There are several tools you can use to "debloat" Windows 11, which says a lot about how unpopular many of Microsoft's built-in extras have become, particularly Copilot and other AI-driven features. The tools we're featuring today are popular, free, and in most cases open-source.
They all perform similar functions: disabling or removing AI features like Copilot and Windows Recall, stripping out bloatware, and turning off background services that can consume system resources. Their main goal is to help you declutter Windows 11 and better protect your privacy from Microsoft's data collection. Some also let you tweak the Windows UI, such as rolling it back to a style that feels more like an older version of Windows.
Which of these are the best to use? Frankly, it depends on your preferences and experience. Do you want a tool that works like a traditional app, or would you rather use a PowerShell script? Are you trying to debloat a PC that already has Windows installed, or do you want a clean Windows install with the AI, ads, privacy invasion and other junk already killed?
In this guide, we briefly run through these well-known tools to help you understand how they differ and what makes each one unique.
Major caveats to keep in mind: Depending on how your Windows 11 computer is set up and other unforeseen factors, using these tools might cause your system to become unstable. In other words, these tweaks are best left to power users, or at least people who are comfortable troubleshooting Windows when something goes wrong. For example, Windows Update may stop working correctly, or it could override some of the changes you have applied. It is best to proceed only if you understand the risks.
Most important: Some of these tools let you disable Windows Defender. We advise against this in general, but especially if you plan to use your PC online or on any network after making these changes.
AtlasOS
This is a set of configurations and scripts that you apply over a fresh install of Windows 11. Its developer advises against installing it over your current Windows 11 setup, because AtlasOS could introduce stability issues. Alternatively, you can take an official Windows 11 ISO, inject it with AtlasOS tweaks, and then use that modified ISO for a fresh installation.
AtlasOS is designed to optimize Windows 11 for gaming, peak performance and privacy protection.
AtlasOS is designed to optimize Windows 11 for gaming, peak performance, and privacy protection. It strips out most of the apps that come preinstalled, telemetry and other background processes. The goal is to free up system resources as much as possible to improve frame rates, latency and overall responsiveness. So if your computer's specs are mid-range or older, AtlasOS may make Windows 11 run more efficiently on it.
To push performance further, the tool also lets you disable Windows Defender and other default security safeguards, though that's a questionable move for most people. You can also customize the Windows 11 interface through AtlasOS. This includes restoring left-aligned taskbar icons and bringing back classic-style context menus.
Chris Titus Tech's Windows Utility
Also referred to as WinUtil, this tool is not a traditional downloadable app. You launch PowerShell and enter a command that pulls the latest WinUtil code directly from GitHub. WinUtil then opens inside the PowerShell window with its own interface.
It presents tweaks you can select, such as disabling location tracking and telemetry and removing sponsored apps from the Start menu. More advanced tweaks let you disable services such as Action Center or Windows Defender.
You can also use WinUtil to customize an official Windows 11 ISO, for example by removing bloatware before installation and bypassing the hardware requirements, such as TPM, Secure Boot, and CPU minimums, that are meant to block Windows 11 from being installed on unsupported hardware. The result is a slimmer ISO that will install a slimmed-down version of Windows 11 on your computer to your liking.
FlyOOBE
FlyOOBE is a helper tool that guides you through the Windows 11 installation process, and it can bypass the hardware requirements if your PC lacks TPM, Secure Boot, or uses an unsupported CPU. It downloads a Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's servers and uses a server-style setup path to bypass the stricter hardware checks imposed on consumer PCs.
FlyOOBE is the successor to Flyby11, which was originally created to circumvent Windows 11's hardware requirements. FlyOOBE expands on that idea by giving you more control over the Windows 11 out-of-box experience (OOBE).
As the OS is being installed, it lets you customize and tweak things, such as disabling telemetry and removing bloatware and Copilot. It can also bypass the requirement to sign in with a Microsoft account.
