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How to debloat Windows 11
Bloatware has become an inevitability with most of our devices. Even the best laptops and phones come with at least a dozen apps we don't want or need these days, and Windows 11 isn't safe from it. Some might argue that it's worse than ever, considering that out of the box, your Start menu will be littered with app icons you'll probably never use, on top of features like Copilot that just aren't for everyone yet.
The worst part is it's not just manufacturer bloat, either. Besides, the software maker doesn't make it easy to remove bloat from your PC. Microsoft apps and features are included even if you perform a clean install (to some extent, as we'll explain below). As a result, many members of the community have taken it up themselves to make it easier to remove this bloatware in one fell swoop. And if you're not sure how to do it, we're here to help.
The first 10 things to do with your new Windows 11 PC
Got a new laptop recently? Here are the first things you should do on your Windows PC to make it work better for your needs.How to debloat Windows 11 with BloatyNosyAI
If you want to debloat your current Windows 11 installation, you can use an app called BloatyNosyAI. It is a popular debloat app that recently gained some AI capabilities, but its primary focus remains the same: removing unnecessary programs that usually come with Windows 11. Despite its own use of AI, this app can also disable Copilot. Here's what you need to do:
- Download BloatnosyAI from its GitHub page (the ZIP file).
- Extract the contents of the folder, and then run BloatynosyAI.exe.
- You may see a SmartScreen security prompt. Click More info and then Run anyway.
Screenshot of Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prompt blocking an app form running© Provided by XDA Developers
- To delete apps that are automatically detected as bloat, scroll down to the Remove crapware in optional database button.
Screenshot of BLoatyNosyAI showing a button to remove unnecessary apps in Windows 11© Provided by XDA Developers
- Below this button is a list of apps you have installed on Windows 11. Click each of them to select it if you want to remove it.
- Click the Remove Selected button at the top of the list to remove these apps.
Screenshot of BloatyNosyAI with an installed app selected and the remove selected button highlighted© Provided by XDA Developers
- If you'd like to remove features like Copilot, use the search bar at the top of the Window to search for remove AI in taskbar. Click the suggested search result.
Screenshot of BloeatyNosyAI showing search results for Remove AI in Taskbar© Provided by XDA Developers
You can also use this to uninstall OneDrive.
- Once you're happy with your modifications, simply close the app.
BloatyNosyAI can do a bit more than just remove apps. It also offers to disable certain features that might impact your experience, and it also (annoyingly) offers suggestions for additional apps you may want to install, such as alternative browsers to Edge. However, this isn't really necessary.
: BIG Windows 10 "Fall Creators" Update: New Features (ThioJoe)
How to debloat Windows 11 using PowerShell (Windows Terminal)
If you like to get things done using PowerShell or Windows Terminal, there's another great option in the form of Win11Debloat, a PowerShell script that removes and disables all kinds of intrusive features and unnecessary apps included in Windows 11. Win11Debloat is a bit more thorough in terms of what it removes by default, too, so it's a great option if you want to be more extreme. Here's how it works:
- Download Win11Debloat from GitHub (use the Code > Download ZIP option at the top).
- Extract the contents of the file to a new folder.
- Launch the Run.bat file inside to launch the PowerShell script.
Screenshot of File Explorer showing the Win11Debloat batch file© Provided by XDA Developers
- Click More info and Run anyway in the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen popup.
- Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
- Once PowerShell options, you can Enter 1 to choose the default mode, or 2 to choose custom settings. We'll go with 1 here since the default method is already very comprehensive.
Screenshot of Win11Debloat PowerShell script giving the user the option to run it in default or custom mode© Provided by XDA Developers
- Check the list of changes that will be made and press any key to start.
- Wait for the process to finish.
Screenshot of Win11Debloat removing multiple apps from Windows 11© Provided by XDA Developers
Your PC will now be free of all kinds of bloatware and unnecessary and invasive features. Using custom settings allows you to go further and remove the Mail and Calendar apps, Xbox apps, and more, but the default settings are already pretty extensive and avoid breaking certain core features you might not expect to lose.
How to install Windows 11 without bloatware
Here's a secret: It's possible to install Windows 11 without having all the bloatware you'd usually expect, and the way to do it is surprisingly simple. Of course, this is only a valid solution if you want to reinstall Windows 11, so it's not ideal if you want to keep using your PC as is. Still, it's a neat little trick to save you some time later on.
All you really need to do is follow the usual Windows 11 installation method with a single change: After booting from your USB drive to install Windows 11, instead of English (United States), set your region to English (World).
After that, follow the rest of the installation process as normal, and when you get to the desktop, you'll see that your Start menu looks much cleaner than normal. Note that this method won't remove everything bloating up Windows 11, but arguably, no method will.
Another option if you want a clean Windows 11 experience out of the box is to install the Tiny11 fan project instead, which can be found on the Internet Archive. This is a project that removes a lot of unnecessary apps and features from Windows installations to make for a cleaner and faster experience, and the installation process is pretty much the same as standard Windows 11, too.
Avoiding bloatware in Windows 11
Eliminating bloatware should be the first thing you do after purchasing a new computer. But that is just the first step. You can avoid a debloat in the future by preventing junk software from being installed. Unfortunately, it can be pretty difficult since many unnecessary programs are tied to other software installations. For instance, installing Microsoft Office also means adding a bunch of programs and tools that you will never need. That may not sound like a big deal, but it can quickly overwhelm your storage space, and processes running in the background can eat away at your RAM and CPU usage. Don't forget that you can quickly remove applications from the Settings menu by uninstalling them.
