Out of the Box Experience Archives

Winsage

October 8, 2025

The Party’s Over: Windows 11 Installation Will Require the Internet

Microsoft is tightening control over the installation process for Windows 11 by eliminating workarounds that allowed installations without an internet connection or a Microsoft account. This change is being rolled out in a test build and includes disabling the "bypassnro command" and the "start ms-cxh:localonly" command. Amanda Langowski, lead of the Windows Insider Program, explained that these changes aim to ensure users do not skip critical setup screens, which are essential for a fully configured device. Community reactions are mixed, with some users expressing frustration and concerns about data privacy, while others support the changes, suggesting initial resistance may lead to eventual acceptance.

Winsage

August 27, 2025

Microsoft may have just saved admins a whole of work (and stress) when it comes to installing vital upgrades

Starting in September 2025, Windows 11 (22H2 or later) devices will install quality updates during the Out of the Box Experience (OOBE) by default. Users will not need to apply Windows updates after signing in, and PCs will be protected from day one. This change applies to Microsoft Entra joined and hybrid joined devices, specifically for Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, or SE. Companies must use Microsoft Intune for managing Windows quality updates, and the OOBE updating experience requires the August 2025 OOBE zero-day patch or devices imaged with the June 2025 Windows non-security update. This improvement reduces the burden on employees and IT teams, as organizations can distribute devices with the latest updates. The transition comes as companies migrate to Windows 11 ahead of the Windows 10 end of support in October 2025.