Tiny11
This is not really a tool, but rather an unofficial stripped-down version of Windows 11. It is based on the latest official Windows 11 Pro ISO and strips it down to its absolute core. Besides bypassing the hardware spec check, disabling telemetry, and removing bloatware – Microsoft Edge and the Windows Store app are also removed.
Tiny11 may make Windows 11 work reasonably on a low-cost laptop or tablet.
The result is a much smaller Windows 11 install that can use less than 9GB of storage and run with 2GB of RAM. A standard Windows 11 installation can take up at least 20GB of storage and officially requires 4GB of RAM.
That means Tiny11 may allow Windows 11 to run reasonably well on a low-cost laptop or tablet that falls below Microsoft's official minimum requirements. Another possible use case is running Windows 11 in a virtual machine, where the severely cut-down installation should lighten the resources of the host computer.
The obvious concern with Tiny11 is that it is an unofficial Windows 11 build. You are trusting both the integrity of the release and the judgment of its developer.
Win11Debloat
Like WinUtil, this tool runs through PowerShell. You type in a command, and the code is downloaded directly from GitHub.
Through the Win11Debloat interface, you can disable telemetry and many other processes that collect data, along with removing preinstalled bloatware. There are also options to modify the Windows 11 interface, including restoring the classic right-click context menu from older versions of Windows.
Win11Debloat can disable resource-heavy features such as the Bing integration in the Start menu. This will speed things up when all you want to do is enter keywords to search for a local file on your computer, and not bog this process down searching the internet at the same time.
Win11Debloat and WinUtil are similar in that both rely on PowerShell. One major difference is that WinUtil also includes an ISO customizer. So the choice between them mostly comes down to personal preference and whichever works best with your Windows 11 setup.
Winhance
Winhance is designed to appeal both to casual Windows 11 users who want to tweak a few settings and to power users who want to maintain those changes over time. Its interface resembles the Windows 11 Settings app, complete with a search box to help you find tools quickly. It also provides detailed descriptions explaining what each tweak will do to your system.
The app offers toggles for privacy settings, such as disabling telemetry, gaming performance (optimizing GPU), and power management options. It can remove preinstalled apps including Copilot, Edge, and OneDrive.
Winhance is designed to create a system restore point before major changes, so you can roll things back if something goes wrong.
Another useful feature is that it lets you save your tweaks as scripts. So if Windows Update overrides them, for example by reinstalling an app you do not want, Winhance can detect that and reapply your changes.
Like WinUtil, Winhance also lets you create a customized Windows 11 ISO that can be used for a clean install that is already debloated and tweaked to your liking.
Winslop
As its name implies, Winslop is focused on removing AI features and other "slop" that Microsoft insists on putting into Windows 11. It can disable or remove Copilot, Windows Recall and Click to Do. And it can stop ads from cluttering File Explorer and the lock screen, and suggested apps from the Start menu.
Winslop's second main purpose is to block telemetry and Microsoft's other ways of collecting your online data. To enable more functions, Winslop has a plugin system that lets you install PowerShell scripts, such as for removing Edge or OneDrive.
You can run Winslop on a USB memory stick.
One unique thing about Winslop is that it does not need to be installed. It comes as a single executable file, so you can run it from a USB memory stick and use it to quickly de-slop any Windows 11 PC.
xd-AntiSpy
As the successor to the classic xp-AntiSpy, this tool does for Windows 11 what its predecessor did for Windows XP: improve privacy by limiting Microsoft's data collection and boost performance by disabling resource-heavy services and removing unwanted apps.
Although xd-AntiSpy uses a Windows XP-style interface, it addresses modern Windows 11 annoyances. It lets you disable Copilot, Windows Recall, and other AI-powered features. It can remove ads from File Explorer and suggested apps from the Start menu. Along with telemetry, it can also disable many other background services.
Like Winslop, this tool has a plugin system that lets you add more features through PowerShell scripts. It can also be run from a USB memory stick. One thing to note is that it has not been updated since September 2024.
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What's been your experience using any of these tools? Have your own advice and tips for debloating the slop from Windows 11? Share in the comments below.