"Enter valid email address" during setup

Question

I'm setting up my new laptop. When I get to adding my Microsoft account it does not accept my email address, just says "Enter valid email address, phone number, or Skype name." I am using the email address that I log into my account with on my old laptop. It works to login to my account on my friends laptop. I've checked carefully that I am typing the email address correctly. How do I get over this problem and finish setting up my new laptop?

Answer 1

Hi Cara,

Thank you for reaching out.

This issue usually happens when the Windows setup screen cannot properly validate the account at that moment. Even if the email is correct, the setup may still reject it due to connection or sign-in flow conditions rather than the account itself.

Here are some possible checking steps that you can try at this point:

1, Bypass the sign-in temporarily

• Disconnect Wi‑Fi or unplug Ethernet
• Press Shift + F10
• Type: start ms-cxh:localonly > press Enter
• A “Create a user for this PC” screen will appear
• Enter a username > continue setup

2, Confirm the email is linked to a Microsoft account

• Go to Microsoft Account
• Try signing in with the same email
• If it doesn’t sign in, the email may not be registered as a Microsoft account yet

3, Switch network and retry

• Use a different connection (e.g. mobile hotspot)
• Avoid public/captive networks
• Wait a few minutes and try again

4, Complete setup with a temporary account (if needed)

• Use another Microsoft account to finish setup
• After reaching desktop, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info
• Switch back to your main account

Let me know if you need any further help. Feel free to ask by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Reply" if you are unable to add a comment, so that your reply is visible. I appreciate your effort.

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