Forum Discussion

Mayaui's avatar
Mayaui
Brass Contributor
Aug 31, 2026

How can I skip or bypass oobe in windows 10?

I'm setting up a new Windows 10 install and would like to skip through the initial setup screens instead of manually clicking through region, network, account creation, and privacy settings every tim...
Delikell's avatar
Delikell
Iron Contributor
Aug 31, 2026

If you need to install Windows repeatedly on multiple computers and want to skip the manual setup process, using the autounattend.xml file is the most efficient solution.

This file automates the Windows installation process, allowing you to skip the Get Started experience, including account creation, privacy settings, and Cortana setup. Place this file in the root directory of a USB drive, and the Windows installer will automatically apply your predefined settings making it an ideal choice for system administrators or anyone who needs to deploy Windows on multiple machines.

For users who skip oobe in windows 10, this method not only saves a significant amount of time but also ensures consistency across all installations.

User Guide：

  1. First, use a text editor such as Notepad to create a file named autounattend.xml.
  2. The file must follow the Windows Setup XML schema and contain the settings you want to apply. Save the file as autounattend.xml and copy it to the root directory of the Windows installation USB drive, placing it in the same location as the setup.exe file.
  3. When you boot from the USB drive, the Windows Setup program will detect the autounattend.xml file and automatically apply these settings without requiring any user interaction. A basic example for skipping the OOBE interface is as follows:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
            </OOBE>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Technical Parameter Descriptions:

  • HideEULAPage – Hides the End User License Agreement page during installation.
  • SkipMachineOOBE – Skips the OOBE screens specific to a particular computer.
  • SkipUserOOBE – Skips the user-specific OOBE interface.

Other options you can add include:

  • ProtectYourPC, HideWirelessSetupInOOBE, and SkipAutoLogin.

For advanced users, the answer file can include additional settings, such as partition configurations, region options, and even user account creation. 

All of these settings help you skip oobe in windows 10, enabling a fully automated installation experience.