A Lightweight Script to Tame Windows 11
If you've ever set up a new Windows machine, you know the drill. You're greeted by a slew of pre-installed apps you'll never use and background services you didn't ask for. For developers who want a clean, fast, and private system, this can be a real annoyance. Manually removing these items is a tedious, time-consuming process.
That's where this simple PowerShell script from the Win11Debloat project comes in. It's a straightforward tool designed to automate the cleanup, giving you back a more streamlined Windows 11 experience without the fuss.
What It Does
In a nutshell, Win11Debloat is a PowerShell script that performs two main actions:
- Removes Pre-installed Apps: It targets and uninstalls the common "bloatware" that comes with Windows 11, like Candy Crush, TikTok, and other consumer-focused apps that clutter the Start Menu.
- Disables Telemetry: It turns off many of the built-in data collection and diagnostic services that report your usage back to Microsoft, giving you more control over your privacy.
The script is essentially a curated list of PowerShell commands that automate what you could technically do by hand, but it saves you the hours of research and manual execution.
Why It's Cool
The beauty of this project is in its simplicity and transparency. It's not a mysterious, closed-source executable. It's a plain-text script that you can—and should—read before you run it. You can see exactly which apps it will remove and which services it will tweak.
For developers, this is a huge win. You can fork the repository, customize the list of apps to be removed, or adjust the privacy settings to match your own preferences. It's a fantastic starting point for creating your own personalized setup script. It’s lightweight, does one job well, and doesn’t overcomplicate things.
How to Try It
Ready to clean up your system? Here’s how to get started.
Important: Always create a system restore point before running any system-level scripts.
- Head over to the GitHub repository: https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat
- Review the script (
Win11Debloat.ps1) to ensure you're comfortable with the changes it will make. - Open Windows PowerShell as an Administrator.
- Navigate to the directory where you saved the script and run it:
.\Win11Debloat.ps1 - Follow any on-screen prompts and let the script do its work. A reboot afterwards is a good idea.
Final Thoughts
As developers, we value efficiency and a clean working environment. Tools like Win11Debloat help us achieve that on our primary machines with minimal effort. While it's particularly useful on a fresh Windows install, it's also great for anyone wanting to declutter an existing system. It’s a practical, no-nonsense script that solves a common problem elegantly.
If you're looking to reclaim some disk space and a bit of privacy, this is a solid tool to have in your setup toolkit.
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