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Automated Windows 11 Pro Install With Local Account (autounattend.xml)

Goal​

After a clean wipe and install of Windows 11 Pro, you want:

  • A local admin account created automatically
  • A temporary password set automatically
  • The PC name set to CATTLE-01
  • Minimal Out of Box Experience (OOBE) prompts

This is done using a Windows Setup answer file: autounattend.xml.

Microsoft docs (reference):

  • Windows Setup automation overview (answer file name and where Setup searches)
    oaicite:0
  • Automate OOBE (how Unattend controls OOBE screens)
    oaicite:1
  • Local account creation elements (LocalAccount / LocalAccounts)
    oaicite:2

What you need​

  • Windows 11 Pro install USB (created with Media Creation Tool, Rufus, etc.)
  • Ability to boot the target PC from USB
  • A keyboard

Where to put the file​

Copy the answer file to the root of the Windows install USB and name it:

  • autounattend.xml

Example (if your USB is drive E: on another PC):

  • E:\autounattend.xml

Windows Setup looks for Autounattend.xml on removable media at the root of the drive during clean installs from boot media.

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How to use it​

  1. Create a normal Windows 11 Pro bootable USB.
  2. Copy autounattend.xml (from below) to the root of the USB.
  3. Boot the target PC from the USB.
  4. Run the install as usual.
    • This file does not auto-partition disks. You will still choose the disk/partition unless you add DiskConfiguration settings.
  5. When Windows reboots into first boot / OOBE, it should automatically:
    • Skip most setup screens
    • Create the local admin account
    • Name the machine CATTLE-01
  6. Log in with the local account and change the temporary password.

Security warning​

This file contains a plaintext temporary password. That is normal for simple unattend flows, but treat the USB as sensitive.

Do these two things:

  • Change the password immediately after first login.
  • Do not store this exact file in a repo unless you remove or replace the password.

The autounattend.xml (copy/paste)​

Save this exact content as autounattend.xml on the USB root.

Replace only the password value in the ChangeMe_12345 line.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend"
          xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
          xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

  <!-- windowsPE: language/locale + accept EULA -->
  <settings pass="windowsPE">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE"
               processorArchitecture="amd64"
               publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
               language="neutral"
               versionScope="nonSxS">
      <SetupUILanguage>
        <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
      </SetupUILanguage>
      <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
      <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
      <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
      <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
    </component>

    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup"
               processorArchitecture="amd64"
               publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
               language="neutral"
               versionScope="nonSxS">
      <UserData>
        <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
      </UserData>
    </component>
  </settings>

  <!-- specialize: machine-level settings -->
  <settings pass="specialize">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup"
               processorArchitecture="amd64"
               publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
               language="neutral"
               versionScope="nonSxS">
      <TimeZone>Eastern Standard Time</TimeZone>
      <ComputerName>CATTLE-01</ComputerName>
    </component>
  </settings>

  <!-- oobeSystem: skip OOBE screens + create local admin -->
  <settings pass="oobeSystem">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core"
               processorArchitecture="amd64"
               publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
               language="neutral"
               versionScope="nonSxS">
      <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
      <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
      <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
      <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
    </component>

    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup"
               processorArchitecture="amd64"
               publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"
               language="neutral"
               versionScope="nonSxS">

      <OOBE>
        <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
        <HideOEMRegistrationScreen>true</HideOEMRegistrationScreen>
        <HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
        <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
        <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>

        <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
        <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
      </OOBE>

      <UserAccounts>
        <LocalAccounts>
          <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
            <Name>Owner</Name>
            <DisplayName>Owner</DisplayName>
            <Group>Administrators</Group>
            <Password>
              <Value>ChangeMe_12345</Value>
              <PlainText>true</PlainText>
            </Password>
          </LocalAccount>
        </LocalAccounts>
      </UserAccounts>

    </component>
  </settings>

</unattend>

Verification and troubleshooting​

How to verify Setup used the file​

After install, check for these:

  • Computer name is CATTLE-01
  • You can log in as Owner with the temporary password
  • OOBE screens were skipped or reduced

Windows also writes setup logs and processed answer files under:

  • C:\Windows\Panther\
  • C:\Windows\Panther\UnattendGC\

If it still forces a Microsoft account​

Try these checks:

  1. Confirm the file name and location:

    • Must be autounattend.xml on the USB root. ([Microsoft Learn][1])

  2. Confirm you are booting from the USB (clean install path):

    • The removable-media auto-detection is for installs launched from WinPE / boot media flows. ([Microsoft Learn][1])

  3. Remove other unattend files:

    • If you have multiple answer files on the media, simplify to one.

  4. If you are on a very new Windows 11 release and behavior changed:

    • Keep using local account creation via LocalAccounts in oobeSystem (supported structure documented by Microsoft). ([Microsoft Learn][2])
  • Change the temporary password.
  • Run your bootstrap script (winget installs, settings, runner setup).
  • Then take a NAS snapshot/image if you still want a checkpoint.