When you uninstall Microsoft Edge using the EU Settings method that the Digital Markets Act requires, Windows removes the visible Edge browser but leaves the EdgeCore folder behind in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\. That folder still holds a fully working copy of msedge.exe that opens the Edge browser. To remove these leftover components, use Winhance, which clears EdgeCore, EdgeUpdate, and the related registry entries while preserving the WebView2 runtime.

Applies to: Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) — the Settings-based Edge uninstall shown here is available only in the EU under the Digital Markets Act | Last updated: June 24, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Uninstalling Microsoft Edge through Windows 11 Settings (an option available only in the EU under the Digital Markets Act) removes the visible browser but leaves the Edge Core components in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\.
• The leftover EdgeCore folder contains a fully working msedge.exe that still opens Edge, even though the browser no longer appears in the Start menu, on the taskbar, or in your installed apps list.
• Microsoft keeps these components — especially the Edge WebView2 runtime — because Windows Widgets, the new Outlook, and Copilot all depend on them.
• The EdgeCore folder alone uses around 1.5 GB of disk space, and the EdgeUpdate folder and its scheduled tasks can silently reinstall Edge later.
• Winhance removes every leftover Edge component while keeping WebView2, and can save a removal script that re-removes Edge if a Windows update brings it back.

Quick Steps

1. Confirm Edge is gone from Settings > Apps > Installed apps after the EU uninstall.
2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\.
3. Look for the leftover EdgeCore, EdgeUpdate, and EdgeWebView folders.
4. Open Winhance and find the Microsoft Edge app card (it still shows as installed).
5. Select Microsoft Edge and click Uninstall Selected Items, then confirm.
6. Optionally save a removal script so Edge stays removed after Windows updates.
7. To reverse it, select Microsoft Edge in Winhance and click Install Selected Items.

Why Microsoft Edge is still on your PC after you uninstall it

Microsoft was forced to make Edge uninstallable in the European Union as part of the Digital Markets Act. When you remove Edge through Settings > Apps > Installed apps in the EU, Windows uninstalls the Edge browser and the standard Edge folder disappears. The Edge Core components, however, stay behind.

This is the part most people miss. Edge vanishes from the installed apps list, the Start menu, and the taskbar, so it looks completely gone. Beneath the surface, a working copy is still sitting in your Program Files folder.

If you live anywhere outside the EU, the Digital Markets Act does not apply to you, so the Settings app does not offer an uninstall option for Edge at all. In that case, you need a tool to remove it — and I cover the full process in my guide on how to fully uninstall Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 and 11.

Where Windows hides the leftover Edge files

After the EU uninstall, open File Explorer and navigate to the Microsoft folder under Program Files (x86). This is where every Edge component lives.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\

On a default Windows 11 install with Edge present, this folder normally contains an Edge folder, an EdgeCore folder, EdgeUpdate, EdgeWebView, and a Temp folder. In some cases you may also see a Copilot folder. After you uninstall Edge the EU way, the Edge folder disappears — but EdgeCore, EdgeUpdate, and EdgeWebView are all still there.

What the leftover EdgeCore folder actually contains

Open the EdgeCore folder, then the latest version folder inside it. The files there look exactly like a full Microsoft Edge installation, including msedge.exe and even Microsoft Copilot. Double-clicking the MS Edge application launches a fully working Edge browser — the same browser you thought you removed.

So Microsoft does uninstall the Edge browser from your system, but it leaves the Edge Core components in place. The result is a fully working Edge browser that you simply cannot see on the surface. It is not in the Start menu, it is not on the taskbar, and it is not in your installed apps — but it still runs.

Why Microsoft leaves these components behind

According to Microsoft, the Edge Core components are needed — especially the Edge WebView2 runtime. WebView2 is what renders web content inside other apps, and several built-in Windows features rely on it.

If you remove the WebView2 component, those features break. Widgets stop working, the new Outlook app for Windows stops working, and Copilot stops working too. That dependency is the whole reason Microsoft keeps the Edge Core files on disk even after you uninstall the browser.

Are the leftover components safe to remove?

For a lot of people, none of those Edge-dependent features matter. If you do not use Widgets, the new Outlook, or Copilot, it is usually safe to remove the remaining Edge Core components as well. The EdgeUpdate folder is worth removing in particular, because its scheduled tasks keep all of the Edge components updated and are also responsible for getting Edge reinstalled on your system later.

There are two catches. First, you cannot easily delete these folders from the Windows interface. Second, some Microsoft desktop apps still depend on WebView2, so removing everything blindly can cause problems.

Warning: Removing the Edge Core components can cause system instability if you rely on Widgets, the new Outlook, Copilot, or other apps that use WebView2. I am not saying you must do this — I am showing what I do on my own PC. Proceed with caution.

One more reason to clean these up: space. The EdgeCore folder alone uses roughly 1.5 GB. If you uninstalled Edge the EU way, that folder is just sitting in the background using that space for a browser you cannot even see.

How to remove the leftover Edge components with Winhance

The cleanest way to clear the leftovers is Winhance, my free Windows enhancement utility. It removes all of the Edge components except Edge WebView2, so the apps that depend on WebView2 keep working. I have spent a lot of time fine-tuning these scripts so they strip out the unnecessary components but still leave your computer in a working state.

In the Winhance interface, find the Microsoft Edge app card. Even though you already uninstalled Edge the EU way, it still shows as installed, because the Edge Core components are still on the system. Hovering over the card shows a warning that removing the item may cause system instability — that warning exists because of the WebView2 dependency described above.

1. Open Winhance and select the Microsoft Edge application.
2. Click Uninstall Selected Items and confirm the removal.
3. Optionally choose to save removal scripts for continuous removal — if Edge is ever reinstalled by a Windows update, it will be uninstalled automatically.

The terminal output window shows exactly what is happening. Winhance uninstalls all of the Microsoft Edge components, including the old legacy Microsoft Edge that shipped with Windows 10 and is still present in Windows 11, and it does a thorough cleanup of the related registry entries. It takes a few minutes to finish.

When it is done, the Edge card no longer shows an installed badge. Checking the Microsoft folder again, only the EdgeWebView folder remains — about 800 MB. The files that were inside EdgeCore are now gone, and double-clicking the leftover MS Edge application no longer does anything. The hidden fallback browser is finally dead.

Tip: Winhance tries to keep the WebView2 components intact so dependent apps keep working, but a few users have reported issues even so. If something breaks, you can reinstall Edge to restore those components.

As a bonus, uninstalling Edge with Winhance also enables an open-web-search redirect. Any links that used to force-open in Microsoft Edge will instead open in whatever default browser you have set. If you want to keep going, you can use the same approach to remove other built-in Windows bloatware too.

How to reinstall Microsoft Edge if you change your mind

Removing Edge this way is reversible. The safest way to bring it back is Winhance: select Microsoft Edge and click Install Selected Items, then confirm the installation. Winhance downloads Edge via WinGet from the Microsoft Store and reinstalls it.

Once it finishes, Winhance detects Edge as installed again, and all of the folders return to their original state in the Microsoft folder — Edge, EdgeCore, EdgeUpdate, EdgeWebView, and Temp. You have a working Microsoft Edge browser again. You can also reinstall Edge from the web, but Winhance is the safer route because it restores the components cleanly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does uninstalling Edge in the EU remove it completely?

No. The EU Settings uninstall removes the visible Edge browser and the main Edge folder, but it leaves the EdgeCore, EdgeUpdate, and EdgeWebView components behind. The EdgeCore folder still contains a fully working copy of Edge that you can launch directly from File Explorer.

Is it safe to delete the leftover EdgeCore folder?

It is usually safe if you do not use Widgets, the new Outlook, or Copilot, which depend on the WebView2 runtime. The safest approach is to let Winhance remove the components, because it keeps WebView2 in place by default and cleans up the registry entries instead of leaving them orphaned.

How much disk space do the leftover Edge files use?

The EdgeCore folder uses around 1.5 GB on its own. After removing Edge with Winhance, only the EdgeWebView folder remains, which is about 800 MB and keeps WebView2-dependent apps working.

Will removing Edge break Windows Widgets or the new Outlook?

It can if you remove the Edge WebView2 runtime, because Widgets, the new Outlook, and Copilot all rely on it. Winhance keeps WebView2 by default to avoid this, although a small number of users have still reported issues. If a dependent app breaks, reinstall Edge to restore the components.

Can I get Microsoft Edge back after removing it?

Yes. Open Winhance, select Microsoft Edge, and click Install Selected Items. Winhance downloads and reinstalls Edge via WinGet from the Microsoft Store, and all of the original Edge folders return. You can also reinstall Edge from the web, but Winhance restores the components more cleanly.

This post Microsoft Hides a Fully Working Edge Browser After You ‘Uninstall’ It first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Winhance never changes Windows settings on its own. Changes only happen when you apply recommended settings, reset a feature to defaults, or import and apply a config file. It uses the WinGet and Chocolatey package managers to install software, detects most existing settings through registry and system checks, and keeps changes reversible. Below are answers to the biggest questions and concerns I get about it.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: June 18, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Winhance does not apply settings automatically — changes happen only when you apply recommended settings, reset to defaults, or import and apply a config file.
• Every setting is reversible — toggle it back, use “apply Windows defaults” on a card, or use a feature’s quick actions to reset it; Winhance also prompts you to create a System Restore point on first launch.
• Software installs use WinGet (with Chocolatey as a fallback), which is why you cannot choose the install location and why installs occasionally fail when a package manifest hash is out of date.
• Setting detection is built on registry values, power config, and scheduled-task checks, shown in the Technical Details banner under each setting card — but detecting every third-party installer is hard and can cause occasional false positives.
• The Windows Installation Media Utility (WIMUtil) builds a custom Windows 11 ISO that can bundle your drivers and skips the Windows 11 hardware requirement checks by default.

Questions answered in this guide:

• Does Winhance detect my current settings correctly?
• How do I report a bug or send logs?
• Can it build a Windows 11 ISO with my drivers and skip the hardware checks?
• Does Winhance change settings automatically?
• Can I disable Windows updates, choose install locations, or create presets?
• Will Windows 11 activate with my old Windows 10 license?
• Why does Winhance use package managers instead of direct downloads?

Does Winhance Correctly Detect My Current Windows Settings?

Yes. Winhance detects the current state of your settings based on what it finds on your system. For the software and apps section it uses multiple methods to check whether an item is installed, and for the optimize and customize sections the settings are mostly registry entries, power config commands, or scheduled tasks depending on the feature.

This is what the Technical Details banner below each setting card is for. Turn it on from the View menu at the top, then click the banner under any card to see the exact registry path and value Winhance reads to determine that setting’s state. For example, if you change the User Account Control level in Windows to “Never notify,” Winhance reads the registry value and reflects “Never notify” the next time you open that section.

Detection runs on every navigation between features — when you open a section, Winhance queries the system for what each toggle or combo box should show. If you find a specific setting that detects incorrectly, please report it with logs so I can look into it.

Support Winhance’s Development

Winhance is free and always will be. If it has saved you time, the best way to give back is on the store — you can support its development directly, or grab the Supporter Pack below and get a set of premium wallpapers along with it.

Winhance Supporter Pack

Winhance is free, forever. The Supporter Pack is a way to back its development and get something in return — 6 premium Winhance wallpapers, the latest installer, and a personal thank-you from me. It is a digital product, delivered instantly.

Get the Supporter Pack

How Do I Report a Bug or Send Logs?

Use the Bug Report button in the main Winhance window. It opens the Winhance GitHub issues page, where you can click New Issue to report a bug or suggest an improvement. You will need a free GitHub account to post.

Screenshots and logs make a report far more useful. To find your logs, click the More navigation button in Winhance and select Winhance Logs — this opens the folder containing your log files. Sort by Date Modified to grab the latest, then drag the log files straight into the screenshots/logs box on the GitHub issue to attach them.

Tip: If an app refused to uninstall, the log I need is the bloat removal log — that file records every app uninstall Winhance attempts, so it shows exactly why a removal failed on your system.

Can Winhance Build a Windows 11 ISO with My Drivers and Skip the Hardware Checks?

Yes to both. In Advanced Tools, open the Windows Installation Media Utility, select a Windows ISO, and extract it. Once extraction completes, you can add an autounattend.xml file to the image — and that file is what skips the Windows 11 hardware requirement checks. Whether you generate the autounattend with Winhance or use the UnattendedWinstall answer file, both skip the Windows 11 checks by default as of this recording.

For drivers, use the “extract and add drivers” option to pull the drivers from your current operating system into the image. This is recommended when you are reinstalling Windows on the same hardware, since it saves you redownloading everything. Once that is done, create the new ISO and use it to install Windows.

Does Winhance Change Settings Automatically?

No. Under no circumstances does Winhance change settings on your computer on its own. This matters, because one of the most common concerns is that the app “applied tweaks without prompting” and broke something. That is not how it works — a setting only changes when you click to change it.

What usually happened in those reports is one of two things. Either the user imported the recommended Winhance config file and applied it (which intentionally changes many settings at once), or they used a feature’s quick action to “apply all recommended settings.” For example, applying the recommended power and start menu settings will hide the Sleep and Lock options from the power menu, because those are recommended for performance.

If recommended settings are not to your liking, just change them back. Toggle the setting again, pick a different combo box option, or use “apply Windows defaults” on the card. You can also use a feature’s quick actions to reset everything in that section to Windows defaults. And because Winhance prompts you to create a System Restore point on first launch (and you can create one anytime from the Settings page), you always have a way back. If a setting genuinely does not return to its Windows default, report it on GitHub with logs.

Can I Disable Windows Updates or Store App Updates?

Yes. In the Optimize section, open Updates to find the Windows Update Policy. You can fully disable Windows updates, but that option is clearly labeled as not recommended because it is a security risk. The safer choices are to install security updates only, or to pause updates for a long period — both stop the aggressive update behavior without leaving you exposed.

If you specifically meant Microsoft Store apps updating themselves, there is a separate “Auto update Microsoft Store apps” setting in the same Updates section that you can turn off.

Will Windows 11 Activate with My Existing Windows 10 License?

In most cases, yes. A Windows 10 digital license activates Windows 11 as long as you install the same edition — so a Windows 10 Pro key should activate Windows 11 Pro. Because the license is tied to your motherboard (stored in the UEFI), it activates automatically once you connect to the internet on the same hardware.

If it does not activate on its own, sign in with the Microsoft account your license is linked to and it should activate. Since you are installing on the same motherboard, it should not ask you for a new key. If you need a hand confirming activation, see my guide on activating Windows 10/11.

Can I Choose the Install Location or Install Portable Apps?

When installing software, Winhance primarily uses the WinGet package manager (with Chocolatey as a fallback), and it disables the interactive setup prompts on purpose. That is the entire point: you select the apps you want, click install, walk away, and come back to everything installed — no clicking through Next, Next, Next on each one. If you specifically want those step-through installers, it is better to download those apps directly from their websites.

