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WinScript : An Open-Source Tool to Debloat and Optimize Windows 11 in Minutes
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
Looking for an open source tool to clean and optimize Windows 11? Then WinScript is for you! This customizable tool contains several features to facilitate the removal of pre-installed applications on Windows 11 (debloat) and optimize Microsoft's operating system.
Windows 11 is a modern operating system, but it integrates many services and applications that are not always useful to all users. These superfluous components can slow down the system, increase resource consumption, especially disk space, and pose privacy problems.
WinScript is an open source application available in both installable and portable versions. WinScript's graphical interface contains several categories of functions, including system unblocking and privacy settings. Depending on the options selected by the user, WinScript will generate a ready-to-use script that you simply need to execute. This makes it a highly modular tool.
In short, WinScript is designed for different types of users:
- System administrators wishing to deploy a lighter version of Windows 11 on several machines.
- Gamers looking to maximize performance by reducing background processes.
- Privacy-conscious users wishing to limit Microsoft's data collection.
In this tutorial, we'll explain how it works and how to use it to lighten Windows 11!
II. Preparing the environment
A. Downloading and installing WinScript
WinScript is available for download on GitHub. You can choose between winscript-installer.exe to install the tool on your PC or winscript-portable.exe which is the portable version.
Here, we'll be using the installable version of the tool. Microsoft Edge is not thrilled at the idea of you downloading this application. The security alert is displayed because the executable is not signed, but that doesn't mean it's malicious. This happens frequently with Windows customization tools, and is not an isolated case (Flyby11, for example, triggers the same alert).
Once downloaded, install the application. This takes just a few clicks, and the application will be installed in C:\Program Files\WinScript. You will then be presented with the following interface:
This interface is divided into several sections:
- Tools: system cleanup tools, including restore point creation and browser cleanup (history deletion).
- Debloat : removal of pre-installed applications on Windows 11, whether from Microsoft or third-party apps.
- Privacy : options for managing privacy and confidentiality.
- Telemetry : disable telemetry from Microsoft and certain third-party editors.
- Gaming: options for in-game performance and gaming features.
- Performance: system performance options.
- Miscellanous: various options for easy customization of Windows configuration.
- Browse Apps: install applications on Windows via Chocolatey
- Run Script : apply changes, depending on the chosen configuration.
B. Creating a restoration point
Before making any changes with WinScript, it's a good idea to create a system restore point. This will enable you to roll back the system in the event of a problem. You can do this directly via WinScript with the appropriate option, or manually via the Windows interface.
If you need help with this task, follow this tutorial:
III. Using WinScript
WinScript includes several predefined configurations that you can apply to your machine. Alternatively, you can create a custom configuration and select only certain options.
A. Debloat Windows 11
By clicking on the "Debloat" menu on the left in WinScript, you can choose to remove certain Windows applications and features. The tool can remove applications such as Spotify, Candy Crush, Netflix, etc. installed by default on Windows 11. It can also remove certain Microsoft applications, such as those linked to Xbox Apps, OneDrive applications and Microsoft Edge.
Simply activate the options that best suit your needs. For example:
You can also remove Copilot simply by checking this option:
How does WinScript work? Each time you check an option, it updates the configuration script. You can view the script by clicking on "Run Script" in the bottom left-hand corner. Relying on PowerShell and certain system commands (svc for services, for example), WinScript will configure your PC.
If in doubt, you can reset your selection by clicking on the "Uncheck All" button in the top left-hand corner.
When you're ready, go to the "Run Script" section and click on the "Run" button. The tool will prompt you to create a restore point before starting.
A script named winscript.batcontaining all the commands to be executed, will launch on your PC. All you have to do is wait during the operation. You can check options in the "Debloat" section and in other sections if you wish, and run all optimizations at once.
At the end, a "Press a key to continue..." message will appear in the console. All you have to do now is press a key on your keyboard, once you've read the output in the console (an opportunity to identify any errors).
After running the script, it's worth measuring its impact on system performance. This type of tool can have a positive impact, but it can also be counterproductive if you overdo the cleaning... That's why it's a good idea to make a point of restoring beforehand.
B. Telemetry options
WinScript can granularly disable telemetry from Windows to Microsoft. It can also disable telemetry from third-party tools such as Google, Adobe and Nvidia. In all, this section offers some twenty methods for disabling telemetry.
C. Privacy options
The "Privacy" section includes options for restricting applications' access to various system information: camera, microphone, location, etc... In general, you can also deactivate activity history, screen recording, notifications and cloud synchronization.
D. Practical shortcuts
As its name suggests, the "Miscellanous" section is a bit of a catch-all, but a handy one. It contains options that can be accessed from certain hidden Windows menus, or even from the Registry. These options, grouped together here, enable the user to easily find a particular Windows function.
Above all, what's practical is the ability to export and import configuration: you can create a sample configuration, export it (JSON file) and import it on a new machine. All you have to do is execute the script via WinScript to apply your configuration. Alternatively, you can copy the script from the "Run Script" section to make it a custom script or one that can be deployed on a set of machines (or during deployment), after running the necessary tests.
E. Predefined configurations
The "Run Script" section gives access to three predefined configurations : Basic, Strict, Extreme. Simply click on the "Apply" button in front of a configuration to adjust the script to be run. Then run the script and you'll benefit from the selected predefined configuration.
You can compare the three preset configurations on this page.
IV. Conclusion
WinScript is a powerful tool for optimizing Windows 11 by removing bloatware and adjusting privacy settings. Its pleasant interface follows the aesthetics of Windows 11, giving us the impression of navigating through Microsoft's system settings.
What I particularly like, beyond its efficiency and simplicity, is the open source aspect: you can consult the code at your leisure and even develop the tool further. What's more, the well-supplied documentation clearly explains the command(s) that will be executed for each checked operation.
What do you think?
