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Windows Cleanup

Turns off telemetry, Copilot, widgets and background apps, stops forced restarts and driver swaps, and frees disk space.

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Recommended

Disable Background Apps

Blocks Store apps from running and syncing in the background, freeing up CPU and network for your game.

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Recommended

Minimize Telemetry & Diagnostic Data

Turns Windows diagnostic data collection down to its minimum allowed level.

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Recommended

Disable Cortana

Turns off Cortana integration in search, freeing the background process it runs.

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Recommended

Disable Bing / Web Search Results

Keeps Start Menu search local-only instead of round-tripping every keystroke to Bing.

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Recommended

Disable Windows Search Indexing

Stops the background indexer that constantly scans your drives to keep file search fast.

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Recommended

Disable SysMain (Superfetch)

Stops Windows pre-loading apps into RAM based on usage history. Mainly useful on SSD/NVMe systems.

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Recommended

Disable Start Menu Tips & Suggestions

Turns off the "suggested" tiles, app promos, and tips Windows injects into the Start Menu.

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Recommended

Disable Advertising ID

Stops apps using your per-user advertising ID to build a profile for personalised ads.

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Recommended

Disable Activity History / Timeline

Stops Windows recording and uploading your app and document activity history.

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Recommended

Disable Windows Widgets

Removes the Widgets board and its always-running background feed service from the taskbar.

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Recommended

Disable Windows Copilot

Removes the Copilot button and its background process entirely.

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Recommended

Disable Suggested / Consumer Apps

Stops Windows silently installing "recommended" Store apps on your account.

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Recommended

Disable Lock Screen & Spotlight Suggestions

Turns off promotional content and app suggestions on the lock screen.

On

Recommended

Disable Scheduled Auto-Maintenance

Stops Windows’ daily automatic maintenance task from running scans and cleanup while you’re at the PC.

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Recommended

No Forced Update Restarts

Stops Windows Update restarting your PC on its own while you’re signed in. Updates still download and install. You just choose when to restart.

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Recommended

Stop Windows Update Swapping Drivers

Stops Windows Update replacing your graphics driver (and other drivers) with older versions it picks for you. Get GPU drivers from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel instead.

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Recommended

Stop Edge Running in the Background

Stops Microsoft Edge preloading at startup and staying open in the background after you close it, which frees memory for your game.

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Recommended

Disable Hibernation & Fast Startup

Deletes the hibernation file, which is as big as your RAM, so you get that disk space back. Every shutdown also becomes a clean start for your drivers.

On

Irreversible

Remove OneDrive

Uninstalls OneDrive and stops it syncing in the background. This one can’t be auto-restored. Reinstall it from microsoft.com if you change your mind.

Off

Recommended

Disable Xbox Background Services

Turns off the four Xbox background services (Live auth, game save, networking and accessories) to free CPU and memory.

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Recommended

Disable Telemetry Service (DiagTrack)

Stops and disables the Connected User Experiences and Telemetry service that continuously collects and uploads diagnostic data in the background.

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Recommended

Disable Telemetry Scheduled Tasks

Turns off the scheduled jobs that wake up to scan your apps and drives and send compatibility and feedback reports (Compatibility Appraiser, Customer Experience, disk diagnostics, feedback).

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Recommended

Disable Windows Error Reporting

Stops the service that collects crash data and uploads it to Microsoft after an app or game crashes, which can hog the disk right when you relaunch.

On

Recommended

Disable Start Menu Recommendations

Removes the "Recommended" tips, promoted apps and account reminders from the Windows 11 Start menu.

On

Recommended

Disable Suggestions in Settings

Stops the Settings app showing suggested content and the "Let’s finish setting up your device" and "Get even more out of Windows" nags.

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Recommended

Disable Search Highlights

Stops the search box loading trending topics and daily illustrations from the internet.

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Recommended

Disable Lock Screen Fun Facts & Tips

Removes the fun facts, tips and tricks Windows prints on top of your lock screen picture.

On

Recommended

Disable Windows Recall Snapshots

Stops Windows Recall taking screenshots of everything you do and analysing them in the background. Only Copilot+ PCs have Recall. On other PCs this just keeps it off if an update adds it.

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Recommended

Disable Tailored Experiences & Feedback Requests

Stops Microsoft using your diagnostic data for personalised tips and ads, and stops the "How likely are you to recommend Windows?" pop-ups.

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Turn Off Windows Notification Pop-ups

Stops notification banners sliding in over your game. Notifications still collect quietly in the notification centre.

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Disable Location Service

Turns off the Windows location service, which also stops apps waking your Wi-Fi to scan for nearby networks to work out where you are.

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Disable Print Spooler

Turns off the printing service. If you never print from this PC, it’s one less background service (and it’s had serious security holes before).

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Disable Storage Sense

Stops Windows deleting temp files and emptying the Recycle Bin by itself in the background. Winsmate’s Clean up page does the same when you choose.

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