You cannot choose a custom install location for these apps, but that is a WinGet limitation, not a Winhance one — WinGet installs either to your AppData folder or system-wide to the C: drive, with no per-app destination. The developer who publishes the package to WinGet also decides whether it ships as an installer or a portable package, so that choice is out of Winhance’s hands too.

Winhance itself does offer both, though. When you download it from the Winhance website or run the PowerShell install command, you can choose a normal installation or a portable installation.

Can I Create Presets Like Gaming, Office, or Daily Use?

There are no preset buttons in the UI, and I do not currently plan to add gaming/office/home preset buttons. But you can already build your own presets using config files in builder mode, which is more flexible than a fixed set of presets.

To make a gaming preset, enter builder mode (nothing here applies to your live system), open Gaming and Performance, and apply the recommended gaming settings. For a settings-only preset, skip the software and apps section. Save the config with a name like “gaming.” Then, from normal mode, use config review, choose “import my own config,” skip the review, and apply it — only the gaming and performance settings change, because that is all the preset captured. Save as many config files as you want for different scenarios.

When Building an Autounattend ISO, Do I Select Apps to Keep or to Remove?

You select the apps you want to remove. In builder mode, the ribbon above the Windows apps section states it clearly: the checked apps will be removed from the Windows image during installation. So if you check MS 365 Copilot, that app ends up in the autounattend file for removal. Microsoft Edge has its own dedicated removal script that gets added separately.

One limitation to know: you cannot currently pick and choose which optimizations and customizations go into the autounattend file. All of the optimize and customize settings are included by default — you only control which state each one is in when it is written to the file.

If you are worried about side effects from debloating, use the search bar in the Optimize and Customize sections. Each setting card documents its side effects. For example, searching “emoji” surfaces the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service, whose description warns that disabling it breaks the Windows + Period emoji panel and other virtual keyboard input. I made it a recommended setting anyway because that service is a resource hog once the emoji panel is opened — I covered exactly how much it uses in my Winhance Release 24 walkthrough. Read each card’s description, and if a setting is not to your liking, change it — Winhance never locks you out of reverting.

Will Winhance Conflict with Other Tools Like Chris Titus Tech’s WinUtil?

You can use both at the same time without issues, as far as I know — I have not had any reports of conflicts between Winhance and Chris Titus Tech’s WinUtil. They are separate tools doing similar jobs, and running one does not break the other.

Can I Set a Dark Start Menu with Light File Explorer?

Not yet. In Windows, the “Choose your mode” setting has a Custom option that lets you set the Windows mode (taskbar, Start menu) and the app mode (File Explorer and apps) independently. In Winhance, those two are currently lumped into a single dark/light choice. I get the request for more granular control to match Windows behavior, and I will look at improving it in a future update.

Will Winhance Add Windows Defender Removal? And Where Did the UnattendedWinstall File Go?

The preset answer file is part of UnattendedWinstall, a separate project of mine. It was temporarily removed from GitHub, and I will be releasing an updated version in the near future.

On adding Windows Defender removal: I am not planning to add it to Winhance for live systems. The code that strips or disables Defender tends to get flagged by antivirus software, which gives Winhance a bad reputation and gets it falsely reported as a virus — that already happened with an early version that included those tweaks. There are plenty of open-source scripts on GitHub that can do this if you really want to, though I do not recommend it. If I ever include the option, it would only be when creating a fresh Windows ISO with an autounattend file, so the choice is deliberate rather than something a millions-of-users live system does silently.

Why Does Winhance Use Package Managers Instead of Direct Downloads?

This is the root of two common issues: apps that are not detected as installed, and installs that occasionally fail. Both Winhance and tools like UniGetUI rely on WinGet and Chocolatey to install software, and package providers like Mozilla publish packages to those managers. The catch is that the installer on a vendor’s website is not always the exact same build the package manager serves.

Take Firefox: running winget search Firefox returns many packages — the standard Mozilla Firefox, a Microsoft Store version with a different ID, an MSIX build, language variants, ESR, and beta. Winhance hard-codes the IDs it uses (the standard en-US build and the Store version as a fallback) and tries to catch every install method with multiple detection checks. But covering every possible installer for every app is a big task, and it can lead to the occasional false positive in the interface.

Installs sometimes fail when a new app version ships before WinGet updates its manifest. Each installer has a security hash, and the package manager refuses the download if the hash does not match the manifest — which protects you, but means the install fails until the manifest is updated, usually within a few days. The official WinGet packages repository routinely has over a thousand open pull requests for new versions, so this lag is common.

So why not just hard-code direct download links? Because those URLs are usually versioned. If I hard-code a Firefox 152 link today, it breaks the moment Firefox 153 ships — users either get an error or an outdated version until I manually update the link, and that is not realistic across 200-plus handpicked apps. Package managers exist precisely to handle versioning and to add the hash and manifest security checks. The system is not perfect, but it is the right trade-off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Winhance change my settings without asking?

No. Winhance only changes a setting when you click to apply it — whether that is toggling a single setting, using a quick action to apply recommended settings, or importing and applying a config file. It does not modify your system in the background.

Are Winhance changes reversible?

Yes. You can toggle any setting back, apply Windows defaults on an individual card, or reset an entire feature to Windows defaults with its quick actions. Winhance also prompts you to create a System Restore point on first launch, and you can create one anytime from the Settings page before making changes.

Does Winhance work on Windows 10?

Yes. Winhance works on Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2). Features like disabling app updates, building config files, and creating a custom ISO all apply on Windows 10 as well as Windows 11.

This post You Asked, I Answered Your BIGGEST Winhance Questions & Concerns first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Winhance Release 27 adds a new Builder Mode that lets you create a Winhance config file or an autounattend.xml from the app’s interface without changing anything on the PC you are using. The same release adds a Sponsors & Supporters page, a Change History file that records every change Winhance makes, and a fix for startup crashes on older Windows builds. You can download Winhance Release 27 free from winhance.net.

Applies to: Winhance Release 27 (v26.06.12) on Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: June 12, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Builder Mode creates Winhance config files and autounattend.xml files from the settings in the UI without applying anything to your live system.
• A startup crash that mostly hit older Windows builds like Windows 10 LTSC — a window that never appears, a fail fast exception, or a KERNELBASE.dll error in Event Viewer — is worked around in Release 27.
• The new Sponsors & Supporters page replaces the old exit donation dialog and shows business sponsors and individual supporters, fetched live from the Winhance GitHub repo.
• A new ChangeHistory.txt file (More > Change History) records every change Winhance makes on your computer from Release 27 onward.
• App icons now come from a single GitHub repository instead of multiple Microsoft servers, and the status icons are colored Fluent UI icons that are much easier to read.

Quick Steps: Build a Config Without Touching Your PC

1. Download and run Winhance Release 27 from winhance.net.
2. Click the Builder button at the top of the main window and read the explainer dialog.
3. Pick Config or Autounattend with the radio buttons in the Builder Mode ribbon.
4. Change any settings in Optimize and Customize, and tick the checkboxes for the apps you want included — nothing is applied to the PC you are on.
5. Click Save Config (or Save Autounattend) and use the file on any other computer or Windows image.

Winhance Would Not Launch for You Before? Try Release 27

Before getting into the new features, this one matters if Winhance simply did not work for you in the past. Some users would start the app and nothing would appear, or Event Viewer showed a fail fast exception or a KERNELBASE.dll error. That was a Windows bug, and Release 27 ships a workaround for it.

The crash mostly hit older Windows builds, like LTSC installations that have not received recent updates. If that was your experience, give Winhance another go — the affected systems should launch normally on Release 27.

Winhance Now Has Modes: Normal, Builder, and Config Review

Release 27 introduces a mode switcher at the top of the main window with three modes. Normal mode is how Winhance has always worked — changes apply to the PC you are working on immediately. Builder Mode and Config Review Mode are where it gets interesting.

With these mode buttons in place, the old Save Config and Import Config buttons next to the Windows version filter are gone. The Builder and Config Review buttons replace them.

How Builder Mode Works

Builder Mode lets you create a Winhance config or an autounattend file from the settings in the UI without changing anything on the PC you are using. When you enter Builder Mode, a dialog explains the feature, and a ribbon confirms the app is in Builder Mode with two radio buttons: Config and Autounattend.

Your current Optimize and Customize settings are pre-filled with the state of the PC you are on. From there, anything you change only changes the file you are building. For example, if I switch the Windows theme from dark mode to light mode in Builder Mode, my PC stays in dark mode — but the saved config will apply light mode wherever it is imported.

Apps are not included automatically. In Config mode, you tick the checkboxes for the apps you want in the file under Windows Apps & Features and External Software, and you decide whether to install or uninstall them at import time. The normal app actions are turned off while Builder Mode is active, so you cannot accidentally modify the system you are sitting at.

Note: Builder Mode was requested by a user on GitHub a long time ago. If you deploy or service multiple Windows machines, this is the feature that turns Winhance from a tweak session into a deployment tool.

Why Config and Autounattend Are Separate

In Autounattend mode, selected apps can only be removed from the Windows image during installation — you cannot install apps that way, which is why the choice does not exist there. The External Software tab is locked in Autounattend mode for now; including external apps in an autounattend file is a planned feature that has not shipped yet.

The split also leaves room for what is coming. Some options only make sense for unattended installs — settings from the Windows onboarding phase, or automating partition creation and deletion during setup. Those do not fit the Optimize and Customize catalog, so a dedicated autounattend page with more generation options is planned for a future release.

Once you save your autounattend.xml, exit Builder Mode and open Advanced Tools > Windows Installation Media Utility to add the XML to a Windows ISO, so it runs during Windows installation. If you want to go deeper into unattended installs, my UnattendedWinstall answer files cover the same territory with pre-built configurations.

Config Review Mode

Config Review Mode is not new, but it now has its own button at the top of the main window. It shows the import window where you select a config file, then walks you through every change that config wants to make before anything is applied. That review matters when someone shared a config with you, or when you want to inspect what the recommended Winhance config does.

For config files you created yourself, skip the review and apply immediately — you still choose what happens with software and apps (install, uninstall, or just select them in the UI), whether the theme’s default wallpaper is applied, and whether to clean the taskbar and Start menu.

The New Sponsors & Supporters Page

Winhance is free, and I want it to stay free — no paywalls, no locked features. What keeps it that way is the people and businesses that support the project, and Release 27 finally gives them proper recognition. Clicking the Support Winhance button opens a dedicated Sponsors & Supporters page inside the app, which also replaces the old exit donation dialog.

Businesses and individual supporters are shown separately. Business sponsors have tiers with different perks — company logo and name in the app, contact details, and an outbound link to their website on the higher tiers. Individual supporters who give $5 or more and tick the supporters box at checkout get listed on the supporters wall. The data is fetched live from the Winhance GitHub repo when there is an internet connection, with an offline fallback bundled into each release.

The Support Winhance button takes you to the Winhance sponsors page on my new store. It is a ladder that starts with individual supporters and moves up through business tiers, with a PDF invoice on every payment — for businesses, sponsorship is typically tax-deductible as a marketing expense, which was never possible with the old Ko-fi donations. Business sponsor cards also appear in a new section on the winhance.net download page.

Support unlocks nothing. Winhance stays identical for everyone — recognition is the only perk.

The Winhance Supporter Pack

Separate from the supporter and business tiers, there is a new Winhance Supporter Pack on the store. It does not change the application at all — you get the latest Winhance installer, a personally signed thank-you PDF from me, and the real value: a six-design Winhance wallpaper pack in 4K and ultrawide.

The designs range from the Winhance rocket on a grid to a white logo with a gold halo, and my personal favorite — the WINHANCE wordmark with the A replaced by the rocket icon. These wallpapers are exclusive to the pack and are not available anywhere else. It is a one-time purchase that directly helps the development of Winhance.

Change History: A Record of Everything Winhance Does

Click the More button at the bottom of the window and you will find a new Change History option. It opens a text file saved on your computer that records every change Winhance has made on that machine since Release 27 — every setting change and every app install or removal.

If you ran Winhance before Release 27, history starts now — earlier changes were not recorded. This was another GitHub user request: an easy way to keep track of exactly what you have done with Winhance on a specific computer.

Faster App Icons and Clearer Status Indicators

All the app icons for Windows optional features and external software now come from a single package-icons GitHub repository. Winhance no longer contacts the Microsoft Store or individual app websites to fetch icons — it reads them from your system or downloads them from that one repo, so it only contacts one server. Windows capabilities and optional features that have real icons, like legacy Notepad, Windows Media Player, and legacy Paint, now show them too.

The status icons got a rework as well, after a user reported it was hard to tell whether an app was installed. They are now colored Fluent UI icons: a green check mark for installed, a red cross for not installed, a blue-green check for items that can be reinstalled after removal, and a red flag for removals that are permanent. The feature icons in the sidebar — Software & Apps, Optimize, Customize, Advanced Tools, and the More menu — are colored now too.

If you want the full story on how the icons system started, the Release 26 post covers the card view and the first round of app icons.

Quality-of-Life Changes in Release 27

• UI zoom — hold Ctrl and scroll, or press Ctrl and + / – on the main keyboard (not the numpad), to zoom the Winhance UI like a browser.
• Explorer customizations — new settings for showing desktop icons, icon cache size, automatic thumbnail cache cleanup, and showing folders like Documents and Downloads inside This PC (the Windows 10 default that Windows 11 removed).
• Start menu — a new setting for the Windows 11 Start menu’s All apps view: list, grid, or category.
• New external apps — additions in the Gaming section, PowerShell 7 under Development, and the Helium browser in Browsers, all by user request.
• Alphabetical sort — a new sort dropdown in Software & Apps lets you sort items alphabetically regardless of installation status.

There are more changes than these — the complete changelog is in the Winhance Release 27 release notes on GitHub. The two biggest by far are the new modes and the sponsor and supporter recognition. To everyone who has supported Winhance and my work so far, and everyone who uses the app and shares it — thank you. More updates are coming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Winhance still free?

Yes. Winhance is free with no paywalls and no locked features, and supporting the project unlocks nothing extra — the app is identical for everyone. Sponsorships and the Supporter Pack exist to fund development, not to gate features.

Does Builder Mode change anything on my PC?

No. In Builder Mode, every change you make is recorded into the config or autounattend file you are building, and the normal app actions are disabled. Your live system is only modified if you later import and apply that config on it.

Winhance never launched on my PC — will Release 27 fix it?

If the window never appeared, or Event Viewer showed a fail fast exception or a KERNELBASE.dll error, then very likely yes. Release 27 works around the Windows bug behind those crashes, which mostly affected older builds like Windows 10 LTSC. Download the new version and try again.

How do I get listed on the supporters wall?

Support Winhance with $5 or more on the store and tick the supporters box at checkout. Your name appears on the supporters wall, which the app fetches live from the Winhance GitHub repo. Listing is opt-in only and amounts are never shown.

