Out-of-box experience

The Out of box experience (OOBE), also sometimes referred as the First Time Setup is the setup wizard related to Windows, macOS and other OS experiences which launches after you install/reset them.

In Windows NT-based systems, the files for the "Microsoft Out of box experience" are located in the  directory in , with the main file being.

Windows 98 and Me
The Out of box experience was introduced with Windows 98. However, it does not start at first boot since the OOBE was intended to be customized by OEMs which can set the start of the OOBE at first boot.

In Windows Me, the Microsoft Agent character Merlin has been introduced. However, it was intended to be a placeholder for OEMs to put in their MS Agent character (like HP did) or modify the text which Merlin is supposed to speech. Merlin also made the appearance in Office 2000, 2001, XP, 2003, v.X and 2004 as well as Search Companion in Windows XP.

Windows 2000
Windows 2000 introduced the "Network Identification Wizard", where the user account is being created.

Windows XP (Whistler) and Server 2003
The Out of box experience was ported to NT-based systems beginning with Windows XP build 2223. In this build, it has Windows Me branding due to being copied from a Windows Me Beta 3 build without any modification. It also does not close after the final page (it just loop back to start), its process must be killed to get out. The OOBE starts after an upgrade starting with build 2267. Merlin was ported with build 2250, albeit being absent in the next builds until build 2410. Also with this build, Windows Product Activation has been implemented into  and can be invoked with the /a switch. However, it was non-functional until build 2428. It's design got overhauled with an Luna-esque design in Windows XP build 2416. Also beginning with this build, it starts after a clean install. The final appereance was seen in build 2469 for the first time. In the sane build, Merlin got replaced with the Microsoft Agent character "Question Mark". The famous sound played during OOBE,, also referred as the "Windows Welcome Music" was implemented with build 2481 and was replaced with "No Hay Problema" in Windows Server 2003 build 3615. The OOBE there however is non-functional.

Windows Vista (Longhorn) and Windows 7
Due to being forked from a Windows Server 2003 pre-release, the OOBE in Milestone 3 plays "No Hay Problema" in the background and hasn't been much changed since Windows XP.

With the introduction of WIM-based Setup in Windows Longhorn build 4001 the OOBE got a major refresh. It no longer does feature background music as well as MS Agent characters and was branded as Windows Setup.

Beginning with Milestone 5, the OOBE no longer starts at first boot. This has been changed with the development reset, where it returned to its Windows XP design, however with an absent "Question Mark".

After the Omega-13 branch, the OOBE was again absent until build 5259, where it gained a huge redesign. Also, it launched directly after setup and let restart the system after the OOBE ends. This has been changed with RC1, where it launched after the restart. The final page contains an orb with the Windows Logo. Clicking on it let the user to the login. The orb was removed with Windows 7, where it directly let the user to the login. Windows 7 also introduced the new Homegroup page in OOBE.

Windows 8 and 8.1
Early Windows 8 builds had two versions of OOBE: a nearly unchanged design of Windows 7 and a new one based on the Metro interface behind Redpill. In Milestone 3, the wallpaper of the old OOBE has been damaged, but this would not have fixed by Microsoft.

The new Metro OOBE firstly was a full screen version of the old OOBE. This has been changed rapidly, as later builds introduced a color background as well as customization options. The background was at the beginning a gradient blue with flower patterns in the corners of the screen. These have been removed later, and in the Developer Preview the color has become solid and the default is purple, later green.

The Developer Preview added the option to create a Windows Live ID (now known as Microsoft Account). The Consumer Preview added few more customization options into OOBE and switched back to blue as default color. With the Release Preview the Express Settings have been introduced to speed up OOBE. The RTM changed the default color back to purple.

Windows 8.1 keeps purple as the default background color, but has a different color picker. Other than that, not much has been changed.

Windows 10, 10X and 11
The OOBE hasn't gained much new features, the background color changed to blue and can no longer be customized. This design is still included in LTSC and Server releases of Windows 10.

With Windows 10 Creators Update, OOBE gained huge changes: Express settings have been removed so that the settings must be configured and Cortana has made its debut in OOBE.

Windows 10X introduced a new design for OOBE, which is based on the Fluent Design System. After the cancelation of Windows 10X, it merged into Windows 11 with some modifications.

Microsoft stated that in the Home SKU of Windows 11, the OOBE requires to connect to the Internet to create a Microsoft account.

Mac OS 8 and 9
Before getting into OOBE, the system will play some Mac OS-relating clips unless the user begins to interact with the system.

Mac OS X Server 1.0 (Rhapsody)
Apple Rhapsody Developer Release 2 introduced the "Rhapsody Setup Assistant", which is a OOBE-like experience where the OS can be configured. When the Setup Assistant reached its end, it will restart the system. After the OS's renaming to Mac OS X Server 1.0 (only for PowerPC), it is called only "Setup Assistant". It was ported to Mac OS X Developer Preview 2.

Mac OS X
Setup Assistant gained an Aqua redesign in Mac OS X Developer Preview 3 and a massive overhaul in the Mac OS X Public Beta.

The Setup Assistant got replaced by a full-screen OOBE. Mac OS X Cheetah, Puma and Jaguar played a short video clip before entering the OOBE, which shows water dropping to promote their new Aqua interface.

A new clip is used in Mac OS X Panther, and the OOBE now goes completely full-screen.

A remake of the clip is used in Mac OS X Tiger. It bears a slightly lighter background as well as some more OOBE-related changes.

Mac OS X Leopard uses a completely new intro clip and changes the appereance of the OOBE, which is now windowed. Not much has been changed in Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Mac OS X Lion removed the intro clip.

Linux
There are also some Linux distributions (like Red Hat Linux) which come with an OOBE. OOBE is usually in distros which use GNOME desktop environment by default.

Steps in OOBE (steps based from Windows 11 build 21996)

 * 1) Choose country/region.
 * 2) Select keyboard layout.
 * 3) Add a second keyboard layout (OPTIONAL)
 * 4) Check for updates.
 * 5) Choose how to setup the device, either for personal or work/school.
 * 6) Sign in with Microsoft account (Optional only for personal use, required for work/school use).
 * 7) Create a local account (Second option for personal use).
 * 8) Set up a Windows Hello PIN (Step shown if you sign into a Microsoft account).
 * 9) Choose to restore files from OneDrive or setup as a new system (Step shown if you sign into a Microsoft account).
 * 10) Choose privacy settings for device.
 * 11) Choose ways you plan to use device to get suggestions for tips, tricks and services.