How to debloat Windows 11 (2024)

• To debloat Windows 11, download and launch ” Win11Debloat,” extract the files, choose the bloatware to remove using the “Applist.txt” file, and run the script.
• You can also use other tools like Win Debloat Tools and JunkCtrl, and you can even use a workaround to install Windows 11 without bloatware from the beginning.

The term “debloat” refers to the process of removing those unnecessary apps and services from Windows 11 (in this case) that you may not find necessary, invasive, or otherwise would be wasting system resources.

Unfortunately, even if you go through the default clean installation process, Windows 11 still comes with software and services that may continuously run in the background, wasting system resources and battery life and collecting usage data (telemetry) without an option to turn them off.

Although you could spend hours trying to figure out the things you can remove and more time using PowerShell commands, tools like “Win11Debloat,” “Win Debloat Tools,” and “JunkCtrl” make it easy to debloat Windows 11 quickly.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to use a simple to make Windows 11 as lean as possible by removing components you may not need. 

• Debloat Windows 11 with Win11Debloat
• Debloat Windows 11 with Win Debloat Tools
• Debloat Windows 11 with JunkCtrl (deprecated)
• Debloat Windows 11 with install workaround

Debloat Windows 11 with Win11Debloat

The Win11Debloat script uses PowerShell to debloat your setup automatically. The script removes virtually every unnecessary app from Windows 11.

To debloat Windows 11 through the Win11Debloat script, use these steps:

1. Open the Win11Debloat GitHub page.

2. Click the Code menu and choose the Download Zip option.

   

3. Extract the contents of the “.zip” file.

4. Open the Win11Debloat-master folder.

5. Right-click the Applist.txt and choose the “Edit in Notepad” option.

   

6. Review the apps that will be removed.

7. (Optional) Add a # character in front of the specific app in the list below to prevent it from being removed.

   

8. Click on File and choose the Save option.

9. Right-click the Run.bat file and choose the Run as administrator option.

   

10. Click on More options.

11. Click the Run anyway option.

    

12. Click the Yes button.

13. Press “1” to choose the Default mode since you already edited the Applist file.

    

14. Confirm the bloatware that will be removed from Windows 11.

15. Press any key to continue.

After completing the steps, the script will debloat Windows 11 and remove unnecessary features from the computer for a more declutter experience. 

Debloat Windows 11 with Win Debloat Tools

In addition, you can also use the “Win Debloat Tools” project, which is a collection of scripts that automates the process of removing virtually all the apps and features that are unnecessary to run Windows 11. 

Run Win Debloat Tools automatically

To use the Win Debloat Tools on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Win Debloat Tools GitHub website. 

2. Click the Main download option under the “Download Latest Version” section.

   

3. Open the downloaded file.

4. Click the Extract all button from the command bar.

   

5. Click the Extract button.

6. Open the uncompressed Win-Debloat-Tools-main folder.

7. Right-click the OpenTerminalHere.cmd file and choose the Run as administrator option.

8. Copy and paste the following command to debloat Windows 11 completely (with the default selections) and press Enter:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force; ls -Recurse *.ps*1 | Unblock-File; .\"WinDebloatTools.ps1" 'CLI'

   

9. Click the OK button.

10. Click the Yes button to restart the computer.

Once you complete these steps, the tool will run the scripts automatically to disable and remove unnecessary apps and features. It’ll also enable and install some recommended apps and features. For example, this tool will install all the versions of .NET, enable show extensions on File Explorer, configure a more efficient power plan, run some teaks for gaming, and a lot more. (This is the list of the scripts available with this tool.)

Run Win Debloat Tools manually

You can also run the tool manually to remove only specific apps, features, and services you don’t want on Windows 11. Here’s how:

1. Open Win Debloat Tools GitHub website. 

2. Click the Main download option under the “Download Latest Version” section.

   

3. Open the downloaded file.

4. Click the Extract all button from the command bar.

5. Click the Extract button.

   

6. Open the uncompressed Win-Debloat-Tools-main folder.

7. Right-click the OpenTerminalHere.cmd file and choose the Run as administrator option.

8. Copy and paste the following command to start the program and press Enter:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force; ls -Recurse *.ps*1 | Unblock-File; .\"WinDebloatTools.ps1"

9. Click the System Tweaks tab.

10. Check and uncheck to mark the apps or features as “Off” to remove them.

11. Click the Apply Tweaks button to debloat Windows 11.

    

12. (Optional) Click the “Remove Microsoft Edge” button to uninstall the browser.

    Quick note: You always reinstall the browser and other apps and features from this interface. You can also use these instructions to uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows 11.