Can I use my autounattend file from Builder Mode on a Windows ISO?

Yes. Save the autounattend.xml in Builder Mode, then open Advanced Tools > Windows Installation Media Utility and add the XML to your Windows ISO. The file then runs automatically during Windows installation, removing the apps you selected from the image.

This post Build Your Perfect Windows Setup WITHOUT Touching Your PC (Winhance Release 27) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

You can give a free, open-source AI agent full control of a Windows PC by installing opencode and letting it run PowerShell commands for you. It can check Event Viewer for crashes, clean up disk space, remove bloatware, fix a broken audio device, and optimize startup services — all from plain-English prompts. Because the free models train on your data, run this inside a virtual machine, not on your main computer.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: June 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

• opencode is a free, open-source AI coding agent that runs in your terminal and can execute PowerShell commands on Windows from natural-language prompts
• It works with a completely free model (opencode zen) with no account or payment required — you do not need a Claude or ChatGPT subscription to start
• Install it with Node.js and one npm command: npm i -g opencode-ai, then launch it by typing opencode
• It handled real maintenance tasks in seconds — Event Viewer crash analysis in 36 seconds, full disk cleanup that freed 1.38 GB, removing 26 bloatware packages, and re-enabling a disabled audio device
• The free models train on whatever you type, so do this in a virtual machine with no personal data — never on your main PC

Quick Steps:

1. Set up a clean virtual machine running Windows 11 for testing
2. Install Node.js and tick the box to install the additional tools during setup
3. Open Terminal as admin and run npm i -g opencode-ai
4. If scripts are blocked, run Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned, then install again
5. Launch it by typing opencode and confirm the free opencode zen model is selected
6. Type a plain-English task and let it write and run the PowerShell commands

What Is opencode, and Why Use It Instead of Claude Code?

opencode is an open-source AI coding agent that runs in your terminal. It is built for agentic coding — creating and editing software projects — but because it operates from the command line, you can also point it at your Windows system and have it write and run PowerShell scripts for you. That is exactly what makes it useful for PC maintenance and optimization.

I previously did the same kind of experiment with Claude Code, where I gave it full access to a fresh Windows 11 install and let it set the machine up from a task list. It nailed the job, but Claude Code is a paid tool, which puts it out of reach for some people. opencode solves that problem. Everything in this guide was done with a free model, so the method is accessible to anyone. You can read the original write-up and grab the exact prompt I used in my Claude Code Windows 11 debloat and setup guide.

Note: This is not a “you should do this” tutorial. It is a demonstration of what becomes possible when you give a large language model control of a terminal. If you want a safe, purpose-built tool to debloat and optimize Windows without handing control to an AI, use my own app, Winhance, instead.

Run This in a Virtual Machine, Not Your Main PC

The free models in opencode are trained on the data you put into them. Whatever you type into the chat is most likely going to be used to train the next version of the model. That is the trade-off for free access, and almost every AI provider does the same thing in some form.

For that reason, I run everything inside a virtual machine that is completely separate from my main computer and contains no personal data. A VM also means that if the AI runs a command that breaks something, the damage is contained to a disposable test environment. Giving any AI free rein over a terminal carries real risk — a virtual machine is the sensible place to experiment with it.

How to Install opencode on Windows

opencode installs through npm, so you need Node.js first. Download it from the official Node.js website and run the Windows installer. During setup, tick the checkbox that automatically installs the additional tools needed to run Node.js apps — this saves you trouble later.

Once Node.js is installed, open Terminal as an administrator and run the install command from the opencode website:

npm i -g opencode-ai

You may hit an error saying that running scripts is disabled on this system. This is a default PowerShell security setting. To fix it, run the following command, which requires any PowerShell script to be signed with a certificate (the npm and Node scripts are signed, so they will run):

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Press Enter, then run the install command again. Once it finishes, launch the agent by typing opencode in the terminal and pressing Enter.

Choosing a Free Model in opencode

When opencode opens, it starts in Build mode, meaning it expects to create apps. For PC tasks you do not need to change anything — it will simply write PowerShell scripts and run them instead of building a project.

Next to the mode you will see the model, served through opencode zen. This is a completely free model, and you do not even need to sign in to use it. To see the full list, type /models and press Enter. You will find other free options as well as paid providers — you can plug in a ChatGPT subscription, an Anthropic API key, Google, and more. For this guide I stuck with the free model so the method stays accessible to everyone.

Tip: To add a second task on a new line without sending the prompt, press Ctrl + J. This lets you queue several instructions in one message before pressing Enter.

Real Windows Tasks the Free AI Handled

Once opencode is running, you talk to it in plain English and it works out the PowerShell commands. Here are the actual tasks I gave it, with the results. Every one of these ran on the free model.

Checking Event Viewer for crashes

I asked it to go through the Event Viewer logs and flag any crashes that needed my attention. It immediately ran PowerShell commands to pull and filter the most recent events, and in 36 seconds it reported three blue screen crashes with their bug-check codes, listed some minor issues, and gave a recommendation on what to investigate. Manually digging through Event Viewer for the same information usually takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Emptying the Recycle Bin and running Disk Cleanup

Next I asked it to empty the Recycle Bin, which it did with a single PowerShell command. Then I asked it to run Disk Cleanup non-interactively on the C drive. It ran the cleanup, then suggested a more thorough pass with every category enabled — temp files, Recycle Bin, and delivery optimization files. I told it to go ahead, and the full cleanup freed about 1.38 GB in roughly 31 seconds. If you would rather clear space manually, I have a full walkthrough on how to clean your C drive in Windows 10 and 11.

Troubleshooting a broken audio device

To test its diagnostic ability, I disabled the High Definition Audio device in Device Manager, then told opencode that my audio had suddenly stopped working and asked it to check. It ran a series of PowerShell commands, found that the audio device was disabled, re-enabled it, and verified that it was working again — exactly the fix a technician would apply.

Removing Windows bloatware

I asked it to uninstall all of the AppX packages except Calculator and Notepad while keeping the system essentials — effectively a “remove the Windows 11 bloatware” command. It listed the installed packages, built a removal script, and stripped out 26 of them in one minute and 21 seconds, with only one package failing to remove. If you prefer to do this yourself with no AI involved, see my guide on removing Windows bloatware without third-party software.

Disabling startup apps and unnecessary services

I asked it to make the PC run as fast as possible without breaking Windows by disabling startup apps and background services that do not need to run constantly. It disabled the OneDrive setup startup entry and set services like SuperFetch, the search indexer, and the telemetry service to Manual rather than disabling them outright. That way they still start if something genuinely needs them, but they do not launch automatically on every boot.

Researching error codes online

I did not know whether the free model had internet access, so I asked it to research the specific error codes we found in Event Viewer. It confirmed it has web-search capability, looked up the codes, and gave advice tailored to this exact machine — it correctly identified that this is a VMware virtual machine and that the hardware errors were coming through the virtual hardware layer, rather than handing me generic “reseat your RAM” advice.

It also set a high-performance power plan, created a new standard user account, ran a deeper temp-file clean (covering the WinSxS folder, the driver cache, and delivery optimization files), and produced a performance baseline report. Throughout, it was clear how much of this comes down to knowing the right PowerShell command — which is exactly where an AI agent that knows the entire command set has the edge. If you want to build that knowledge yourself, start with my list of PowerShell commands every Windows user should know.

Giving opencode the Full Windows Setup Prompt

To finish, I gave opencode the exact same prompt I had given Claude Code in my previous experiment — a complete debloat-and-setup task list for a fresh Windows install. You can copy that prompt from my Claude Code Windows 11 setup guide and try it yourself.

It built its own task list and worked through everything in 6 minutes and 15 seconds. It completed every item, then added a few extras on its own — setting DNS to Cloudflare and disabling Sticky Keys, which is actually more than Claude Code did the first time. It even saved the script file to the desktop as I asked, so the same setup can be rerun on another machine later. For a specific prompt like this, the free model genuinely felt on par with the paid tool.

When you are done, type /exit to close the session, and use /sessions the next time you launch opencode to jump back into a previous chat.

opencode vs Claude Code: Which Should You Use?

I have used Claude Code for more than a year, and for actually developing and running software it is still the clear winner. It is also expensive. For the kind of PowerShell-driven PC tasks shown here, the free models inside opencode completely held their own, which was a genuinely pleasant surprise.

Two things are worth remembering, though. Both opencode and Claude Code are built for agentic coding, not system administration — using them this way is creative, not their intended purpose. And these models run in the cloud, so your data is not private. That is the whole reason this belongs in a virtual machine. My next project may be a local, offline, portable version of this idea, so the same automation can run without sending anything to the cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is opencode really free?

Yes. opencode is open-source, and it ships with a free model served through opencode zen that requires no account and no payment. You can optionally connect paid providers such as a ChatGPT subscription, an Anthropic API key, or Google, but you do not need any of them to get started.

Is it safe to let an AI run commands on my PC?

Not on your main computer. An AI agent with terminal access can run any command, including destructive ones, and the free models train on whatever you type. Run it inside a virtual machine that holds no personal data so any mistakes stay contained. For safe, predictable Windows optimization without an AI, use a purpose-built tool like Winhance instead.

Do I need to know how to code to use opencode?

No. You give it instructions in plain English and it works out the PowerShell commands itself. opencode is designed as a coding agent, but for the maintenance tasks shown here you only need to describe what you want, such as “empty the Recycle Bin” or “remove the bloatware.”

How do I install opencode on Windows?

Install Node.js from the official website, open Terminal as administrator, and run npm i -g opencode-ai. If you get a script-execution error, run Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned first, then install again. Launch it by typing opencode.

Will the free model send my data somewhere?

Yes. The free models are trained on the data you put into them, and they run in the cloud, so anything you type may be used to improve the next model. This is why you should only use a test environment with no sensitive information when experimenting with the free tier.

This post I Gave a FREE AI FULL Control of My Windows PC (Didn’t Expect These Results…) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

I gave Claude Code a single PowerShell prompt and let it debloat and configure a fresh Windows 11 25H2 virtual machine from start to finish. It created a restore point, removed bloatware apps, installed my software through WinGet, applied my taskbar, Start menu, and privacy preferences, and saved a reusable setup script I can run on any new install.

Applies to: Windows 11 (24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 28, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Claude Code can run PowerShell, not just write code — that means an AI command-line tool can debloat and configure Windows directly, without you clicking through Settings.
• One detailed prompt did the whole job — bloatware removal, WinGet app installs, dark mode, taskbar and Start menu layout, and privacy/telemetry changes on Windows 11 25H2.
• It created a System Restore point first and asked before deleting anything — Claude paused to confirm how aggressive the bloatware removal should be before touching the system.
• The best output is a reusable script — a complete PowerShell setup script (included in this guide) that reproduces the entire configuration on any fresh install in about five minutes.
• This is an experiment, not a recommendation — run it only in a virtual machine, because bypass-permissions mode lets the AI execute system commands without asking.

Quick Steps:

1. Set up a Windows 11 virtual machine — never test this on your main PC.
2. Install Claude Code in the VM and enable bypass-permissions mode.
3. Paste the setup prompt (below), describing exactly how you want the machine configured.
4. Answer Claude’s clarifying question about how aggressively to remove bloatware.
5. Let it research the registry settings, install your apps via WinGet, and apply the tweaks.
6. Have it save the steps as a reusable PowerShell script on the Desktop.
7. Run that script on any fresh install to get the same result in minutes.

The Exact Prompt I Gave Claude Code

Everything started with one prompt. I told Claude Code it was on a fresh Windows 11 25H2 install on an admin account, then listed exactly what I wanted done. Here is the full prompt, ready to copy and adapt for your own setup:

You are on a fresh Windows 11 25H2 installation on an Admin account and I want you to do the following using PowerShell/CMD.

1. Set up this new machine for me by:
1.1 Removing Bloatware Windows Apps (I only use Calculator, Notepad and Terminal - The rest can be removed)
1.2 Installing software I will use via winget (Brave Browser, Nilesoft Shell, Notepad++)
1.3 Enabling Dark Mode
1.4 Left Aligning the Taskbar and having only File Explorer pinned, no Search or Task View buttons.
1.5 Setting File Explorer default location to This PC and showing file extensions.
1.6 Disabling or turning off all Privacy settings in Privacy & Security to disable all telemetry in Windows.
1.7 Turning off all background apps or processes that don't need to be running all the time.
1.8 Unpin all tiles from the Start Menu and set the All Apps View Mode to List.
1.9 Anything else I might be missing to have this machine running optimally.

Before you start:
Create a restore point
In case there is commands you can't run inline and you need to save scripts, you can save them on the Desktop and run it from there.
You have internet access if you need to research any registry entries etc. from Microsoft docs to complete this task.

Tell me when you're done.

The key to a result like this is being specific. Each numbered item is a concrete instruction, and the “anything else I might be missing” line gives Claude room to apply sensible extras — it ended up disabling telemetry scheduled tasks I never explicitly asked for. The “create a restore point” line is the most important one, because it gives you a clean rollback if anything goes wrong.

What Is Claude Code, and Why Use It to Set Up Windows?

Claude Code is a command-line tool from Anthropic that runs AI models in your terminal. It is normally used to write code and build projects, but it can also execute PowerShell commands and scripts directly on your machine. That second ability is what makes it interesting for Windows setup.

Instead of clicking through dozens of Settings pages after every clean install, you describe the end state once and let the tool do the work. In my test it did not just run blind commands — it researched the correct registry entries from Microsoft’s documentation before changing anything it was unsure about, which is exactly what I hoped to see.

Important: Only Do This in a Virtual Machine

The safety part matters, so I want to be clear about it. I ran this entire test inside a virtual machine that is completely separate from my main computer, and I turned on bypass permissions so Claude could run commands without stopping to ask each time. That combination is powerful but risky — you are handing an AI the ability to make system-level changes automatically.

Treat this as an experiment, not a daily-driver workflow. Do not run it on a PC with data or settings you care about. A virtual machine gives you a contained, throwaway environment where you can let the AI work, watch what it does, and test the resulting script safely.

Tip: Always include “create a restore point” as the first instruction. Even in a VM, a restore point lets you undo the changes instantly if a tweak breaks something.

How Claude Set Up the PC, Step by Step

Claude worked through the task methodically rather than firing off commands at random. The first thing it did was configure System Restore and create a restore point named “before Claude setup,” which I confirmed in the Windows UI before it continued.

Next, it paused and asked a clarifying question: how aggressive should the bloatware removal be? It offered a balanced option (keep genuinely useful apps like Photos, Snipping Tool, and Paint), a strict/minimal option (remove everything except Calculator, Notepad, and Terminal plus required system frameworks), and a balanced option that also removed the Microsoft Store. I chose the strict option for this test, and it correctly refused to remove critical system frameworks or shell components that would break Windows itself.

