. If your laptop requires the Fn modifier for function-row shortcuts, press Shift+Fn+F10.
This opens Command Prompt without completing the network step. What you can do next depends on the Windows build and installation image.
Using Command Prompt to continue setup without Internet
On builds that still include the relevant script, enter this command:
OOBE\BYPASSNRO
- Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO in Command Prompt. The two characters in OOBE are capital letter O characters, not zeroes.
- Press Enter.
- If the command is available in that image, the computer restarts and Setup may offer Continue with limited setup.
Selecting that option can let you continue without an Internet connection. The Microsoft Tech Community discussion describes this behavior, but the command is not guaranteed across Windows 11 images.
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Microsoft removed the bypassnro.cmd script from at least Insider Preview build 26200.5516. On affected builds, OOBE\BYPASSNRO may return a command-not-recognized error. See Tom’s Hardware’s report on the removal.
Reported registry workaround on affected preview builds
A registry command has been reported as a workaround on builds where bypassnro.cmd is missing:
reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE” /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Then restart with:
shutdown /r /t 0
The first command writes BypassNRO=1 under the OOBE registry key; the second immediately restarts the computer. This is a reported workaround for affected preview builds, not a stable, Microsoft-documented Windows 11 Setup procedure. Microsoft’s removal of the script is covered in the Tom’s Hardware report.
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Another reported command for invoking local-account creation is:
start ms-cxh:localonly
Microsoft has been disabling known local-account workarounds, including this command and OOBE\BYPASSNRO, in newer preview builds. Do not treat either command as supported or guaranteed. See Windows Central’s report on Insider features.
Enable the Setup diagnostic prompt with setup.exe
Microsoft documents this Setup switch:
setup.exe /diagnosticprompt enable
The /DiagnosticPrompt Enable option makes Command Prompt available through Shift+F10 during Windows Setup. Microsoft documents support from Windows 10 version 1703 onward and lists support from WinPE beginning with Windows 11 version 24H2.
The syntax is:
/DiagnosticPrompt {Enable | Disable}
Disable is the documented default. When disabled, Command Prompt is unavailable during the offline and OOBE phases. For details, see Microsoft’s Windows Setup command-line options.
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For a normal installation from current Windows 11 media, try Shift+F10 first. The command-line switch is mainly useful when controlling Setup from deployment or installation workflows.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Shift+F10 does nothing | The laptop treats F10 as a special action key. | Press Shift+Fn+F10. The shortcut and Fn alternative are described in the Microsoft Tech Community discussion. |
| OOBE\BYPASSNRO is not recognized | The Windows image may not include bypassnro.cmd; removal was reported from Insider Preview build 26200.5516. | Check that you typed the backslash and letter O characters correctly. If the script is missing, do not assume the command will work on that image. |
| The command works with one ISO but not another | OOBE files and behavior vary by Windows image and build. | Identify the exact image and test deployment media before relying on an undocumented workaround. |
| A fake Microsoft-account email does not bypass setup | Microsoft changed Setup behavior to defeat commonly used invalid-account methods. | Do not rely on deliberately invalid or blocked email addresses as a current bypass. See Tom’s Hardware’s report. |
| Command Prompt opens in Windows Terminal after installation | In Windows 11 version 22H2, Windows Terminal became the default host for console windows. | This is separate from the Setup prompt. In installed Windows, change the setting at Start > Settings > System > Advanced > Terminal > Windows Console Host. See Microsoft’s Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell page. |
A note about newer OOBE commands
In Windows 11 Insider Preview builds 26220.6772 and 26100.6772, Microsoft added a supported command for changing the default user-folder name. From the Sign in page, press Shift+F10, switch to the OOBE directory if necessary, and run:
SetDefaultUserFolder.cmd NewFolderName
NewFolderName can contain up to 16 characters. This command is unrelated to opening Command Prompt and does not provide a local-account or offline-setup bypass. Details are in Windows Central’s report on Insider features.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Commands that are useful after opening Setup Command Prompt
Drive letters in Setup can differ from those in an installed Windows session. To inspect available volumes, enter these commands one at a time:
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- diskpart
- list volume
- exit
Use care with disk-management commands. Commands such as clean, format, and delete can permanently remove partitions or data. Identify the correct disk and volume rather than assuming the usual drive letters apply.
FAQ
What is the shortcut to open CMD during Windows 11 Setup?
Press Shift+F10. On some laptops, use Shift+Fn+F10 because the function keys are configured as media or action keys.
Can I open Command Prompt at the Windows 11 network screen?
Yes. At “Let’s connect you to a network,” press Shift+F10, or Shift+Fn+F10 if your laptop requires the Fn key.
Why does OOBE\BYPASSNRO say it is not recognized?
The Windows build may no longer include bypassnro.cmd. Microsoft removed it from at least Insider Preview build 26200.5516, so the command is not guaranteed across Windows 11 images.
Does Shift+F10 open Windows Terminal during Setup?
No. The shortcut opens the preinstallation Command Prompt. Windows Terminal becoming the default console host in the installed Windows environment from version 22H2 is separate from the Setup prompt.
Can I use Command Prompt to install Windows 11 without an Internet connection?
On some builds, OOBE\BYPASSNRO can expose Continue with limited setup, but it is not universal. Known offline and local-account workarounds are being disabled in newer preview builds, so behavior depends on the installation image.
The Bottom Line
From Windows 11 installation media, press Shift+F10 to open Command Prompt; use Shift+Fn+F10 on laptops that need the Fn modifier. If you are trying to bypass the network requirement, test the exact Windows build first: OOBE\BYPASSNRO and related workarounds are increasingly unavailable and are not guaranteed Setup features.
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