13. Click the Software Install tab.

14. Click the “Uninstall Mode” button to mark it as “On” to enable the uninstall process.

15. Choose the applications and features to remove from Windows 11.

16. Click the “Uninstall Selected” button.

    

After you complete the steps, the Win Debloat Tools will remove the features and apps from Windows 11.

When checking or unchecking the items, you may notice a delay, so just be patient.

Debloat Windows 11 with JunkCtrl (deprecated)

The developer seems to have abandoned the project, and the app is no longer available for download, but I have updated this guide with an alternate download link. However, since this project has been abandoned, the script won’t be updated to remove future bloatware (if any).

To remove all the bloatware apps from a Windows 11 installation, use these steps: 

1. Open Junkctrl alternative download page. 

2. Under the “Assets” section, click the Junkctrl.zip option to save the file.

   Quick note: Microsoft Defender Antivirus may block the download, so you may have to allow the file from the Windows Security app manually.

3. Open the downloaded file.

4. Click the Extract all button from the command bar.

5. Click the Extract button.

6. Open the uncompressed Junkctrl folder.

7. Double-click the Junkctrl.exe files to launch the application.

8. Click the More info option and the Run anyway button (if applicable).

9. Click the “Skip and use Copilot” option.

   

   Quick note: You can alternatively pick from the list the items you want to remove and click the “New search” button to scan and choose the specific apps to remove.

10. (Optional) Hold the “Ctrl” key and select each app you want to remove.

11. Click the Move button.

12. (Optional) Click the Move all button to debloat all the apps from Windows 11.

13. (Optional) Click the “Show system apps” option to show system apps, including apps you usually can’t uninstall from Windows 11, such as Widgets, Your Phone, Xbox, etc.

14. (Optional) Hold the “Ctrl” button and select each app you want to remove.

15. Click the Move button.

    

16. Click the Uninstall button.

Once you complete the steps, the tool will run the necessary scripts to remove the selected apps and services to debloat the system.

Some of the apps you may consider removing include TikTok, Instagram, Office Hub, Solitare Collection, Mixed Reality Portal, People, Print 3D, Get Started, and Media Player. You could also remove the OneDrive app, Weather, News, Dev Home, Camera, Maps, Your Phone, Xbox apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Remote Desktop, Microsoft Store, Clipchamp, and others. However, the apps you want to remove to debloat Windows 11 will depend on the apps you need to get the work done on your computer.

In my test, the tool worked well, but I was not able to remove many components like Microsoft Edge as they are essential, and removing them will break other features that depend on those components. Also, at the time of writing, the “Copilot” feature is not listed as a component you can remove with this app, but I have written another dedicated set of instructions to disable it.

The tool was initially known as “ThisIsWin11” (TIW11), then the name changed to “LoveWindowsAgain,” then it changed to “Debloos,” and now, due to some conflicts with the Microsoft Store, it’s been renamed to “JunkCtrl.” This guide has been updated to reflect the latest name and the new process.

Debloat Windows 11 with install workaround

Alternatively, you can install Windows 11 without any bloatware in the first place, which is possible by selecting a specific region setting during the installation setup. Here’s how:

1. Start the PC with the Windows 11 USB flash drive.

2. Press any key to continue.

3. Choose the “English (World)” or “English (Europe)” option from the “Time and Currency format” setting.

   

   Quick note: This is the setting that will make it possible to install the operating system without third-party applications. If you have another language requirement, remember to choose the correct “(World)” option for your location.

4. Click the Next button.

5. Click the Install now button.

   

6. Click the “I don’t have a product key” option if you are doing a reinstallation. If Windows 11 was previously activated after the installation, reactivation would happen automatically.

   

7. Select the edition of the operating system your license key activates (if applicable).

8. Check the “I accept the license terms” option.

9. Click the Next button.

10. Select the “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” option.

    

11. Select each partition in the hard drive you want to install Windows 11 and click the Delete button. (Typically, the “Drive 0” is the drive that contains all the installation files.)

    

    Warning: When you delete a partition, it also deletes all data on the drive. Also, it is not required to delete the partitions from a secondary hard drive.

12. Select the hard drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to install Windows 11.

    

13. Click the Next button.

14. Select the hard drive (“Drive 0 Unallocated Space”) to install Windows 11 on your computer.

    

15. Click the Next button.

16. Click the “Skip” button in the “Something went wrong” error page.

17. Continue with the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).

After you complete the steps, the wizard will set up the new installation of Windows 11 without bloatware. However, this option will not install the promotional apps, and you will still see apps and features you may consider bloatware, such as Microsoft Edge, Xbox, and others.

Updated March 8, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and add additional details.