From there it researched the registry mappings it was unsure about — the Start menu list view, unpinning all tiles, and the taskbar layout — by reading Microsoft’s documentation. Then it ran through the rest of the work:

• Installed my apps via WinGet first, while the system was still intact
• Removed the bloatware apps based on my strict selection
• Enabled dark mode and applied a dark wallpaper
• Left-aligned the taskbar, pinned only File Explorer, and removed the Search and Task View buttons
• Set File Explorer to open to This PC and enabled file extensions
• Disabled the privacy and telemetry settings in Privacy & Security — and went a step further by disabling the telemetry scheduled tasks too
• Turned off unnecessary background apps
• Unpinned all Start menu tiles and set the All Apps view to list mode

If you would rather handle bloatware removal manually, I have a separate guide on the official Windows 11 25H2 bloatware removal method that does not involve any AI at all.

The Software Claude Installed via WinGet

WinGet is the package manager built into Windows, so Claude could install everything from the command line without downloading a single installer by hand. The apps I asked for in the prompt were:

• Brave Browser — a privacy-focused Chromium browser
• Nilesoft Shell — a powerful, customizable right-click context menu
• Notepad++ — a lightweight code and text editor

After the first pass I had Claude add two more to the script so a fresh install would include them automatically: FastStone Image Viewer for viewing images and Media Player Classic – Black Edition for media playback. Because they were added to the script, they install on any machine I run it on.

The Reusable Setup Script (Copy, Paste, Run)

The single best outcome was not the configured VM — it was the script. Claude bundled every step into one PowerShell file, just over 300 lines long, that handles the WinGet installs, the app removals, the registry tweaks, the Start and taskbar layout, the telemetry and background-app changes, the wallpaper, and an Explorer restart. It also creates a restore point before it does anything and writes a log to your Desktop.

I do not host the file anywhere, so the full script is included below. To use it, copy everything in the box, paste it into Notepad, and save it as Setup-Windows.ps1 — in the Save dialog, change “Save as type” to “All Files” so it does not save as a .txt file.

Read this before you run it: This is my personal, deliberately strict setup. It removes apps many people want to keep — including the Microsoft Store, Photos, Paint, Snipping Tool, and Camera — and it installs my chosen apps (Brave, Nilesoft Shell, Notepad++, FastStone, MPC-BE). Open the script and edit the $apps and $removeApps lists to match your own preferences first. Always test it in a virtual machine before running it on a real PC, and remember it creates a restore point so you can roll back.

<#
    Setup-Windows.ps1
    Fresh Windows 11 25H2 (build 26200) setup / debloat / privacy hardening.
    Run elevated (Admin). The script creates a system restore point before making changes.

    Sections:
      *. Create a system restore point (pre-flight)
      0. Install applications via winget (Brave, Nilesoft Shell, Notepad++, FastStone, MPC-BE)
      1. Remove bloatware Appx apps (keep Calculator, Notepad, Terminal + system frameworks)
      2. Dark mode + dark wallpaper
      3. Taskbar: left align, hide Search / Task View / Widgets, pin only File Explorer
      4. File Explorer: open to This PC, show file extensions
      5. Privacy & telemetry hardening
      6. Disable background apps
      7. Telemetry services + scheduled tasks
      8. Start menu: unpin all, All Apps = List view
      9. Extra "run optimally" tweaks
     10. Restart Explorer
#>

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
$log = "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\Setup-Windows.log"
Start-Transcript -Path $log -Force | Out-Null
Write-Host "==== Windows setup started $(Get-Date) ====" -ForegroundColor Cyan

# --- helper: set a registry value, creating the key path if needed ---
function Set-Reg {
    param([string]$Path,[string]$Name,$Value,[string]$Type = 'DWord')
    try {
        if (-not (Test-Path $Path)) { New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null }
        New-ItemProperty -Path $Path -Name $Name -Value $Value -PropertyType $Type -Force | Out-Null
    } catch {
        Write-Host "  ! Set-Reg failed: $Path\$Name -> $($_.Exception.Message)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
    }
}

#region Pre-flight: System Restore point
Write-Host "`n[*] Creating a system restore point..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
try {
    # Remove the 24h throttle so a checkpoint is always created
    New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore' -Name 'SystemRestorePointCreationFrequency' -Value 0 -PropertyType DWord -Force | Out-Null
    Enable-ComputerRestore -Drive 'C:\' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Set-Service -Name VSS -StartupType Manual -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Start-Service -Name VSS -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Checkpoint-Computer -Description 'Before Windows setup script' -RestorePointType 'MODIFY_SETTINGS' -ErrorAction Stop
    Write-Host "  - Restore point 'Before Windows setup script' created." -ForegroundColor Green
} catch {
    Write-Host "  ! Could not create restore point: $($_.Exception.Message)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
    Write-Host "    Continuing anyway - you can create one manually (System Protection)." -ForegroundColor Yellow
}
#endregion

#region 0. Install applications (winget)
Write-Host "`n[0] Installing applications via winget..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$apps = @(
    'Brave.Brave',
    'Nilesoft.Shell',
    'Notepad++.Notepad++',
    'FastStone.Viewer',
    'MPC-BE.MPC-BE'
)
foreach ($id in $apps) {
    Write-Host "  Installing $id ..." -ForegroundColor Gray
    winget install --id $id --exact --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --disable-interactivity
    if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { Write-Host "  - Installed: $id" -ForegroundColor Green }
    else { Write-Host "  ! winget exit $LASTEXITCODE for $id (may already be installed)" -ForegroundColor Yellow }
}
#endregion

#region 1. Remove bloatware Appx apps
Write-Host "`n[1] Removing bloatware apps..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$removeApps = @(
    'Clipchamp.Clipchamp','Microsoft.BingNews','Microsoft.BingSearch','Microsoft.BingWeather',
    'Microsoft.GamingApp','Microsoft.GetHelp','Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub',
    'Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection','Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes','Microsoft.Paint',
    'Microsoft.PowerAutomateDesktop','Microsoft.ScreenSketch','Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp',
    'Microsoft.Todos','Microsoft.Windows.DevHome','Microsoft.Windows.Photos','Microsoft.WindowsAlarms',
    'Microsoft.WindowsCamera','Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub','Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder',
    'Microsoft.WindowsStore','Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI','Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay','Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay',
    'Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider','Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay','Microsoft.YourPhone',
    'Microsoft.ZuneMusic','Microsoft.ZuneVideo','MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist',
    'MicrosoftWindows.CrossDevice','Microsoft.549981C3F5F10','Microsoft.People','Microsoft.WindowsMaps',
    'microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps','Microsoft.OutlookForWindows','Microsoft.MicrosoftJournal',
    'MSTeams','MicrosoftTeams','Microsoft.Copilot'
)
# Apps we explicitly KEEP (never touch): Calculator, Notepad, Terminal, Edge, and all frameworks/runtimes.
foreach ($app in $removeApps) {
    $pkg = Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers -Name $app -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($pkg) {
        try {
            $pkg | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers -ErrorAction Stop
            Write-Host "  - Removed (installed): $app" -ForegroundColor Green
        } catch {
            Write-Host "  ! Could not remove $app : $($_.Exception.Message)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
        }
    }
    $prov = Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -eq $app }
    if ($prov) {
        try {
            $prov | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
            Write-Host "  - Removed (provisioned): $app" -ForegroundColor DarkGreen
        } catch {
            Write-Host "  ! Could not deprovision $app : $($_.Exception.Message)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
        }
    }
}
#endregion

#region 2. Dark mode
Write-Host "`n[2] Enabling dark mode + dark wallpaper..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$theme = 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize'
Set-Reg $theme 'AppsUseLightTheme' 0
Set-Reg $theme 'SystemUsesLightTheme' 0
# Apply the default Windows 11 dark wallpaper (img19.jpg = dark variant of the default 'bloom')
$darkWall = 'C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows\img19.jpg'
if (Test-Path $darkWall) {
    Set-ItemProperty 'HKCU:\Control Panel\Desktop' -Name WallPaper      -Value $darkWall
    Set-ItemProperty 'HKCU:\Control Panel\Desktop' -Name WallpaperStyle -Value 10   # 10 = Fill
    Set-ItemProperty 'HKCU:\Control Panel\Desktop' -Name TileWallpaper  -Value 0
    if (-not ('WpApply' -as [type])) {
        Add-Type @"
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
public class WpApply { [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError=true, CharSet=CharSet.Auto)] public static extern bool SystemParametersInfo(int a,int b,string c,int d); }
"@
    }
    [WpApply]::SystemParametersInfo(20,0,$darkWall,3) | Out-Null   # SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER, update + broadcast
    Write-Host "  - Dark wallpaper applied" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "  ! Dark wallpaper not found at $darkWall" -ForegroundColor Yellow
}
#endregion

#region 3. Taskbar
Write-Host "`n[3] Configuring taskbar..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
$adv = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced'
Set-Reg $adv 'TaskbarAl' 0            # 0 = left align
Set-Reg $adv 'ShowTaskViewButton' 0   # hide Task View button
Set-Reg $adv 'TaskbarMn' 0            # hide Chat/Copilot button  (Widgets is disabled via the AllowNewsAndInterests policy in section 9 - the Advanced\TaskbarDa value is system-protected on 25H2 and rejects writes)
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search' 'SearchboxTaskbarMode' 0  # hide search box/icon

# Pin ONLY File Explorer to the taskbar (replace default Edge/Store pins) via Start Layout policy XML.
$cfgDir = 'C:\ProgramData\ClaudeSetup'
if (-not (Test-Path $cfgDir)) { New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $cfgDir -Force | Out-Null }
$taskbarXml = @'
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LayoutModificationTemplate
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification"
    xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout"
    xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout"
    xmlns:taskbar="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout"
    Version="1">
  <CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
    <defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
      <taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
        <taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.Windows.Explorer" />
      </taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
    </defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
  </CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>
'@
$taskbarFile = Join-Path $cfgDir 'TaskbarLayout.xml'
Set-Content -Path $taskbarFile -Value $taskbarXml -Encoding UTF8
$expPol = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer'
Set-Reg $expPol 'LockedStartLayout' 1
Set-Reg $expPol 'StartLayoutFile' $taskbarFile 'ExpandString'
#endregion

#region 4. File Explorer
Write-Host "`n[4] Configuring File Explorer..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Set-Reg $adv 'LaunchTo' 1     # 1 = This PC
Set-Reg $adv 'HideFileExt' 0  # show file extensions
#endregion

#region 5. Privacy & telemetry
Write-Host "`n[5] Hardening privacy / disabling telemetry..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
# Diagnostic data / telemetry (Pro honours AllowTelemetry=0 = Security/Off)
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' 'AllowTelemetry' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' 'DoNotShowFeedbackNotifications' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' 'AllowDeviceNameInTelemetry' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' 'LimitDiagnosticLogCollection' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection' 'LimitDumpCollection' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection' 'AllowTelemetry' 0
# Advertising ID
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AdvertisingInfo' 'Enabled' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AdvertisingInfo' 'DisabledByGroupPolicy' 1
# Tailored experiences with diagnostic data
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Privacy' 'TailoredExperiencesWithDiagnosticDataEnabled' 0
# Let websites access language list
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Control Panel\International\User Profile' 'HttpAcceptLanguageOptOut' 1
# Let Windows track app launches
Set-Reg $adv 'Start_TrackProgs' 0
# Feedback frequency = never
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Siuf\Rules' 'NumberOfSIUFInPeriod' 0
# Speech online recognition
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Settings\OnlineSpeechPrivacy' 'HasAccepted' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\InputPersonalization' 'AllowInputPersonalization' 0
# Inking & typing personalization
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\InputPersonalization' 'RestrictImplicitInkCollection' 1
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\InputPersonalization' 'RestrictImplicitTextCollection' 1
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\InputPersonalization\TrainedDataStore' 'HarvestContacts' 0
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Personalization\Settings' 'AcceptedPrivacyPolicy' 0
# Activity history / Timeline
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' 'EnableActivityFeed' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' 'PublishUserActivities' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System' 'UploadUserActivities' 0
# Location
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\location' 'Value' 'Deny' 'String'
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LocationAndSensors' 'DisableLocation' 1
# Find My Device
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FindMyDevice' 'AllowFindMyDevice' 0
# Suggested content / consumer features / Spotlight ads
$cdm = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager'
foreach ($v in 'SubscribedContent-338388Enabled','SubscribedContent-338389Enabled','SubscribedContent-338393Enabled',
    'SubscribedContent-353694Enabled','SubscribedContent-353696Enabled','SubscribedContent-310093Enabled',
    'SubscribedContent-88000326Enabled','SubscribedContent-338387Enabled','SystemPaneSuggestionsEnabled',
    'SilentInstalledAppsEnabled','PreInstalledAppsEnabled','OemPreInstalledAppsEnabled','ContentDeliveryAllowed',
    'FeatureManagementEnabled','RotatingLockScreenOverlayEnabled','SubscribedContentEnabled','SoftLandingEnabled') {
    Set-Reg $cdm $v 0
}
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent' 'DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent' 'DisableCloudOptimizedContent' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent' 'DisableSoftLanding' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent' 'DisableConsumerAccountStateContent' 1
# Search: no Bing/web/cloud, no history
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings' 'IsAADCloudSearchEnabled' 0
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings' 'IsMSACloudSearchEnabled' 0
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings' 'IsDeviceSearchHistoryEnabled' 0
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' 'DisableSearchBoxSuggestions' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' 'AllowCortana' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' 'ConnectedSearchUseWeb' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' 'DisableWebSearch' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' 'AllowSearchToUseLocation' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search' 'AllowCloudSearch' 0
# Windows Error Reporting
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting' 'Disabled' 1
# Windows Recall / AI data analysis
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI' 'DisableAIDataAnalysis' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsAI' 'DisableAIDataAnalysis' 1
# Copilot
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsCopilot' 'TurnOffWindowsCopilot' 1
#endregion

#region 6. Background apps
Write-Host "`n[6] Disabling background apps..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\BackgroundAccessApplications' 'GlobalUserDisabled' 1
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy' 'LetAppsRunInBackground' 2  # 2 = Force Deny
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search' 'BackgroundAppGlobalToggle' 0
#endregion

#region 7. Telemetry services + scheduled tasks
Write-Host "`n[7] Disabling telemetry services and tasks..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
foreach ($svc in 'DiagTrack','dmwappushservice') {
    $s = Get-Service -Name $svc -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($s) {
        try { Stop-Service -Name $svc -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
        try { Set-Service -Name $svc -StartupType Disabled -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Host "  - Disabled service: $svc" -ForegroundColor Green } catch {}
    }
}
$tasks = @(
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\ProgramDataUpdater',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\StartupAppTask',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\UsbCeip',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Autochk\Proxy',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Feedback\Siuf\DmClient',
    '\Microsoft\Windows\Feedback\Siuf\DmClientOnScenarioDownload'
)
foreach ($t in $tasks) {
    $name = Split-Path $t -Leaf
    $path = (Split-Path $t -Parent) + '\'
    try {
        Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName $name -TaskPath $path -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null
        Write-Host "  - Disabled task: $t" -ForegroundColor Green
    } catch {}
}
#endregion

