Windows 11 pro setup
person cloud · link
Configuration
Reference
Windows
Last update
2025-09-14
2025
09-14
« — »

Settings

  • System > About > Advanced system settings:
    • Advanced tab > Performance > Settings > Visual effects > Adjust for best performance
    • Advanced tab > Performance > Settings > Advanced > Virtual memory > Change > No paging file
    • System protection > Off
    • Remote > Remote assistance > uncheck Allow
  • Disable bitlocker: Privacy and Security > Device Encryption > toggle to Off
  • Right click full menu:
    • reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve -- this empties the content of the key (previous value = C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.FileExplorer.dll)
    • open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) > right click on Windows Explorer > Restart
  • Taskbar:
    • hide Search
    • Other system tray icons: show Bluetooth, Eject media
    • Taskbar behaviours > Combine buttons and hide labels > Never
  • Time & language
    • Language & region > ... menu on English (UK) > Language options > Keyboards > keep US-QWERTY only
    • Typing > Advanced keyboard settings:
      • Override: English (UK) - US
      • Language bar options > Hidden
  • Personalization > Fonts > Related settings > Adjust ClearType text
  • Power & battery:
    • Power mode > Best power efficiency
    • Screen, sleep, ... > Plugged = 10/Never, Battery = 3/15
    • Energy saver > Turn on at 50%
    • Lid & power button > all sleep
  • Personalization > Background > Solid color = Cool blue
  • Personalization > Lock screen > Picture + uncheck Fun facts
  • Disable thumbnails cache:
    • reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /v DisableThumbnailCache /t REG_DWORD /d 1
  • disable taskbar thumbnails:
    • reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /v ExtendedUIHoverTime /t REG_DWORD /d 50 (previous value = 0)
    • reg.exe add "HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse /v MouseHoverTime /t REG_SZ /d 2000 /f (previous value = 400)
  • invert touchpad scrolling direction: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad > Scroll & zoom > Scrolling direction = Down motion scrolls down

disable welcome experience, 3 possible ways:

  1. Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings > uncheck all:
    • Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and occasionally when I sign in to highlight what’s new and suggested
    • Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up the device
    • Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device.
  2. run regedit
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager
    • create a new 32-bit DWORD SubscribedContent-310093Enabled = 0
  3. run gpedit.msc
    • Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content > Turn off the Windows Welcome Experience
    • enable the policy, apply and restart

manual windows updates

  • run gpedit.msc:
  • Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience > Configure Automatic Updates
  • enable the policy, set Configure automatic updating: = 2- Notify for download and auto install, apply
  • run gpupdate /force, reboot

auto login

  1. run regedit
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device
    • set DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion = 0 (2=enable)
  2. run netplwiz
    • select your account
    • uncheck Users Must Enter A User Name and Password To Use This Computer, apply
    • enter username and password in the popup (if using a MS account to log in to Windows, insert the MS password)

Chocolatey package manager

  1. install
    • open admin powershell
    • Set-ExecutionPolicy AllSigned
    • Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))
  2. install choco-cleaner:
    • choco install choco-cleaner --params "'/NOTASK:TRUE'"
  3. open admin cmd|powershell:
    1. don't ask confirmation: choco feature enable -n=allowGlobalConfirmation
    2. choco install open-shell WinDirStat irfanview irfanview-languages irfanviewplugins vlc sumatrapdf tightvnc
    3. choco install 7zip micro winscp wireguard pdftk
    4. choco install gimp InkScape mcomix libreoffice-still zoom
    5. choco install ffmpeg jhead
    6. choco-cleaner (clear chocolatey package cache files)

Cygwin

desktop links

  • chocolatey - update all packages (admin link): cmd.exe /K "choco upgrade all & choco-cleaner"
  • cygwin - update all packages: setup-x86_64.exe -n -q
  • windows shutdown: cmd.exe /C "shutdown /s /f /t 0" open in minimized window
  • windows reboot: cmd.exe /C "shutdown /r /f /t 0" open in minimized window

convert an Existing Microsoft Account to a Local Account

Settings > Accounts > Your info > Account settings > Sign in with a local account instead

more privacy

tools

  • CompactGUI -- reduce disk space of programs via native Windows APIs