Windows 11 Debloater is a powerful but confusing tweaker

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 26, 2021
Updated • Nov 26, 2021
Windows software
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Windows 11 Debloater is a free portable tweaker for Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system. It is a general purpose tweaker, unlike specialized tools that focus solely on privacy and security.

All you have to do to get started is to download the application, provided as a zip file, from the developer website. The file size is low, currently 113 Kilobytes.

Extract the file after completion of the file download and run the Windows11Debloater executable from the directory.

Note: Windows 11 may display a SmartScreen warning when the program is launched. Also, an UAC prompt is displayed after you accept the warning.

windows 11 debloater

The interface can best be described as overloaded. The startpage, EZ Debloater, displays quick actions that users can perform with just a few clicks. These range from uninstalling OneDrive to applying essential tweaks and enabling the Clipboard History feature.

Tweaks are displayed as scripts when selected on the same screen, but most users will have a hard time figuring out what these scripts do. Some entries have tooltips, but these reveal little information about the changes that will be applied when the script is executed on the device. Select "run script" to execute what is displayed on the screen.

windows 11 essential tweaks

It is usually not a good idea to execute this, as changes may be made to functionality that may be needed. In any event, is is highly recommended that you create a backup before any change is made using the application. Windows 11 Debloater comes with options to undo tweaks, which is good, but users may want another restore option in case things go wrong.

The Windows 11 tweaker includes a good dozen tabs with tweaks that make single changes to certain features of the Windows 11 operating system.

Take Privacy & Telemetry as an example. The page, when selected, displays 14 tweaks that can be applied or restored. These range from disabling the Advertising ID to disabling the main Telemetry service DiagTrack.

privacy telemetry

The tooltips are more useful here, as they provide a short description of what a tweak does on the system. The interface is still somewhat confusing on first glance, as you get five selection options for each of the entries. The letters display the PowerShell scripts that are executed when a tweak is selected in the interface, and the three selectors define the actual action that is executed when you run the entire output.

Some tabs list just a few tweaks, some a lot of them. Tweak titles may sometimes be difficult to understand, but tooltips are available that help users find out about a particular tweak. Another option that users have is to look at the script code and run a search for a Registry key, Scheduled Task or other identifier to find out more about it.

Closing Words

Windows 11 Debloater is a powerful tool that suffers from usability issues. A different list view of items, one that is less confusing, would certainly help in that regard.  All in all, it is something to keep an eye on to see if it improves in future releases.

Now You: do you use tweak tools on Windows 11? If so which?

Summary
software image
Author Rating
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1.5 based on 9 votes
Software Name
Windows 11 Debloater
Operating System
Windows 11
Software Category
Administration
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Comments

  1. Larry Wayne Tommerdahl said on November 29, 2021 at 4:12 pm
    Reply

    Take a look at https://www.trisunsoft.com/?source=werf-ui. It is not a Tweaker per se, but, it certainly does provide a better and faster experience for the user. I use the recommended settings only.

  2. JohnIL said on November 28, 2021 at 11:43 am
    Reply

    I always try to stick with approved ways to turn off stuff. I tried de-bloaters before only to suffer stability issues down the road. No doubt some of Windows stuff is annoying and you cannot readily turn stuff off. But then again, having to clean install after a complete melt down of the OS from too much tweaking isn’t good either.

  3. The Bedsheet Ghost said on November 27, 2021 at 6:15 pm
    Reply

    Ironic on how that Windows 11 Debloater tool is also bloated af and looks god awful to use LOL

  4. Anonymous said on November 26, 2021 at 4:31 pm
    Reply

    Thank you for your Feedback well try to make it less confusing and simple :)

    Ben Cybulski
    -FreeTimeTech

    1. Niko said on November 27, 2021 at 9:32 am
      Reply

      Not confusing at all! Great software!

    2. Mikhoul said on November 27, 2021 at 3:19 am
      Reply

      You could keep this mode for Power-users but add another mode for casual users with a less intimidating UI.

      Thanks for this marvelous piece of software.

  5. John G. said on November 26, 2021 at 3:36 pm
    Reply

    I am unable to understand why these whole bunch of useful tweaks and options to personalize W11 are not included by default inside the ISO. Sincerely, W11 development team is unable to learn what the common users want, and obviously also unable to do something good for expert users. :[

    1. ULBoom said on November 26, 2021 at 7:26 pm
      Reply

      Well, users aren’t the true customers for any of the top “tech” companies. Developers know (I assume) what users want but marketing drives product features that collect data to sell to advertisers, a huge part of business models.

  6. ULBoom said on November 26, 2021 at 1:52 pm
    Reply

    This has been a defacto standard for these utilities for years, the old version was somewhat more understandable, same features, details buried further in the program.

    Even though I understand what almost all the settings do, the interface is quite confusing, goes from one click fits all to allowing mods to scripts. Took a while just to understand what E, D, M, A, H, etc. meant. I’ve used the Win 10 version, I’d guess the Win 11 version is the same.

    Definitely make a restore point before using anything like this. Registry tweaks are probably OK to make, scripts can be dicey but can be the only way to make a change stick after reboot especially in Home.

  7. laugh-a-minute said on November 26, 2021 at 1:18 pm
    Reply

    A confusing app with UX design issues for a OS with with terrible UX design issues.

    Match made in heaven, or rather hell since it is Windows 11 we are talking about.

  8. Paul(us) said on November 26, 2021 at 11:43 am
    Reply

    Nice articel Martin, I am still quit pleased with this free antispy tool for Windows 10 and 11 https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

  9. Software tester said on November 26, 2021 at 11:20 am
    Reply

    Nice one Martin , Thanks

  10. Ray said on November 26, 2021 at 10:37 am
    Reply

    crappy!
    this script is open source https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8ReoMuCUdKE

  11. Rick in Oz said on November 26, 2021 at 10:34 am
    Reply

    Winaero Tweaker looks much ‘nicer’ than this, includes these and many additional ‘tweals’ – and works on multiple versions of Windows, including 7-11.

  12. Nico said on November 26, 2021 at 10:26 am
    Reply

    Martin, the right thing is here ;)
    https://github.com/builtbybel/ThisIsWin11

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