#region 8. Start menu (unpin all + All Apps = List)
Write-Host "`n[8] Configuring Start menu..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
# Unpin all pinned items via the 25H2 "Configure Start Pins" policy (empty list, applyOnce so user can re-pin)
$startJson = '{ "applyOnce": true, "pinnedList": [] }'
$startFile = Join-Path $cfgDir 'StartPins.json'
Set-Content -Path $startFile -Value $startJson -Encoding UTF8
Set-Reg $expPol 'ConfigureStartPins' 1
Set-Reg $expPol 'ConfigureStartPinsJSON' $startFile 'ExpandString'
# All Apps view = List  (0 = Category, 1 = Grid, 2 = List)
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start' 'AllAppsViewMode' 2
# Hide Start "Recommended" recommendations / tips
Set-Reg $adv 'Start_IrisRecommendations' 0
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer' 'HideRecommendedSection' 1
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced' 'Start_Layout' 1
#endregion

#region 9. Extra optimal tweaks
Write-Host "`n[9] Applying extra tweaks..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
# Disable News & Interests / Widgets feature at machine level
Set-Reg 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Dsh' 'AllowNewsAndInterests' 0
# Enable 'End Task' on taskbar right-click (handy for power users)
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\TaskbarDeveloperSettings' 'TaskbarEndTask' 1
# Lock screen: disable Windows spotlight 'fun facts/tips'
Set-Reg 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager' 'RotatingLockScreenEnabled' 0
#endregion

#region 10. Restart Explorer
Write-Host "`n[10] Restarting Explorer to apply changes..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
if (-not (Get-Process -Name explorer -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) { Start-Process explorer.exe }
#endregion

Write-Host "`n==== Windows setup finished $(Get-Date) ====" -ForegroundColor Cyan
Stop-Transcript | Out-Null

Once the file is saved, open an admin terminal (right-click Start > Terminal (Admin)) and run it with this command, replacing the path with wherever you saved the file:

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\Setup-Windows.ps1"

On a second, completely fresh install, that script took the machine from default to exactly how I like it in about five minutes. It created the restore point, installed the apps, removed the bloatware, and applied every customization in quick succession. The result is predictable: you know precisely what state the machine will be in when it finishes.

What Didn’t Work (and What I Fixed)

No automation is perfect, and being honest about the gaps is the whole point of a test like this. Three things needed correcting:

• All Apps view: Claude set the registry value for list view, but Windows kept showing the grid until the value was corrected. I had it fix this at the root in the script so I never have to set it manually.
• A taskbar registry value: one taskbar write did not stick because that value is system-protected on 25H2, so I had Claude remove the broken line and hide Widgets through a policy instead.
• Microsoft Edge: Edge was not removed in this session — it is deeply integrated and resists command-line removal. If you want it gone, see my guide on how to uninstall Microsoft Edge.

A Simpler Way to Debloat Windows (No AI Required)

If handing system control to an AI sounds like more risk than you want, you do not need Claude Code to get a clean, debloated Windows install. I build two free tools that do this safely and predictably.

Winhance is my Windows enhancement utility — a point-and-click app that debloats, optimizes, and customizes Windows 10 and 11, with changes that are easy to reverse. It covers most of what I asked Claude to do here, but through a GUI and without running unsupervised commands. For the install side, UnattendedWinstall lets you automate the Windows installation itself with an answer file, so the machine arrives debloated from first boot.

Going Further: AI for PC Maintenance

Setting up a fresh install is only the beginning. The same approach — an AI command-line tool that can run commands and read its own output — could run diagnostics, dig through Event Viewer logs, or handle routine maintenance on a machine. Claude Code is one option for this; OpenCode is an open-source command-line tool that works in a similar way if you prefer an alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to let Claude Code control Windows?

Only in a controlled environment. Run it inside a virtual machine, not on your main PC, and always have it create a restore point first. Bypass-permissions mode lets the AI execute system commands without asking each time, which is convenient but means you should never point it at a machine with data or settings you cannot afford to lose.

Do I need to know PowerShell to do this?

No. You describe what you want in plain English and Claude writes and runs the PowerShell for you. That said, you should still review the script it produces before running it on a real machine, so you understand what each section changes.

What does “bypass permissions” do in Claude Code?

It tells Claude Code to run commands automatically without prompting you to approve each one. It makes a start-to-finish setup possible without babysitting every step, but it also removes your chance to stop a command before it runs — which is exactly why it belongs in a virtual machine.

Can I reuse the setup on other PCs?

Yes — that is the main benefit. Claude saves the entire configuration as a single PowerShell script. Copy that script to any fresh Windows install, run it from an admin terminal, and it reproduces the same apps, removals, and tweaks in a few minutes without needing the AI again.

Is there a way to debloat Windows without using AI?

Absolutely. Winhance gives you a GUI to debloat, optimize, and customize Windows with reversible changes, and UnattendedWinstall automates the install itself with an answer file. If you prefer Microsoft’s built-in approach, the official Windows 11 25H2 bloatware removal method works without any third-party tools.

This post I Let Claude Take FULL Control of a Fresh Windows 11 PC (Debloat + Setup) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Winhance Release 26 rebuilds the Software & Apps section around a new card view that gives every app a real icon, so you can see exactly what you are removing at a glance. This release also adds system instability warnings for risky removals, a system restore point toggle, an App Installer entry for updating WinGet, and a fix for the refresh button that used to hang.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 22, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The Software & Apps section now has three view modes — card, table, and compact — and the new card view is the default in Release 26.
• Every app now shows its real icon, sourced from your installed apps, the Microsoft Store, or the app’s official site, and cached to disk after a one-time download.
• Microsoft Edge and the App Installer now show an instability warning before removal, because a small number of systems can become unstable without them.
• A new system restore point toggle in the Optimize section lets Windows create automatic restore points for the C drive, so you can roll back changes if something goes wrong.
• The refresh button bug is fixed — it no longer hangs indefinitely on “refreshing installation status.”

Quick Steps — Get Release 26:

1. Download the latest installer from winhance.net, or run the install command below in PowerShell.
2. Run Winhance.Installer.exe and pick the Installable or Portable version during setup.
3. Open the Software & Apps section to see the new card view.
4. Switch between card, table, and compact views at any time using the view buttons.
5. Check the GitHub release page for the complete list of fixes.

The New Card View: Three Ways to See Your Apps

Release 26 adds a card view to both the Windows Apps & Features list and the External Software list in Winhance, my free Windows enhancement utility. The Software & Apps section now has three layouts in total: card view, table view, and compact view. The card view is the default going forward.

If you have used Winhance before, you will recognize the compact view — the dense text-row layout from earlier releases. That layout is still available, so nothing is taken away from you. If you prefer the compact rows or the table, switch to them with the view buttons and Winhance will keep showing them.

The reason for the change is readability. The compact view identified each item by name only, which made it harder to tell at a glance what you were about to remove. The card view gives each app room for an icon, a short description, and its status badges, so the whole list is easier to scan. Whichever view you pick, every item shows the same information — the choice is purely personal preference.

App Icons: A Real Picture for Every App

Every app in the Software & Apps section now shows its real icon. This applies to both the Windows Apps & Features list and the External Software list. A visual cue like the actual app icon makes it much faster to recognize what an item is, instead of reading down a column of names.

Winhance gets these icons from a few different sources depending on the app:

• Installed apps — the icon is read from the app already installed on your PC. These items also show an Installed badge.
• Apps that are not installed — for items like the 3D Viewer or Copilot that are not present on your system, the icon is downloaded once from the Microsoft Store, which stores that information.
• External software — icons come from Wikimedia or from the app’s own website or distribution platform.

These downloads only ever happen once. After the first fetch, each icon is saved to disk as part of the Winhance program data. The next time you launch Winhance, it loads the icons straight from your disk instead of downloading them again.

The App Installer Entry: Update WinGet From Inside Winhance

Release 26 adds a new App Installer item to the Windows Apps & Features list. The App Installer is Microsoft’s MSIX/AppX installer, and WinGet — the Windows package manager — is part of it. Adding it to Winhance gives you a way to install or update the App Installer package on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

If you ever need to update WinGet itself, you can now do that through Winhance. Select the App Installer item and choose to install it. In most cases you would not want to uninstall the App Installer, but it remains possible to do so if you have a specific reason.

Instability Warnings and the New “Permanent” Badge

Some packages are riskier to remove than others. In Release 26, the App Installer and Microsoft Edge both display a warning label stating that removing the package may cause system instability. This was requested by people in the community.

To be clear about what the warning means: the majority of people will not see any instability after removing Microsoft Edge. But it is true that some systems do experience problems, so the warning exists to let you make that decision with the full picture before you click. Most other apps in the list do not need a warning, because they can simply be reinstalled if you change your mind.

Warning: If you remove Microsoft Edge or the App Installer, do it knowing that a small number of systems can become unstable. If you are setting up a machine for someone else, weigh that risk before you ship it.

Some items genuinely cannot be brought back. Those now carry a Permanent badge. In earlier releases this badge said “not reinstallable,” but that wording did not fit on a badge, so it is now a single word. If an item has the Permanent removal badge, you cannot reinstall it once it has been uninstalled — the only way to get it back is a clean install of Windows.

Updated Status Indicators Across Every View

The installation status indicator has changed. The old green ellipse is now a desktop tower icon — green when an item is installed, and grayed out when it is not. The warning icon and the installable-versus-permanent indicators also appear in the table view and the compact view, not just the card view.

The point of that consistency is simple: it does not matter which view you use. Card, table, or compact, you get the same information for every item — whether it is installed, whether it carries a warning, and whether removal is permanent.

Optimize and Customize: Restore Points, Graphics, DNS, and AutoPlay

Release 26 also brings several changes to the Optimize and Customize sections, and most of them came directly from requests on GitHub.

System Restore Point Toggle

The Gaming and Performance area of the Optimize section now has a system protection toggle for restore points. When enabled, it allows Windows to automatically create restore points for the C drive, which makes it possible to undo system changes if something goes wrong. The toggle applies to the C drive specifically, and all it does is enable or disable system restore on that drive.

Tip: Turn this toggle on before you make a batch of system changes. If a tweak causes a problem, a restore point gives you a clean way back.

MPO and Hardware Overlay Settings Split

In the Graphics part of the Optimize section, the Multi-Plane Overlay (MPO) and hardware overlay settings used to share combined registry entries. Release 26 splits them into two separate settings so you have more granular control over each one. These settings are the ones people often disable when they run into flickering or black-screen issues on certain multi-monitor setups, and separating them means you can target the exact one you need.

DNS over HTTPS Entries

The DNS server selection setting in the Network section now includes DNS over HTTPS entries. These were missing in earlier releases, so if you want an encrypted DNS option, you can now select it directly in Winhance.

AutoPlay Toggle

Over in the Customize section, under Explorer and the Devices and Peripherals area, there is a new AutoPlay toggle. AutoPlay is the Windows feature that opens a dialog or runs programs automatically when you insert a USB drive, DVD, or SD card. It is on by default in Windows, and I recommend leaving it on for most people.

Someone requested a way to turn it off, usually for security reasons — disabling AutoPlay stops a program from running automatically off an untrusted USB drive. If that is you, you can now disable AutoPlay from inside Winhance.

Bug Fixes in Release 26

A few visible bugs are fixed in this release. In the Windows Apps & Features section, the refresh button used to hang indefinitely — it would get stuck on “refreshing installation status” and never finish. In my testing, that is fixed, and the refresh now completes the task properly.

There were also fixes behind the scenes. One bug affected external software: some items were not detected as installed even though they were. This happened specifically when you installed an item from the Microsoft Store and then launched Winhance — it would not show as installed. That is fixed, along with a number of smaller inconsistencies.

If you want the exact, complete list of what changed, the Winhance GitHub releases page has the full changelog for every release. For context on how the project has grown, you can also look back at the previous Winhance update and the Release 24 settings update.

How to Update to Winhance Release 26

Winhance is free, and updating is the same as installing it. Download the latest Winhance.Installer.exe from winhance.net, or paste this command into PowerShell to download and run the installer automatically:

irm "https://get.winhance.net" | iex

The installer lets you choose between an Installable version and a Portable version during setup. Once it is done, open the Software & Apps section and you will land straight in the new card view. Watch the full walkthrough above to see every change in action.

Almost every change in Release 26 came from a GitHub request or a bug report — the warnings, the restore point toggle, the DNS over HTTPS entries, and the AutoPlay toggle were all community asks. If there is something you would like to see in Winhance, reporting a bug or suggesting a feature on GitHub is the way it gets onto the list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Winhance free?

Yes. Winhance is completely free to download and use. You can get it from winhance.net or install it through the PowerShell command above. If you find it useful, there is an optional support dialog inside the app, but nothing is locked behind it.

How do I update to Winhance Release 26?

Updating Winhance means running the latest installer. Download Winhance.Installer.exe from winhance.net, or run irm "https://get.winhance.net" | iex in PowerShell. There is no separate update step — installing the new version replaces the old one.

Can I still use the old compact view?

Yes. The compact view and the table view are both still available in Release 26. The card view is the new default, but you can switch back to either of the other layouts at any time using the view buttons, and Winhance will keep your choice.

Is it safe to remove Microsoft Edge with Winhance?

For most systems, removing Microsoft Edge causes no problems. A small number of systems can experience instability without it, which is why Release 26 adds a warning label on Edge before you remove it. If you are unsure, leave Edge in place — and remember that Edge can be reinstalled, unlike items that carry the Permanent badge.

Does Winhance work on Windows 10?

Yes. Winhance works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. The new App Installer entry in Release 26 also lets you install or update the App Installer package and WinGet on either version of Windows.

This post What’s NEW in Winhance Release 26 — Card View, App Icons & More first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

These seven PowerShell commands cover the things most Windows users end up needing — full system specs, bulk app updates, killing runaway processes, removing Microsoft bloatware, restarting the print spooler, checking active network connections, and chaining DISM with SFC and an automatic restart. Every command works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 with the built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1 — no install, no PowerShell 7 required.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 13, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Get-ComputerInfo returns full system specs (CPU, RAM, BIOS, Windows edition, install date) without installing a third-party tool.
• winget upgrade –all –accept-package-agreements –accept-source-agreements updates every winget-managed app on the system in one command, with no Y/N prompts.
• Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 shows the top five CPU hogs even when Task Manager is too slow to open.
• Get-AppxPackage piped to Remove-AppxPackage removes built-in Microsoft apps (including the Microsoft Store) that the Settings app refuses to uninstall.
• Restart-Service spooler restarts the print spooler in one line — much faster than opening the Services panel.
• Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established and netstat -nob together show every active network connection and which app owns it — useful for privacy checks and malware detection.
• Chaining commands with semicolons (DISM ; SFC ; shutdown /r /t 0) runs DISM, then SFC, then auto-restarts the PC — no manual steps between each phase.

