If you just got a Windows 11 device, you might want to debloat it—remove unnecessary software like Internet Explorer, preinstalled antiviruses (e.g., McAfee trials), and change the default privacy settings.
I’m not offering a custom tool here; instead, I’m guiding you through using existing tools and guides to get your system exactly how you want it.
If you can’t download or run apps from the internet, your device might be locked in S Mode. To exit S Mode, follow these steps:
Turn off S Mode
- Tweaks & Configurations
- Installing Applications (Optional)
- Uninstalling Unwanted Applications
- Changing Startup programs
- Other Unwanted Programs
- Congratulations!
- Feedback & Support
We’ll use Chris Titus Tech's winutil to disable unwanted settings and uninstall bloatware.
Winutil on GitHub
-
Open PowerShell in Administrator Mode
Right-click the PowerShell icon and choose Run as administrator. -
Execute the Command
irm "https://christitus.com/win" | iex
Note:
- irm is an alias for Invoke-RestMethod, which fetches the script from the URL.
- The pipe | passes the script to iex (Invoke-Expression) to execute it.
- This command doesn’t “install” winutil; run it each time you use it. This will begin loading the app. It does not install, so running this command everytime you use it is necessary.
You will first see something like this:
Selecting Tweaks Navigate to the Tweaks tab in winutil and select the following options:
- Create Restore Point
> Backup in case something goes wrong.
- Disable Recall
> Disables Windows 11’s AI screenshot feature. 10,000% recommend turning this off.
- Disable Wifi-sense
> Prevents auto-connecting to shared networks (especially important for laptops) I recommend reading this: [ https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall ]
- Set Hibernation as Default
> Good for laptop battery life.
- Set Services to Manual
> Stops unnecessary background processes.
- Disable Location Tracking
- Disable GameDVR
> (Optional) – Skip if you need Xbox features.
- Disable Telemetry
> Prevents intrusive data collection (note: this may affect Edge, but you DO NOT want to be using Edge anyways.).
- Debloat Edge
> Removes or limits spying features in Microsoft Edge.
- Disable Background Apps
- [Stops Microsoft Store apps from running in the background.]
- Disable Microsoft Copilot
- Disable Intel MM (vPro LMS)
- [Mitigates potential massive network security risks.] [ https://christitustech.github.io/winutil/dev/tweaks/z--Advanced-Tweaks---CAUTION/DisableLMS1/ ]
- Disable Notification Tray/Calendar
- [(Optional) – If you prefer a cleaner interface.]
- Set Display for Performance
- [(Optional) – Optimizes settings for performance.]
- Set Classic Right-Click Menu
- Remove Microsoft Edge
- [Prevents Edge from reinstalling with updates.]
- Block Razer Software Installs (peripherals still work without the bloatware)
- Remove OneDrive (finally)
- After making your selections, click Run Tweaks at the bottom.
- This process may take some time and might restart your computer.
Winutil also has a Preferences tab where you can adjust settings that apply automatically. Here is mine incase you wanna pick my brain apart:
Tip: Don’t be alarmed if your screen takes a moment to reset after a new tweak. Your computer needs time to refresh all systems after changes like these.
Switch to the Config tab to adjust additional settings. Recommended actions include:
> - Disable Search Box Web Suggestions in Registry
> - Prevents app searches from redirecting to Internet Explorer.
Under Fixes:
> - Select Remove Adobe Creative Cloud to eliminate unwanted Adobe software.
> - This section is optional and reflects my personal recommendations for a fresh Windows 11 setup.
Browsers:
> Advanced Security: Brave
> For Speed: Chromium
> Basic Secure Browsing: Firefox (NOT ESR)
Communications:
> - Discord (as needed)
Development Tools:
> - Miniconda (for Python)
> - GitHub Desktop
> - JetBrains Toolbox
> - Python Version Manager
> - Python3
> - Sublime Text
> - VS Code
Document Editing:
> - Obsidian
> - LibreOffice
> - Foxit PDF Editor
Games (Preferences):
> - Cemu
> - EA App
> - Epic Games Launcher
> - GeForce NOW
> - Itch.io
> - Steam
> - XEMU
Microsoft Tools (Preferences):
> - Autoruns (startup manager)
> - NuGet
Multimedia Tools (Preferences):
> - Audacity (music production)
> - FFMPEG
> - GIMP (free Photoshop alternative)
> - OBS Studio (livestreaming/recording)
> - Spotify
> - VLC Video Player
Pro Tools (Preferences):
> - WireGuard
Utilities (Preferences):
> - 7Zip
> - Ambie White Noise
> - Bitwarden
> - Borderless Gaming
> - Etcher (USB creator)
> - Malwarebytes (Note: May show corner popups; tray notifications are disabled)
> - WinRAR
After selecting your desired apps, click Install/Upgrade Selected. Be patient—this installs many applications at once!
To remove bloatware that you don’t need:
Under the Install tab, select:
> - Microsoft Edge
> - Google Chrome
> - Slack
> - Signal
> - Microsoft Teams
> - OneDrive
> - iTunes
Click Uninstall Selected and wait for the process to complete.
TO view what programs run at startup, and change them, open up Task Manger and head to the "StartUp" tab. Here is a sample of what that looks like.
You can right click and disable any application you dont want to automatically open when your computer starts, from here.
You may have other programs that you dont wish to have on your computer, such as McAfee The simplist way to attempt to uninstall a program is through the settings. This wont always work of course, as Edge isnt an option to uninstall here, amongst some others. (fun little fact about microsoft there)
Start > Settings > Apps > Apps and Features - Search "McAfee" Right click and uninstall McAfee Antivirus (basically malware itself)
Your machine should now be far cleaner and better optimized for use. Please open an issue or contact me if you find any problems / suggestions to add. Install mint xfce when you want a real computer (jk lol)