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🖥️ Windows 11 Optimization & Customization

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📖 Introduction

This guide provides practical steps to reduce RAM usage, extend battery life, and remove unnecessary Windows 11 services and AI components. By applying these tweaks, you can streamline your system, improve performance, and customize Windows 11 to better suit your needs.

⚡ Hardware Optimization

⚙️ Power & Performance Optimization Settings

Setting Maximum processor state to 99% on battery disables Turbo Boost, so the CPU runs only at its base clock speed. This reduces power consumption and heat, extending battery life, with only minor performance loss for most everyday tasks.

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Edit Plan Settings

Change advanced power settings
  PCI Express
    Link State Power Management
      On battery: "Maximum power savings"
      Plugged in: Off
  Processor power management
    Minimum processor state
      On battery: 2%
      Plugged in: 5%
    Maximum processor state
      On battery: 99%
      Plugged in: 100%
🔋 Extend Surface Pro Battery life

Your battery will charge to 80%. This mode extend battery health and lifespan.

Open Surface application.

microsoft_surface

Battery & charging: Limit to 80%

🧹 Windows Cleanup Scripts

📦 Win11Debloat

Win11Debloat is a simple, easy to use and lightweight PowerShell script that helps streamline Windows 11 by removing bloatware, disabling telemetry, and improving privacy and performance:

  1. Open PowerShell or Terminal, as an administrator.

  2. Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell:

    & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://debloat.raphi.re/"))) -RunDefaults

  3. Wait for the script to automatically download Win11Debloat.

  4. Carefully read through and follow the on-screen instructions.

Url: https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat

🤖 Remove Windows Ai

This script disables Windows 11 AI features, removes related packages, and cleans up system data.

  1. Open PowerShell or Terminal, as an administrator.

  2. Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell:

    & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI/main/RemoveWindowsAi.ps1")))

  3. Wait for the script to automatically download Win11Debloat.

  4. Carefully read through and follow the on-screen instructions.

Url: https://github.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI

🗑️ Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is a built-in Windows utility that helps free up disk space by removing unnecessary files.

  1. Press Win + R: cleanmgr.
  2. Select Clean up system files.

  3. Check:

    • Windows Update Cleanup
    • Microsoft Defender Antivirus
    • Downloaded Program Files
    • Temporary Internet Files
    • Direct X Shader Cache
    • Delivery Optimization Files
    • Device driver packages
    • Language Resource Files
    • Recycle Bin
    • Temporary files

  4. Click OK → Delete Files.

🛠️ DISM System Cleanup

DISM (Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool) is a built-in Windows utility for advanced system maintenance. It can clean up the WinSxS folder by removing outdated Windows Update files. Using the /ResetBase option, DISM also deletes older component versions permanently, freeing additional disk space but preventing the uninstall of old updates.

  1. Open PowerShell or Terminal, as an administrator.

  2. Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell:

    dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

🛠️ Windows Customization

⚡ Install PowerShell

Install the latest version of PowerShell using the Windows package manager.

winget install --id Microsoft.PowerShell --source winget
💤 Disable Hibernation

Disable hibernation to free up disk space (removes hiberfil.sys).

To turn off hibernation on Windows 11:

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator)
  2. Execute the following command: powercfg -h off

Note: You can re-enable hibernation at any time with powercfg -h on.

🔐 Enable Automatic Login

Configure Windows 11 to automatically sign in and bypass the password/PIN screen at startup.

  1. Go to Windows → Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options
  2. Disable "For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in"
  3. Press Win + R
  4. Type netplwiz and press Enter
  5. Uncheck "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"
  6. Click Apply
  7. Enter your password when prompted (stored securely for auto-login)
  8. Click OK, then restart your PC
⌨️ Disable Keyboard Layout Switching

Prevent accidental keyboard layout changes by disabling system hotkeys.

  1. Go to Windows → Settings → Time & Language → Typing → Advanced keyboard settings
  2. Click on "Language bar options"
  3. Open the Advanced Key Settings tab
  4. Set all input language hotkeys to "None"
  5. Click OK to apply changes
🖼️ Remove Shortcut's arrow

Remove the shortcut arrow overlay from desktop icons by editing the Registry:

  1. Open Registry Editor
    Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

  2. Go to:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons

  3. Create String Value

    • New → String Value
    • Name: 29
    • Value: %windir%\System32\imageres.dll,197

  4. Restart to apply changes.

⚡ Use High Performance Power Plan

Optimize system performance by enabling the High Performance power plan and adjusting advanced settings.

  1. Open the Control Panel
  2. Go to Hardware and Sound → Power Options
  3. Select High performance
  4. Click Change plan settings
  5. Click Change advanced power settings
Processor power management
    Minimum processor state: 0%
    Maximum processor state: 100%

PCI Express
    Link State Power Management
        Setting: Off
🔌 Disable Fast Startup

Disable Fast Startup to ensure your system boots from the USB installation media. You may need to access the BIOS/UEFI settings to change the boot order.

Option A: From Windows (Shift + Restart)

  • Open the Start menu
  • Hold the Shift key
  • Click Power → Restart
  • Navigate to Use a device or UEFI Firmware Settings to select the USB drive

Option B: From Windows 11 (UEFI Firmware Settings)

  • Open Settings
  • Go to System → Recovery
  • Under Advanced startup, click Restart now
  • Select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings
  • Click Restart to enter BIOS/UEFI
⚙️ Optimize System Protection & Remote Access

Disable unnecessary background features to save disk space and reduce system overhead.

Go to Windows → System → Advanced system settings

Disable System Protection to avoid unnecessary restore points and reclaim disk space.

  1. Select your system drives and disable them
  2. Click Configure
  3. Choose Disable system protection
  4. Set Max Usage to 0%
  5. Click Delete to remove existing restore points
  6. Click Apply then OK

Disable remote access features for improved security.

  1. Uncheck "Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer"
  2. Select "Don’t allow remote connections to this computer"