Quick Steps

1. Right-click the Start button and pick Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11, or search for Windows PowerShell and run as administrator on Windows 10.
2. Run Get-ComputerInfo for full system specs.
3. Run winget upgrade --all --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements to update everything at once.
4. Run Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 to find the top CPU consumers, then Stop-Process -Name "ProcessName" to kill one.
5. Run Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" | Remove-AppxPackage to uninstall built-in apps Settings won’t remove.
6. Run Restart-Service spooler to fix print spooler problems instantly.
7. Run Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established and netstat -nob to see every active network connection and which app owns it.
8. Chain DISM, SFC, and a restart in one shot: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ; SFC /scannow ; shutdown /r /t 0.

A Quick Note on PowerShell 5.1 vs PowerShell 7

Windows 10 and Windows 11 both ship with Windows PowerShell 5.1 built in. Every command in this guide runs in that version — you do not need to install PowerShell 7. PowerShell 7+ is a newer, cross-platform release of the same shell, and it is worth having for advanced scripting, but it is a separate install.

If you do want PowerShell 7, the official Microsoft documentation on installing PowerShell on Windows walks through the supported install methods, and the latest builds live on the PowerShell GitHub releases page. For everything below, the built-in shell is enough.

How to Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator

On Windows 11, right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin). Windows Terminal opens to a Windows PowerShell tab by default, already elevated. On Windows 10, search for Windows PowerShell in the Start menu (not Windows PowerShell ISE), right-click it, and pick Run as administrator.

If you don’t see Terminal or PowerShell in the Start button menu, the search method works on every supported version of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Hold Ctrl and scroll up on the mouse wheel inside the window to enlarge the font — small thing, but it makes a real difference if you’re working through a long output.

Command 1: Get-ComputerInfo — Full System Specs in One Line

When you need a full breakdown of a PC — CPU, RAM, BIOS version, Windows edition, install date, OS language, architecture — and you don’t want to install Speccy or another third-party tool, run this:

Get-ComputerInfo

The command dumps everything in one long block. You’ll see the Windows Edition ID (Professional, Home, Enterprise), the OS display version (e.g. 25H2), BIOS information, OS architecture (64-bit or 32-bit), and the OS language. On a virtual machine you’ll see VM-reported hardware; on bare metal you’ll see the real CPU and motherboard details.

Tip: The output is long. Pipe it into more (Get-ComputerInfo | more) to page through it, or filter to specific properties — for example Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object OsName, OsVersion, CsTotalPhysicalMemory — when you only want a few fields.

Command 2: winget upgrade — Update Every App Without the Prompts

winget is Microsoft’s built-in package manager — it ships pre-installed and works out of the box on Windows 11. To list every app on the system that has a winget update available:

winget upgrade

That just shows the list. To actually install all of them in one shot, with no Y/N prompts, run:

winget upgrade --all --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements

The two --accept flags are what make this hands-off. Without them, winget pauses at every package and waits for you to type Y. With them, it just downloads and installs the lot one after another, and reports back when it is done.

Note: winget only updates apps that exist in the winget repository. Anything you installed manually from a vendor’s site that isn’t in winget will be invisible to this command. On a fresh Windows 10 install, winget may not be present yet — Windows 11 has it ready by default.

Command 3: Find the Top CPU Hogs (and Kill One) Without Task Manager

When the PC is so slow that Task Manager won’t even open, PowerShell can still tell you what is eating the CPU. This command grabs every process, sorts by CPU usage descending, and shows the top five:

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5

Once you have a process name from that output, end it without going anywhere near Task Manager:

Stop-Process -Name "msedge"

Replace msedge with the process name shown by Get-Process. Run the get-process command again afterwards to confirm it is gone. In a computer repair context this combination is gold — when a system is so loaded that the GUI is unresponsive, you can still free resources from the shell.

Command 4: Remove Built-in Microsoft Apps (Even the Ones Settings Won’t Touch)

The Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Bar, and several other built-in apps don’t expose an Uninstall option in Settings > Apps > Installed apps. PowerShell does. First, find the exact package name with a wildcard search — the example below looks for anything with “store” in the name:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "*store*"

That returns full package details for every match. Copy the exact Name field of the package you want to remove (for example Microsoft.WindowsStore), then pipe it into Remove-AppxPackage:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" | Remove-AppxPackage

That removes the package for the current user. To remove it for every user account on the machine, add -AllUsers:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers

Heads-up: Some system packages are protected and won’t remove no matter what. If a removal fails, leave that one alone — forcing it usually breaks more than it fixes. The Store example above is for demonstration; do not uninstall the Microsoft Store unless you have a specific reason and know how to get it back.

This is exactly how debloating tools work under the hood — they build a list of package names and run the same Get-AppxPackage / Remove-AppxPackage pair against each one. If you’d rather not type these out for every app you want gone, my Winhance app wraps this whole process in a UI, with the option to keep removed apps from coming back after Windows updates. There’s also a written walkthrough of removing Windows bloatware without third-party software if you want to stay fully manual.

Command 5: Restart-Service spooler — Fix Printer Problems in One Line

Anyone who has supported printers knows the routine: search for “services,” wait for the Services panel to open, scroll to Print Spooler, right-click, restart. PowerShell collapses all of that into:

Restart-Service spooler

It runs silently — no confirmation message — so to verify the service came back up, check its state:

Get-Service spooler

If a print job is stuck in the queue, restarting alone usually isn’t enough — you need to stop the spooler, clear the stuck jobs from C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then start it again:

Stop-Service spooler
# clear stuck files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Start-Service spooler

The same Get-Service, Restart-Service, Stop-Service, and Start-Service cmdlets work for any Windows service — replace spooler with the service name. Hours of repair-shop time would have been saved if I’d known about these earlier.

Command 6: See Every Active Network Connection and Who Owns It

For privacy checks, malware investigation, or just curiosity about what your PC is talking to, this PowerShell-native command lists every established TCP connection along with the local and remote address, ports, and the owning process ID:

Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established

That gives you process IDs, but not the friendly app name. The older netstat command fills that gap — run it alongside the PowerShell version to see exactly which executable owns each connection:

netstat -nob

The -nob flags display addresses numerically and show the owning executable for each connection. You’ll see entries like msedge.exe, svchost.exe, and the start menu host process, each tied to specific connections. For some lower-level connections Windows may not surface the owning process — that’s normal and not a sign of anything wrong.

Used together, these two commands are pure gold for diagnosing whether a system is reaching out to anything it shouldn’t. If you suspect malware, pair them with the steps in my Windows troubleshooting guide and a full system scan.

Command 7: Chain DISM, SFC, and an Auto-Restart in One Shot

The classic Windows repair flow is well known: run DISM to repair the component store, then run SFC to repair system files using that good source, then restart. The annoying part is that you have to babysit it — wait for DISM to finish, run SFC, wait again, then remember to restart.

You can chain all three with semicolons in PowerShell so the next command runs automatically as soon as the previous one finishes:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ; SFC /scannow ; shutdown /r /t 30

The ; tells PowerShell “when this command finishes, run the next one.” DISM goes first because it repairs the source files SFC pulls from. SFC then uses that repaired source to fix damaged system files. Once both finish, shutdown /r /t 30 reboots the PC after a 30-second countdown so you can read the scan results before the restart.

Set the /t value to whatever fits your workflow:

• /t 0 — restart immediately when both scans finish
• /t 30 — 30-second window to glance at the scan output
• /t 300 — five-minute window if you want to read the full SFC report

If you’d rather kick off the chain and walk away, /t 0 is the cleanest option. For a deeper walkthrough on what these commands actually fix, see my guide on fixing the Blue Screen of Death on Windows 10 and 11, which uses the same DISM and SFC flow.

Want a UI Instead of Typing Commands?

If the bloatware-removal command is what you came for and you’d rather not maintain a list of package names by hand, my free open-source app Winhance handles it at scale through a proper interface. You can pick which apps to remove, save the removal scripts so apps stay gone after Windows updates reinstall them, and apply optimizations the same way. The full project (and downloads) lives at winhance.net.

For a broader collection of “every Windows user should know” tools that pair well with these PowerShell commands, my PowerToys guide covers Microsoft’s official utility set — different category, similar spirit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need PowerShell 7 to run these commands?

No. Every command in this guide runs in Windows PowerShell 5.1, which is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11 by default. PowerShell 7 is a newer cross-platform release and worth installing for advanced scripting, but it is not required for any of these commands.

Why does Stop-Process or Remove-AppxPackage say “access denied”?

You’re running PowerShell as a standard user. Both commands need elevated rights. Close the window, right-click the Start button on Windows 11 and pick Terminal (Admin), or right-click Windows PowerShell in the Start menu on Windows 10 and pick Run as administrator.

Can I undo Remove-AppxPackage if I uninstalled the wrong app?

Most built-in apps can be reinstalled from the Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store itself is the trickiest case — if you removed it, the recovery path is documented in my guide on reinstalling the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 and 11. Always test removal commands on a virtual machine or a non-critical install first.

Does winget upgrade –all update everything on my PC?

It updates every app that has a winget package and an available newer version. Apps you installed by downloading an installer from the vendor’s website are not tracked by winget unless they ship a winget package, so those won’t be updated by this command. For Windows itself, use Windows Update — winget does not handle OS updates.

Is it safe to chain DISM, SFC, and a restart in one command?

Yes. The semicolon chain runs each command sequentially — the next one only starts when the previous one exits cleanly. DISM and SFC are Microsoft’s own repair tools, designed to be run together in this exact order. The auto-restart at the end simply applies any fixes that need a reboot, which is the same step you’d run manually.

This post 7 PowerShell Commands EVERY Windows User Should Know! first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Microsoft has pushed a new Windows 11 build to the Release Preview channel for Windows Insiders, and it introduces a full-screen Xbox mode, several File Explorer fixes, Copilot agents on the taskbar, tighter driver trust rules, and a handful of performance improvements. These changes are still in testing — they are not yet rolling out through regular Windows Update — but they give a clear picture of where Windows 11 is heading next.

Applies to: Windows 11 (25H2 Release Preview channel) | Last updated: April 24, 2026

Key Takeaways

• A new full-screen Xbox mode is being added to all Windows 11 PCs — laptops, desktops, and tablets — giving the system a console-style home screen.
• File Explorer gets real fixes, including the long-standing white flash in dark mode when launching to This PC, faster launch performance, and consistent folder view settings across apps.
• Copilot agents are coming to the taskbar, starting with the Microsoft 365 Copilot researcher agent — Windows will show live progress on the taskbar while an agent is working.
• Dynamic app removal lists are being added to the existing “Remove default Microsoft Store packages” policy, but this remains an Enterprise and Education feature only.
• Cross-signed drivers lose default trust, and a new registry mode prevents batch files from being modified during execution — both are aimed at closing common malware paths.

Quick Summary of What’s New:

1. Full-screen Xbox mode for all Windows 11 devices
2. File Explorer dark mode flash fix, faster launch, and consistent folder views
3. “Preview anyway” button for files downloaded from the internet
4. Expanded archive format support in File Explorer
5. Copilot agents displayed on the taskbar with live progress
6. Dynamic app removal list for Enterprise and Education
7. Default trust removed for cross-signed drivers
8. Security mode that blocks batch files from changing during execution
9. Memory and reliability improvements for the taskbar and startup apps

A Quick Note on the Release Preview Channel

Everything covered here is currently locked to the Release Preview channel of the Windows Insider Program. That means these features are still being tested, and they can change or be pulled before they reach the version of Windows 11 most people are running. If you are not enrolled as a Windows Insider, you will not see any of these changes yet through normal Windows Update.

I treat release preview builds as a preview of intent rather than a guarantee. Some of these features will ship more or less as-is, others will get reworked, and a few may disappear entirely. I will update this post as these changes move into the mainstream Windows 11 release.

Full-Screen Xbox Mode on Every Windows 11 PC

The first thing in this build is a new Xbox mode that gives Windows 11 a full-screen, console-style interface. Microsoft is rolling it out to all PCs — laptops, desktops, and tablets — not just handhelds. The home screen picks up where you left off with recent games and surfaces featured titles, similar to the Xbox console dashboard.

I personally do not use the Xbox app on Windows, so I cannot say how much of an improvement this is over what was already there. If you do a lot of gaming on your PC and want the Xbox app without going through the Microsoft Store, I covered that in a separate guide on installing the Xbox app on Windows without the Microsoft Store.

File Explorer Changes (The Ones I’m Actually Excited About)

The File Explorer changes are the part of this build I care about the most. There are five notable improvements, and most of them target long-standing annoyances rather than new features.

Consistent Folder View Settings Across Apps

Custom folder settings — like sorting files by name — now persist across every way you open that folder. If you set a folder to sort by name in File Explorer, then open the same folder from a web browser or another app, the sort order carries over automatically. This has been a small but persistent inconsistency for years.

Faster File Explorer Launch

Microsoft says they have improved the speed and performance of launching File Explorer. This covers both the general launch time and the specific case of opening to This PC or resizing the details pane. On systems where File Explorer sometimes takes a second or two to appear, this should feel noticeably snappier.

The Dark Mode White Flash Is Fixed

If you run Windows in dark mode and have File Explorer set to launch to This PC, you have almost certainly seen the white flash when File Explorer opens. It is a brief but genuinely annoying flash of bright white before the dark theme kicks in. Microsoft has finally fixed that in this build. For anyone who sets File Explorer to open directly to This PC, I have a separate guide on setting File Explorer to launch to This PC via the registry.

“Preview Anyway” Button for Downloaded Files

For files downloaded from the internet, the preview pane in File Explorer now shows a viewing warning first. Once you acknowledge it, a “Preview anyway” button lets you see the file contents. It is a small usability improvement on top of the existing Mark of the Web (MOTW) protection, which already restricts downloaded files from running without a prompt.

Expanded Archive Format Support

File Explorer now recognises and works with a wider list of archive formats natively. This is a continuation of the archive handling Microsoft started adding in Windows 11 — you get more formats supported without needing a third-party tool for common extracts. For power users, I still recommend using a dedicated archive tool for heavy work, but for one-off extracts, the built-in support is now much more complete.

Explorer.exe Process Cleanup

Microsoft has also improved the reliability of explorer.exe processes stopping after you close File Explorer windows. There was a bug where these processes were not being cleaned up, which left background processes running and eating system resources for no reason. If you have ever noticed Task Manager showing multiple Windows Explorer entries after closing all your File Explorer windows, this is the fix for that.

Copilot Agents on the Taskbar

This is the one that is going to be controversial. Windows is adding a new way to monitor AI agents directly from the taskbar. The feature supports agents across both first-party and third-party apps, with the researcher agent in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app as the first adopter.

