Step-By-Step: The Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)

The Windows 11 Out of Box Experience (OOBE) is part of Windows Setup, and it’s the first thing you will see when you purchase a new Windows 11-based PC and turn it on for the first time.

Those who perform a clean install of Windows 11 will also see the OOBE, but it’s the final phase of Windows Setup in this case. You can learn more about that process in Clean Install.

Like Windows 11 itself, the OOBE is mostly identical to that from Windows 10, but it has been visually refreshed to match the Windows 11 look and feel. What you see here will vary a bit from PC to PC, but here’s a quick rundown of the most common interfaces.

Is this the right country for you? Choose the country you’re in if required, and then select the Yes button.

Is this the right keyboard layout or input method? By default, the OOBE will select the correct keyboard layout based on your previous choice. But if you need a different keyboard layout or input method, you can select it there. Then, select the Yes button.

Want to add a second keyboard layout? Windows 11 supports multiple languages, which can be useful for those who are multilingual or need to work in multiple languages. But you don’t need to install a language pack if all you need to do is enter text in other languages. Instead, you can choose a second keyboard language here, or later when you’re using Windows 11.

Most people will not need to add a second keyboard layout. If you do not, just select the Skip button.

Let’s connect you to a network. If you are not connected to the network with a wired (Ethernet) cable, the OOBE will prompt you to connect to a Wi-Fi network. Select the correct network and then select the Next button.

Please review the License Agreement. After checking for updates, the OOBE will present the Windows 11 End User License Agreement, which you will of course read in its entirety. Select the Next button to continue.

Let’s name your device. New to Windows 11, the OOBE once again allows you to give your PC a name before continuing. Note that doing so will require your PC to reboot before you can continue.

You can rename your PC later if you wish, but you will have to reboot whenever you do so. To rename your PC while running Windows 11, open Settings (WINKEY + I) and navigate to System > About and select the Rename this PC button.

How would you like to set up this device? This screen will only appear if you are installing Windows 11 Pro. You are given two choices, “Set up for personal use” and “Set up for an organization.” Choose the former if you are installing Windows 11 Pro for personal use, which requires you to sign in with a Microsoft account or a personal account (which is a corporate or educational account that is used like a Microsoft account).

All things Microsoft with one account. Here, Microsoft explains how signing in with a Microsoft account makes Windows 11 better. Select the Sign in button to continue.

Where did it go?

What Microsoft doesn’t explain here is that it no longer allows individuals to sign in with a local account during the OOBE as it did in previous Windows versions. We feel very strongly that most people should sign in to Windows 11 with a Microsoft account. But if you are a power user who wishes to bypass this limitation, you can do so. We explain how in Overcome Setup Annoyances.

Let’s add your Microsoft account. Type your Microsoft account email address in the Email, phone, or Skype field and then select the Next button. You will need to verify your identity next, but how you do so will depend on how you’ve secured your account. For example, if you enabled two-step verification as we suggest, you will need to verify the sign-in using an authenticator app on your smartphone.

Welcome back! If you have signed into a PC using this Microsoft account in the past, you will be prompted to set up this PC as a new device or restore your user settings, preferences, synced OneDrive files, and Microsoft Store apps from a previous PC. Here, will we assume you are setting up the PC as a new device. But select according and then select the Next button.

Want to use your face/finger to sign in faster and more securely? If your PC supports Windows Hello facial or fingerprint recognition, the OOBE will prompt you to configure it here. Do NOT configure facial or fingerprint recognition now: in our experience, this almost always fails, and it’s easy enough to configure it later. Instead, skip ahead to the next step.

Create a PIN. When you sign into Windows 11 with a Microsoft account, you have to also create a PIN (personal identification number), which is similar to the code you use to access your bank accounts with a debit card. This PIN will make it easier to sign into the PC later. Select the Create PIN button to continue.

Set up a PIN. Here, you enter your four-digit PIN, which will consist of numbers only by default. Select the “Include letters and symbols” checkbox if you would like to use other characters. And then select the OK button when you’ve entered the same PIN twice.

Choose privacy settings for your device. Here, you are asked to examine and configure several high-level privacy settings. But we find the defaults tolerable, if not desirable, and recommend that you skip past this OOBE step. You do so by selecting the Next button repeatedly until it changes into an Accept button, or by scrolling through the list of privacy settings to the bottom. Either way, select the Accept button to continue.

A> You should review the Windows 11 privacy settings, but you can do so at a much more granular level later in the Settings app. We explain how in Personalize Windows 11.

Let’s customize your experience. This odd screen lets you select one or more ways in which you plan to use the PC, with choices like Entertainment, Gaming, School, Creativity, and so on. Doing so opens a can of worms related to personalized tips, advertisements, and recommendations, and so we don’t recommend choosing any choices. Instead, select the “Skip” link to skip to the next step.

You can enable (or disable) this configuration later in Settings—navigate to Personalization > Device usage—as discussed in Personalize Windows 11.

Use your Android phone from your PC. Windows 11 includes an app called Phone Link that lets you integrate features from your Android smartphone—like notifications, messages, calls, and photos—with your PC. This is easy enough to configure later—all you have to do is run the Phone Link app—so just select the “Skip” link to move forward to the next step.

Because of Apple’s lock-in strategies, Phone Link does not work with an iPhone, sorry.

Your Microsoft account and OneDrive (Windows 11 Home only). Windows 11 Home users are not given a choice: By default, Windows will backup the contents of your local Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to your OneDrive storage, and all you can do is click Next to continue with Setup.

You can configure or disable this backup once you reach the Windows 11 Desktop. This is described in Post-Install Checklist.

Back up your files with OneDrive (Windows 11 Pro only). With Windows 11 Pro, you are given the choice of backing up your local Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders to your OneDrive storage. We recommend choosing the “Only save files to this PC” link unless you’re positive you want to back up all three folders to OneDrive, as it’s easy to configure this later.

You can configure or disable this backup once you reach the Windows 11 Desktop. This is described in Post-Install Checklist.

Access granted: We’re giving you a free trial of Microsoft 365. If you do not subscribe to Microsoft 365 Family or Personal, Microsoft will offer you a free one-month trial to Microsoft 365 Family. After the month is over, you will pay $9.99 per month for this subscription. Here, we will assume that you are declining this offer, so select the “Decline” link and continue.

Play over 100 high-quality PC games with PC Game Pass. If you do not subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Console, or PC, Microsoft will offer you one month of PC Game Pass for $1. After the month is over, you will pay $9.99 per month for this subscription. Here, we will assume that you are declining this offer, so select the “Skip for now” link and continue.

Just a moment. After checking for updates again, the OOBE moves into its final phase during which it displays a series of messages—“Hi,” “Getting things ready for you,” “This might take a few minutes,” and so on—before finally displaying the Windows 11 Desktop for the first time.

From here, you can move on to some additional configuration. If this was a clean install or the first time you’ve booted into a new PC, we recommended checking out our Post-Install Checklist next. And either way, be sure to check out the Personalize section for more customization.