How to Debloat Windows 11 Without Damaging Your PC

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A simple guide on getting rid of Windows bloatware

Co-authored by Jeremy Mercer and Eric McClure

Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Fact Checked

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Removing Unneeded Programs

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Disabling Background Apps & Services

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Running a Debloat Script

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Video

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Tips

Whether you’ve got a brand new PC or you’re trying to speed up an older computer that has started to become buggy, you may want to debloat your PC. Debloating is a general term that basically means “removing the junk I don’t need,” which in the case of Windows 11 includes a lot of stuff. Here, we’ll break down how to debloat your PC manually, or how to run a debloating script from GitHub so that you can streamline your OS and speed up your computer.

Windows 11 Debloat Process: Quick Overview

Uninstall any applications or programs that you don’t need. If you can uninstall something in the Apps menu, it’s safe to remove.
Disable any background applications that you can’t install.
Run CCleaner to automatically get rid of temporary files and folders that you no longer need on your computer.

Section 1 of 3:

Removing Unneeded Programs

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1
Uninstall unneeded apps or programs from the Settings app. Even if you haven’t installed anything and you’re on a brand new computer, you probably have bloatware on your PC. Go to the search bar and select Settings, then Apps. Then, select Installed Apps. Scroll through the list and click the three dots on the right to uninstall any programs or apps you don’t need. Our recommendations include:^{[1]
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- MS Store apps (Xbox, solitaire, Clipchamp, TikTok, etc.)
- Spotify, McAfee, and the other third-party apps
- Any brand-specific bloatware (i.e., HP Connection Optimizer, Dell Customer Connect)
- Mail and calendar (unless you use Outlook)
- Microsoft Teams
- Anything else you don’t plan on using
  - If you’re worried about uninstalling something, don’t be! If Microsoft gives you the option to uninstall an app, it’s safe to remove. You can always download it later if you feel like you need it.
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Run CCleaner to get rid of any pointless, unnecessary files. CCleaner is a free program that automatically removes anything you don’t need from your PC. Computer specialist Jeremy Mercer recommends it as the best option if you want to free up space and streamline your PC.^{[2]
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Jeremy Mercer
Computer Specialist

Expert Interview}
- There are a lot of “anti-bloatware” programs out there, but many of them are, ironically, bloatware. CCleaner is one of the most reputable and proven options in the “PC cleaning” category, so we’d recommend not using any alternatives.

Section 2 of 3:

Disabling Background Apps & Services

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1
Turn off any unnecessary background apps. Some apps cannot be uninstalled, but they can still be disabled. In the same Installed Apps screen (Settings > Apps > Installed Apps), any app without an “uninstall” option is a background application. To turn off unnecessary background apps, select the three dots and hit Advanced Options. Under Background App Permissions, select Power Optimized. The app will now only run when Windows needs to update it.^{[3]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} Our recommendations include:
- Feedback hub (it just collects your data)^{[4]
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  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}
- OneDrive (if you don’t use it)
- Start Experiences (this is just the weather and news stuff in the start menu)
- Anything else you don’t think you’ll need
2
Change your startup programs to streamline startup. Changing the startup programs won’t necessarily remove bloat, but it will definitely streamline your computer and minimize wasted energy when you start the computer. It will also make your computer faster. Select Settings, then Apps and Startup. Toggle off any programs you do not 100% need when you start the PC. We recommend turning off:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft OneDrive (unless you use it)
- Microsoft Teams
- Phone Link
- Xbox
3
Disable Copilot to get rid of AI bloat. Even if you disable Copilot in the background apps, Microsoft will still show it on the taskbar (they really want you to use Copilot). Go to Settings and then select Personalization and Taskbar. From there, select Hidden Icon Menu and disable Copilot.
- There’s nothing wrong with using Copilot’s AI features if you want to use them. It’s just that some Windows users find the program to be more comparable to bloatware than a helpful app.
4
Turn off telemetry to avoid sending data to Windows. Telemetry is the diagnostic and personal data that Microsoft collects from your computer to help them get data on how their products are used. To turn it off, go to Settings and then select Privacy & Security. Select Diagnostics & Feedback, then tap the toggle under “Send optional diagnostic data” to “off.” You should also disable:^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source

Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source}
- Tailored experiences.
- Improved inking and typing.
- View diagnostic data.
- To prevent annoying pop-ups, also set the Feedback frequency to “Never” at the bottom of this screen.

Section 3 of 3:

Running a Debloat Script

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Get the newest version of PowerShell using WinGet. PowerShell is a pre-installed Windows-supported program that is basically a better version of the Command Prompt.^{[6]
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Research source} For most casual users, there’s no need for the program, but you need it to run a debloating script. To get it, download the program using WinGet—Microsoft’s built-in command prompt store. Here’s how you get the newest version of PowerShell:^{[7]
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- Open Command Prompt. You can search “Command Prompt” in the search bar and click on it to open the program.
- Type winget search Microsoft.PowerShell and press enter. The Command Prompt will pull the built-in data for PowerShell.
- Press “Y” and install the program. Agree to the terms and services, and the program will open.
  - A warning about running debloating scripts: This process will debloat your PC by automatically scrubbing all of the common programs and features that most people want to get rid of. That said, it may cause system instability in the future, depending on how you use your PC or what future updates look like. In other words, do this at your own risk.
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Find a reputable debloat script. We cannot recommend any single debloat script because they haven’t been tested by us, but you can find them on sites like GitHub. Look over the reviews and comments to confirm that a particular script does what it says, and read the developer’s description of what the script will do.^{[8]
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- One of the most popular Windows debloating scripts appears to be Win11Debloat by Raphire.
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Run the script as an administrator using PowerShell. Every debloating script will have a line of text you enter in the PowerShell tool. Copy the text over, then hit Enter to run the script. The program will do the rest automatically.
- For example, with Raphire’s Win11Debloat, you simply enter & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://debloat.raphi.re/"))) -RunDefaults and press enter. The debloat script will do the rest of the work automatically.
  - This is why debloating scripts are so popular. They’re a really easy and fast way to get rid of a bunch of headaches at once.

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Tips

Check for and install Windows updates often. You can potentially minimize bloat by updating out-of-date software and drivers. Type Check for Updates in your search bar and click the option to open System Settings. Then, tap on “Check for updates” in the top right and install any updates you’re missing.

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