Here is how it works in practice. When the researcher agent is working on a report, Windows shows the progress on the taskbar, so you can glance down and see where it is at. Hovering over the Microsoft 365 Copilot icon displays real-time progress, and when the report finishes, Windows notifies you. The mechanism itself is not limited to Microsoft — third-party apps can plug into the same taskbar progress surface for their own agents.

My take: I am not anti-AI. I use Claude and Claude Code every day for my work, and I am actively setting up a personal AI assistant — just on a separate machine on my network, not on my main PC where all my personal data lives. My concern is not AI itself, it is Microsoft bundling Copilot into the operating system in a way that is hard to opt out of. If you feel the same way, you may want to disable Copilot in Windows 11 and 10, or remove AI apps from Windows 11 entirely.

Microsoft has also said in a previous post that they want to change the way AI is integrated into Windows. How that actually plays out with the taskbar agents feature will tell us a lot. I will update this post once it is clearer whether this stays opt-in or quietly becomes default behaviour.

Policy-Based Removal of Preinstalled Microsoft Apps

Microsoft has updated the existing policy that lets administrators remove default Microsoft Store packages. The update adds support for a dynamic app removal list, meaning administrators can add an AppX package name and have it removed automatically when the policy is applied. In practice, this makes it easier to remove default Microsoft Store bloatware across a managed fleet of PCs.

The catch is that this is still limited to Windows 11 Enterprise and Education. Pro and Home users do not get this policy. I would genuinely like to see Microsoft extend it to Pro — there is no good reason an advanced home user or small business on Pro should have fewer tools to manage bloatware than an Enterprise admin. I covered the original version of this policy in my guide on the official bloatware removal method in Windows 11 25H2.

If you are on Home or Pro: you do not need to wait for Microsoft. Winhance, the customization utility I built, already lets you remove preinstalled Microsoft Store apps, disable telemetry, and customize Windows 11 without needing Enterprise policies or the command line.

Driver Trust and Security Changes

There are two security-focused changes worth knowing about: a driver policy update and a new batch file protection mode.

Cross-Signed Drivers Lose Default Trust

Windows 11 is removing the default trust for cross-signed drivers. Drivers from the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program and an allow-list of trusted legacy drivers are still permitted, but the blanket acceptance of cross-signed drivers is going away. This is a straightforward security hardening — cross-signed drivers have been a common vector for malicious or abusable kernel code for years.

Batch File Execution Protection

There is a new registry-based mode that prevents batch files from being modified during execution. If a batch file tries to change itself mid-run — for example, to call another script that gets swapped in at runtime — it will be blocked. This closes off a known technique used by some malware that rewrites scripts on the fly to evade detection.

Note: This is an opt-in mode set via a registry key. It is not enabled by default, and most everyday scripts will not be affected, but administrators running hardened environments will want to turn it on.

Microsoft Store, Taskbar, and Performance Fixes

The rest of the build is a collection of smaller reliability and performance improvements. They are not headline features, but a few are worth noting:

• Fewer unexpected Microsoft Store download errors — Microsoft has cleaned up a set of common failure cases when pulling apps from the Store.
• Taskbar system tray reliability — the system tray area now loads more consistently for Windows Update when Delivery Optimization is in use.
• Lower taskbar memory usage — reducing the likelihood of the taskbar allocating an unexpectedly large chunk of RAM.
• Faster startup app launches — the apps that load when Windows boots should start up faster after login.
• General reliability work on Explorer, taskbar flyouts, and File Explorer’s Quick Access.

I personally disable Delivery Optimization on every machine I set up, so the taskbar system tray fix does not affect me. If you do use Delivery Optimization, this should at least make the experience lighter on memory.

What This Build Tells Us About Windows 11’s Direction

A lot of this build is Microsoft delivering — or starting to deliver — on things they promised in earlier Windows 11 posts. Some of that delivery is solid: the File Explorer fixes, the driver trust changes, the batch file protection. Other parts feel off-direction: Copilot agents on the taskbar is not what most of the people I talk to are asking for in Windows. It is an early release preview build, so things will change before anything reaches production, but it is a useful signal for where Microsoft’s focus currently sits.

If you want full control over how much of Microsoft’s ecosystem is active on your PC, I would strongly recommend checking out Winhance. It is free, open source, and built specifically to give Windows users the removal and customization options Microsoft does not ship by default.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will these Windows 11 features reach the public?

There is no fixed date. Features in the Release Preview channel typically ship to the public within a few weeks to a few months, but Microsoft can pull, delay, or rework any feature before general release. Cumulative quality updates from the Release Preview channel usually roll out fastest; larger feature additions like Xbox mode or Copilot agents tend to be tied to broader Windows 11 feature updates.

How do I join the Release Preview channel to try these features now?

Open Settings, go to Windows Update, then Windows Insider Program. Sign in with a Microsoft account, pick the Release Preview channel, and reboot. Release Preview is the most stable of the Insider channels and only receives builds close to production, so it is generally safe on a daily-driver PC. I still recommend a full backup before enrolling any machine.

Can I disable Copilot agents on the taskbar?

The exact opt-out controls are not fully documented in this preview build yet, so the final answer depends on what ships. If you want to remove Copilot entirely today, follow my guide on enabling or disabling Copilot in Windows 10 and 11. For broader AI and bloat removal, Winhance is the cleanest path.

Does the dynamic app removal policy work on Windows 11 Home or Pro?

No. The “Remove default Microsoft Store packages” policy — including the new dynamic list — is limited to Windows 11 Enterprise and Education. Home and Pro users need to remove preinstalled apps another way. Winhance does this cleanly, or you can follow my written guide on the official bloatware removal method in Windows 11 25H2.

Is the batch file execution protection enabled by default?

No. The new mode that blocks batch files from changing during execution is opt-in through a registry key, so existing scripts and automation will continue to work as they do today. It is intended for hardened and managed environments, not general consumer use.

This post Windows 11 Is Getting THESE NEW Features! (Release Preview) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Winhance Release 24 adds over 50 new settings across Optimizations and Customize, makes system restore optional on first launch, and introduces a new badge system so you can see at a glance which settings are recommended, at Windows defaults, or customized. Major additions include dedicated controls for Windows AI, Microsoft Edge AI, Microsoft Office AI, expanded taskbar behaviors, and new File Explorer context menu tools for SFC, DISM, and Check Disk.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 17, 2026

Key Takeaways

• System restore is now optional on first launch — a prompt lets you skip it, and you can still create a restore point later from the Settings page
• A new badge system shows whether each setting is at its Recommended, Default, Custom, or Personal Preference value, and a NEW badge highlights settings added in this release
• Privacy & Security gained 45 new settings, including dedicated Windows AI, Microsoft Edge AI, and Microsoft Office AI subgroups for controlling Copilot, Recall, Click to Do, and more
• File Explorer gained 21 new settings, including context menu entries for SFC, DISM, and Check Disk, plus a legacy Notepad file association toggle and expanded navigation pane controls
• Release 24 is available now at winhance.net, and the full changelog lives on the Winhance Release 24 GitHub page

Quick Summary of What’s New:

1. System restore point creation is now optional on first launch
2. New Quick Actions menu for applying all recommended or default values per page
3. New View menu to toggle technical details, info badges, and NEW badges
4. 45 new settings in Privacy & Security (with three AI subgroups)
5. 13 new settings in Gaming & Performance (DNS, VBS, MPO, SVCHost split threshold, and more)
6. 1 new setting in Windows Update (block driver co-installers)
7. 15 new settings in Taskbar customization
8. 21 new settings in File Explorer (context menu tools, file associations, navigation pane)
9. Quality of life improvements to Config Review Mode

System Restore Points Are Now Optional on First Launch

In earlier releases, Winhance would automatically enable System Restore and create a restore point the first time you launched the app. A lot of people gave me feedback asking for this to be optional rather than forced, so from Release 24 onward, you now get a prompt on first launch asking whether you want to create a system restore point or skip it.

Winhance still automatically creates a backup config file with all of your current Winhance settings the first time you run it, so you can use that as a backup and restore function regardless of whether you create a system restore point.

If you skip the restore point on first launch, you can create one later by navigating to Settings inside Winhance. That said, I still recommend creating a restore point the first time you use Winhance — it gives you a known-good rollback point before any changes are applied to your system.

The New Badge System, Quick Actions, and View Menu

The Optimize and Customize pages now have two new buttons at the top: Quick Actions and View. Quick Actions lets you apply all recommended settings — or reset everything to Windows defaults — for the page you are currently on. The View menu lets you toggle technical details, info badges, and the new badges added in Release 24.

Every setting card now shows up to four info badges so you can see its current state at a glance:

• Recommended — the setting is at the value Winhance recommends
• Default — the setting is at its Windows factory value
• Custom — the setting has been changed to something other than Recommended or Default
• Personal Preference — Winhance may suggest a value, but there is no objectively correct answer for this setting

There is overlap between Recommended and Default, because some Windows defaults are also what Winhance recommends. In those cases, both badges are lit up at the same time. A good example of a Personal Preference setting is User Account Control — I recommend Never Notify because I do not want a UAC prompt every time I run an application, but that is a personal call, and the setting makes that clear.

Each setting card also has individual Recommended and Default buttons next to it, so you can apply either value to just that one setting without affecting the whole page. If the badge clutter is too much, open the View menu and toggle the info badges and NEW badges off — the UI returns to a cleaner layout with just the settings themselves.

Tip: The NEW badges are how you can quickly find every setting added in Release 24. Open the View menu, make sure NEW badges are on, and scan each feature for the red NEW markers — the landing page of every feature also shows a count of how many new settings are in that section.

45 New Settings in Privacy, Security, and AI Controls

Privacy & Security received the largest expansion in Release 24, with 45 new settings. The first batch covers core Windows security toggles: Smart App Control, Developer Mode (allows app installation from any source), and a PowerShell Execution Policy setting that lets you pick any of the standard Windows execution policies.

Windows AI Subgroup

A new Windows AI subgroup consolidates every AI feature baked into Windows into one place. This includes Windows Copilot toggles, AI data analysis, Recall enablement, Recall saving snapshots, Click to Do, and more. Most of these are only relevant if you are running a Copilot+ PC or a system where Recall can be enabled, but the toggles work for Copilot, Bing Chat, and generative AI access regardless of hardware.

The Windows AI subgroup also covers AI features baked into Microsoft Paint — the AI image creator, co-creator, and generative fill — so you can disable those from Winhance without opening Paint. Microsoft appears to be rolling out native controls for these in a future Windows update, but at the time of this writing they are not available in stable Windows.

Microsoft Edge AI and Microsoft Office AI Subgroups

There is a dedicated Microsoft Edge AI subgroup for all of the AI integrated into the Edge browser, and a Microsoft Office AI subgroup for Copilot and AI features baked into the Microsoft Office suite. If you do not use Edge or Office, you can ignore these subgroups — they only apply when those applications are installed.

13 New Gaming and Performance Tweaks

Gaming & Performance picked up 13 new settings, covering input responsiveness, background process management, networking, and security-performance trade-offs. The most notable additions:

• Mouse Hover Time — controls how long you must hover over a UI element before it activates. Setting this to 1 millisecond makes tooltips, menus, and hover effects appear faster. Requires a restart.
• Background App Permissions — previously a simple toggle, now a three-option combo box: User in Control, Force Allow, or Force Deny. Force Deny removes background permissions from Windows Settings entirely, which also disables background activity for apps that depend on it (Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp, etc.). Set it back to User in Control if you need those apps to run normally.
• WebView 2 in Windows Search — disables Windows Search using WebView 2 or Edge for rendering results. This removes Edge processes spawned by SearchHost.exe and reduces resource usage, but it uses an undocumented Windows feature management override that may change in future updates.
• SVCHost Split Threshold — sets the memory threshold Windows uses to decide when to split services into separate SVCHost.exe processes. Match this to your system RAM for the safest result (check Task Manager > Performance > Memory to confirm how much RAM you have). The setting also allows values above your physical RAM by request, but use that with caution.
• Multi-Plane Overlay (MPO) — composites display layers in hardware using the GPU. Recommended on, but disabling it can fix screen flickering, black screens, and stuttering on multi-monitor setups.
• MPO Minimum Frame Rate Requirement — related to MPO. Disabling this can resolve stuttering in browsers and Discord without fully disabling MPO itself.
• DNS Server — previously not configurable from Winhance. You can now pick Automatic (DHCP) or presets for Cloudflare, Cloudflare Malware Blocking, Google, Quad9, or OpenDNS. The setting applies to every network adapter on the system — Wi-Fi and Ethernet both.

Security Subgroup for Gaming Performance

A Security subgroup was added inside Gaming & Performance because these specific security features have a direct impact on gaming performance on some systems. This subgroup lets you toggle Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and Memory Integrity.

The recommended values here are off, because the context is gaming performance — not security. Disabling VBS and Memory Integrity has been known to improve gaming frame rates on some systems, but it does reduce overall system security. If you do not play games on the machine and you are security-conscious, leave these enabled.

Services and Input Management

The Connected Devices Platform Service can now be disabled or set to manual from Winhance, which reduces background activity and device interaction logging. The Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service setting was also updated — this service handles the Windows Input Experience, including the touch keyboard, pen and stylus input, handwriting panel, and the emoji panel.

On a normal Windows 11 desktop, opening the emoji panel (Windows key + period) spawns a background process that can use up to 20% of the CPU briefly and 80 MB of RAM, and that process stays running even after you close the panel. Disabling this service kills the process for good, and the emoji panel stops working — but the on-screen keyboard continues to function. If you never use the emoji panel or a touch input method, this is safe to disable.

One New Setting in Windows Update: Block Driver Co-Installers

The Windows Update section picked up one new setting: Block Driver Co-Installers. When this is on (the default behavior), Windows allows hardware vendors to install companion software alongside device drivers — things like Razer Synapse, printer utilities, and other bundled vendor applications.

Disabling this prevents that bloatware from installing automatically when you plug in a peripheral. Your hardware continues to work normally with the standard drivers — you just do not get the extra vendor software pushed in through Windows Update.

15 New Taskbar Settings and 21 New File Explorer Settings

Over in Customize, the Taskbar feature gained 15 new settings and File Explorer gained 21. Many of these were requested directly through issues on the Winhance GitHub page, and the goal is the same as always — let you pre-configure every setting in Winhance, then deploy it to new systems using a Winhance config file or an autounattend XML.

Taskbar: Copilot Pins, Behaviors, and System Tray

The Taskbar section now includes controls for the Copilot companion button, Copilot WPA pin, and Recall pin (most relevant on Copilot+ PCs). Toggling these off removes the associated pins from the taskbar. On a regular Windows 11 Pro installation, the Copilot button may still appear — to fully remove it from the taskbar on those systems, you have to uninstall Copilot itself from Apps & Features.

Every Windows taskbar behavior is now mirrored in Winhance: auto-hide, taskbar auto-hover delay, show badges, show on all displays, end task in taskbar, show all system tray icons, and more. This makes it possible to pre-configure the exact taskbar behavior you want in a config file or autounattend XML, so the setting is already in the right state on a fresh install. If you are new to deploying Windows with an answer file, I have a full guide on how to create an unattended answer file for Windows 10 and 11.

File Explorer: Shortcut Arrows and Context Menu Tools

The File Explorer section starts with a setting many of you requested: Remove Shortcut Arrow Icon. Turning this on writes a transparent icon file to Windows and hides the arrow overlay on every desktop shortcut, which makes the desktop look cleaner without changing the underlying shortcut behavior.

The bigger addition is a context menu subgroup with the following new entries:

• SFC Scan Now — adds a right-click option to run sfc /scannow in an elevated terminal
• DISM (Repair Windows Image) — adds a right-click option to run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Check Disk — adds a right-click option with three variants: scan only, fix errors, or locate bad sectors. Prompts for a drive letter when you run it.
• Edit or Run with PS1 — adds right-click options on PowerShell files for opening with Windows PowerShell, PowerShell 7, PowerShell ISE, or Notepad. Each target must be installed on the system for that menu entry to work.
• Compressed To — adds right-click compression options for any file or folder (ZIP, 7Z, and other formats). This one is based on ThioJoe’s Compressed To tweak — full credit to him for the original script.

These context menu entries only appear in the classic Windows context menu, not the Windows 11 default menu. If you have not already switched, see how to enable the classic context menu in Windows 11 — Winhance can also make that change for you.

Note: I originally considered adding SFC, DISM, and Check Disk as action buttons inside the Optimizations feature, but that does not fit my vision for the app. Winhance is an enhancement and deployment tool, not a system repair utility. Adding the same commands as context menu entries keeps them accessible to IT professionals without turning Winhance into something it is not.

File Associations, Navigation Pane, and Regional Settings

A new Use Legacy Notepad for Text Files setting changes the default handler for .txt files from the new Windows 11 Notepad to the legacy Notepad. This requires the Notepad Legacy optional feature to be installed on the system (it still ships by default on Windows 11 at the time of writing, but Microsoft may remove it in a future release).

The Navigation Pane settings expand on the existing Show All Folders toggle — you can now individually control which folders appear in the navigation pane (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos), hide libraries, and disable the duplicate removable drives behavior that shows each USB drive twice in This PC.

There is also a Show Auto Login Option in User Accounts setting that restores the classic “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer” checkbox in netplwiz. Windows removed this by default, so enabling this setting is the only way to get that checkbox back without manual registry edits.

Finally, a Regional Settings group lets you pre-configure date format, first day of the week, number format, currency symbol, and measurement system. These have no recommended values — they are entirely preference or locale-based — but they are very useful in deployment scenarios. I used to spend real time in my repair shop setting these manually on every client machine, and having them in Winhance means you can bake them into a config file and never touch them again.

Config Review Mode — Quality of Life Improvements

Config Review Mode is not new — it is what Winhance enters when you import a config file, so you can review each setting change before applying it. Release 24 makes two clarifications that were requested by users who ran into confusion here:

• The Advanced Tools section is now fully disabled during Config Review Mode. You cannot build a custom ISO or toggle settings from scratch while reviewing a config — Config Review Mode is specifically for reviewing and accepting or rejecting changes, not for normal editing. The disabled state makes this explicit.
• Quick Actions in Config Review Mode now offers Accept All Changes and Reject All Changes on the current page, and the View menu gains a Show Only Changes toggle so you do not have to scroll through settings the config is not touching.

Once you accept or reject every change, the final Apply Config button pushes the reviewed changes to your live system. If you decide not to continue, Cancel exits Config Review Mode without applying anything.

How to Get Winhance Release 24

Release 24 is available now. The fastest way to install or update is the PowerShell one-liner on the Winhance website:

irm "https://get.winhance.net" | iex

Run that in an elevated PowerShell window and it handles the install or update automatically. You can also download installable or portable builds directly from the Winhance Release 24 GitHub page, which is also where the complete changelog lives — I did not cover every single change in this walkthrough, so check the release notes for the full list.

If you are brand new to Winhance, start with the main Winhance guide — it walks through the full app, what each feature does, and the recommended workflow. And if your end goal is a clean, pre-configured Windows install rather than tweaking an existing system, UnattendedWinstall and the Winhance WIMUtil both let you bake these settings into a bootable ISO from the start.

Coming next: I have more updates planned for the Autounattend feature, plus a Config Creation Mode and Autounattend Creation Mode — modes where you can configure settings in the Winhance UI without applying them to your live system, so you can build a config or answer file cleanly. No release date yet, but it is on the list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Winhance still free?

Yes. Winhance is completely free and open source, and I rely on community support to keep building it. If you have found it useful, sharing it or supporting development helps a lot. The download counter is sitting at nearly 1 million downloads at the time of Release 24.

Will my existing Winhance config file still work in Release 24?

Yes. Existing config files continue to work — the new settings simply will not be present in an older config, so they will stay at their current values on your system. If you want to include the new settings, open the config in Release 24, configure the new options, and export a fresh config file.

Do I need a Copilot+ PC to use the Windows AI settings?

No. Many of the Windows AI toggles — Copilot, Bing Chat, generative AI access, Paint AI — apply to any Windows 11 system where those features are installed. Recall and Click to Do are primarily aimed at Copilot+ PCs, but the settings in Winhance still work safely on non-Copilot+ systems; they just have no effect if the feature is not available on that hardware.

Why are some security settings inside the Gaming & Performance section?

Because disabling features like Virtualization-Based Security and Memory Integrity has been shown to improve gaming performance on some systems. They live in Gaming & Performance with a recommended off value for that reason. If you do not game on the machine, it is safer to leave both enabled — they are there for users who have prioritized frame rate over the small security cost.

What is the difference between Winhance and the autounattend XML?

Winhance configures settings on a live, already-installed Windows system. An autounattend XML is an answer file that configures settings during the Windows installation process — before you even reach the desktop. Winhance’s WIMUtil can generate an autounattend XML based on your current selections, so you can use the same settings both ways: on existing installs through the app, and on fresh installs through a custom ISO. See my unattended answer file guide for the full walkthrough of that workflow.

This post I Added 50+ NEW Settings to Winhance — Full Walkthrough! first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

You can remove every AI app Microsoft has quietly installed on Windows 11 — Copilot, Clipchamp, Recall, and more — using Winhance, a free open-source tool I built specifically for this. Run a single PowerShell command to install it, check the AI apps you want gone, and enable continuous removal to block Windows Update from sneaking them back. Here’s exactly how.

Applies to: Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 2, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Windows 11 now ships with at least 7 AI-powered apps installed or pre-loaded, including Copilot, Clipchamp, and AI features baked into Paint and Notepad.
• Winhance can remove all of them at once — select the apps you want gone, hit apply, and they’re uninstalled in seconds.
• Continuous removal keeps them off permanently — Winhance creates scheduled tasks that automatically re-remove any AI app that Windows Update tries to reinstall.
• You can proactively block apps you don’t even have yet — select apps like Recall before they appear on your system, and Winhance will prevent them from ever installing.
• If you reinstall an app through Winhance later, it’s smart enough to remove that app from the continuous removal list so it won’t get deleted again.

Quick Steps

1. Open PowerShell and run irm winhance.net | iex to install Winhance.
2. Open the Application Management section in Winhance.
3. Select the AI apps you want to remove (Copilot, Clipchamp, Paint, Notepad, Edge, Recall, etc.).
4. Check “Save removal scripts to ensure continuous removal” to keep them off permanently.
5. Click Apply to remove the selected apps.
6. Optionally, go to External Software in Winhance to install replacements like Notepad++.

Which AI Apps Does Windows 11 Install?

Microsoft has been aggressively pushing AI into Windows 11 over the past year. What started with Copilot has expanded into a full suite of AI-powered apps that appear on your system — often without you asking for them. Here’s what’s currently being installed or pre-loaded on Windows 11 machines.

• Microsoft Copilot — The standalone AI assistant app. It pins itself to the taskbar and Start menu after feature updates.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot — A separate app from regular Copilot, tied to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
• Clipchamp — Microsoft’s AI-powered video editor, pre-installed on all Windows 11 systems.
• Paint — The classic app now has Copilot AI image generation features baked in.
• Notepad — Even Notepad now includes Copilot AI text rewriting capabilities.
• Microsoft Edge — Packed with Copilot AI features throughout the browser.
• Recall — Available on Copilot+ PCs, this app takes continuous screenshots of everything you do and uses AI to make it searchable.

The problem isn’t just that these apps exist — it’s that Windows Update regularly reinstalls them even after you remove them manually. That’s the exact problem I built Winhance to solve.

How to Install Winhance

Winhance is free, open-source, and installs with a single PowerShell command. There’s no installer wizard, no bundled software, and no account required. You can also choose a portable version if you prefer not to install anything.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
2. Paste the following command and press Enter:

irm "https://get.winhance.net" | iex

1. The installer will ask if you want a normal install or portable install. Choose whichever you prefer — both work the same way.
2. Once installed, Winhance opens automatically and you’re ready to start removing apps.

Tip: If you’ve never used Winhance before, check out my full Winhance guide for a complete overview of everything it can do beyond just removing AI apps.

How to Remove AI Apps with Winhance

Once Winhance is open, removing AI apps takes about 30 seconds. The interface groups removable apps into clear categories, so you can pick exactly what you want gone.

1. In Winhance, navigate to the Application Management section.
2. You’ll see a list of installed Microsoft apps, including all the AI-powered ones. Select the ones you want to remove:
   • Clipchamp
   • Microsoft Copilot
   • Microsoft 365 Copilot
   • Notepad (AI version)
   • Paint (AI version)
   • Microsoft Edge
   • Recall (Copilot+ PCs only)
3. Click Apply to remove all selected apps at once.

One thing I specifically designed into Winhance: you can select apps that aren’t currently installed on your system. This is useful for apps like Recall that may not be on your PC yet but could appear after a future Windows Update. By selecting them now, you’re telling Winhance to block them proactively.

If you want to disable Copilot without fully uninstalling it, you can do that through Windows settings instead. But if you want it completely gone, Winhance is the fastest option.

How to Keep AI Apps Off Your PC Permanently

This is the feature that makes Winhance different from manually uninstalling apps. Windows Update has a habit of reinstalling apps you’ve already removed — especially Copilot. The continuous removal feature stops that from happening.

Before you click Apply, check the box labeled “Save removal scripts to ensure continuous removal”. This tells Winhance to create scheduled tasks in Windows Task Scheduler that monitor for reinstalled apps. If Windows Update sneaks an app back onto your system, the scheduled task detects it and removes it again automatically.

I tested this on camera to prove it works. I manually reinstalled Copilot through the Microsoft Store after it had been removed by Winhance. After a restart, the continuous removal script detected the unauthorized reinstall and removed Copilot again within about 15 seconds. No manual intervention needed.

Tip: The continuous removal scripts only target apps that were removed through Winhance. If you later decide you want an app back and install it through Winhance’s External Software section, the tool automatically updates the removal list so it won’t delete that app again.

This smart behavior is important. If you install an app through Winhance that was previously removed, Winhance recognizes it as an intentional install and removes it from the continuous removal list. It only catches reinstalls that happen outside of Winhance — like when Windows Update puts Copilot back without your permission.

How to Replace Removed Apps

After removing AI-heavy apps like Notepad and Paint, you’ll probably want replacements. Winhance has a built-in External Software section that lets you install popular alternatives directly — no need to hunt for download links.

For example, after removing the AI version of Notepad, you can install Notepad++ straight from Winhance. It’s a far more capable text editor without any AI features forced on you.

Some popular replacements available through Winhance’s External Software section:

• Notepad++ — Lightweight, powerful text editor with syntax highlighting and tabs.
• Alternative browsers — Replace Microsoft Edge with your preferred browser.
• Classic Paint alternatives — If you used Paint for basic image editing, lightweight alternatives are available without the AI overhead.

Remember: any app you install through Winhance is automatically excluded from the continuous removal list. So you don’t need to worry about Winhance fighting against itself.

Why Microsoft Keeps Reinstalling AI Apps

If you’re wondering why you need a tool like Winhance in the first place — it’s because Microsoft treats AI app removal as temporary. Every major Windows Update can reset your app selections and reinstall things you’ve already removed. This is by design, not a bug.

Microsoft’s business strategy increasingly relies on AI integration across Windows. Copilot, Recall, and the AI features in everyday apps like Paint and Notepad are central to that strategy. When you remove them, Windows Update sees them as “missing components” and reinstalls them during the next feature update.

That’s exactly why I added the continuous removal feature to Winhance. A one-time uninstall isn’t enough anymore. You need something actively watching for unauthorized reinstalls and cleaning them up automatically. The scheduled tasks Winhance creates run with minimal system resources and only activate when needed.

What About Copilot+ PCs and Recall?

If you have a Copilot+ PC (a device with an NPU chip meeting Microsoft’s requirements), you may also have Recall installed or queued for installation. Recall continuously takes screenshots of everything on your screen and uses AI to make that history searchable.

Even if Recall isn’t on your system yet, you can select it in Winhance and enable continuous removal. This ensures that if a future Windows Update tries to install Recall, it gets blocked immediately. This proactive approach is the safest way to handle apps you don’t want anywhere near your PC.

For standard Windows 11 PCs without an NPU, Recall won’t install on its own. But selecting it in Winhance as a precaution costs nothing and takes one extra checkbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Winhance safe to use?

Yes. Winhance is open-source, meaning anyone can inspect the code on GitHub. I built it as a transparent tool for the Windows community. It doesn’t modify system files or break Windows Update — it only removes apps and creates standard scheduled tasks in Task Scheduler.

Will removing these apps break anything in Windows 11?

No. All the AI apps listed here are standalone applications, not core Windows components. Removing Copilot, Clipchamp, or the AI features in Paint and Notepad does not affect system stability. Windows 11 continues to function normally without them.

Can I get the apps back after removing them?

Absolutely. If you change your mind, you can reinstall any removed app through Winhance’s External Software section or through the Microsoft Store. If you install an app through Winhance, it automatically removes that app from the continuous removal list so it won’t be deleted again.

Does the continuous removal feature use a lot of system resources?

No. The continuous removal scripts run as lightweight scheduled tasks in Windows Task Scheduler. They only activate when triggered (such as after a Windows Update) and use negligible CPU and memory. You won’t notice any performance impact.

Do I need to run Winhance as administrator?

Yes. Since Winhance removes system-installed apps and creates scheduled tasks, it requires administrator privileges. The PowerShell install command (irm winhance.net | iex) should be run in an elevated (admin) PowerShell window.

This post How to Remove AI Apps from Windows 11 (Copilot, Recall, and More) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory