Windows 11 arrives loaded with more than just an operating system—there's also bloatware, relentless telemetry, and a host of so-called 'features' designed to serve everyone except the end user.
Pure11 cuts through the nonsense, providing a streamlined, privacy-focused, and highly efficient version of the operating system.
This PowerShell script strips away the bloatware, removes ads, disables intrusive features, and performs essential system hardening, delivering a clean, secure, and responsive Windows 11 installation.
Pure11 is for those who prefer an OS that works for them, not the other way around.
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Microsoft Edge
It is purged with fire. <3
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OneDrive
With a caveat: you need the post install script to get rid of it completely. It is a very persistent little worm and keeps crawling back. But after the Post install script ran, it is gone forever.
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Telemetry
It's staggering how much telemetry is sewed into the fabric of Windows 11. I highly doubt all of them is disabled, but the wast majority of them should be covered by Pure 11.
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AppX Packages
For the latest list please check the contents of ./config/appx.conf
ActiproSoftwareLLC AdobePhotoshopExpress CandyCrushSaga CandyCrushSodaSaga Clipchamp.Clipchamp Duolingo EclipseManager Flipboard.Flipboard iHeartRadio Microsoft.3DBuilder Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 Microsoft.AccountsControl Microsoft.AsyncTextService Microsoft.BingFinance Microsoft.BingNews Microsoft.BingSports Microsoft.BingWeather Microsoft.CommsPhone Microsoft.Copilot Microsoft.GamingApp Microsoft.GetHelp Microsoft.Getstarted Microsoft.GroupMe10 Microsoft.Messaging Microsoft.Microsoft3DViewer Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.Stable Microsoft.MicrosoftEdgeDevToolsClient Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes Microsoft.MinecraftUWP Microsoft.MixedReality.Portal Microsoft.MSPaint Microsoft.NetworkSpeedTest Microsoft.Office.OneNote Microsoft.Office.Sway Microsoft.OneConnect Microsoft.OutlookForWindows Microsoft.Paint Microsoft.People Microsoft.PowerAutomateDesktop Microsoft.Print3D Microsoft.ScreenSketch Microsoft.SkypeApp Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp Microsoft.Todos Microsoft.Wallet Microsoft.Windows.CallingShellApp Microsoft.Windows.DevHome Microsoft.Windows.Holographic.FirstRun Microsoft.Windows.PeopleExperienceHost Microsoft.Windows.Photos Microsoft.WindowsAlarms Microsoft.WindowsCamera microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps Microsoft.WindowsFeedback Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub Microsoft.WindowsMaps Microsoft.WindowsPhone Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder Microsoft.WindowsStore Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI Microsoft.XboxApp Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay Microsoft.YourPhone Microsoft.ZuneMusic Microsoft.ZuneVideo MicrosoftCorporationII.QuickAssist MicrosoftWindows.Client.WebExperience MicrosoftWindows.CrossDevice PandoraMediaInc Shazam Spotify Twitter Windows.ContactSupport Windows.Print3D -
Windows Capabilities
For the latest list please check the contents of ./config/capabilities.conf
Accessibility.Braille Analog.Holographic.Desktop App.StepsRecorder Browser.InternetExplorer Language.Handwriting Language.OCR Language.Speech Language.TextToSpeech MathRecognizer Media.WindowsMediaPlayer Microsoft.Wallpapers.Extended Microsoft.Windows.WordPad OneCoreUAP.OneSync Windows.Desktop.EMS-SAC.Tools -
Optional Windows Features
For the latest list please check the contents of ./config/features.conf
Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 Internet-Explorer-Optional-x64 Internet-Explorer-Optional-x84 MediaPlayback MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2 MicrosoftWindowsPowerShellV2Root RasCMAK.Client RIP.Listener SMB1Protocol SMB1Protocol-Client SMB1Protocol-Server SmbDirect SNMP.Client TelnetClient TFTP WCF-TCP-PortSharing45 WindowsMediaPlayer WMI-SNMP-Provider.Client WorkFolders-Client -
And a whole heap of other stuff through registry and filesystem changes
Please check the contents of the
./configfolder to review what changes are implemented.
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Windows Updates
I'm not a savage. Despite it's annoying tendency to introduce junk noone asked for, having patches for 0-days and other nasty bugs are far outweights it's downsides and shortcomings.
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Windows Defender
Well, maybe i'm a savage after all... I spent like two weeks trying to strip this out from the system in a way which doesn't undermines stability (and windows updates). But it is not possible without breaking things which otherwise useful.
If you are under age ~45 just keep your system up-to-date and don't do stupid stuff, Defender will provide sufficient protection.
If you are over ~45, please purchase a strong AV engine from a reputable vendor and keep your system updated.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but statistics and experience never lies...
If you are looking for a good AV to purchase i recommend to check out this youtube channel: The PC Security Channel (Note: He will not tell you what to buy, but his videos will provide you the knowledge to be able to form and educated decision for your usecase/situation)
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Windows 11 Install ISO - Download Windows 11 - Microsoft or MSDN
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PowerShell - The versions below are just for reference, if yours somewhere in the ballpark, then you should be fine.
# for Windows PowerShell # $PSVersionTable Name Value ---- ----- PSVersion 5.1.22621.4111 PSEdition Desktop PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...} BuildVersion 10.0.22621.4111 CLRVersion 4.0.30319.42000 WSManStackVersion 3.0 PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3 SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1 # or for pwsh # $PSVersionTable Name Value ---- ----- PSVersion 7.4.5 PSEdition Core GitCommitId 7.4.5 OS Microsoft Windows 10.0.22631 Platform Win32NT PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…} PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3 SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1 WSManStackVersion 3.0
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Make sure you can run powershell scripts:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope CurrentUser -Force; # for the current user # or Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope LocalMachine -Force; # for the current machine
The script can be configured using the various files in the ./config folder (and in the ./work folder, see below).
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📄 config/appx.conf
List of AppX packages to be removed. Lines starting with '#' character interpreted as comments and will be ignored. -
📄 config/autounattend.xml
Allows customization of the Setup process (among other things)
Pure11 will try to load one which is matching with the detected language of the OS.
Allowing the option to create customized ISOs for different languages using the same "purification" process.
Image language: en-US autounattend.en-US.xml will be used (if present) Image language: hu-HU autounattend.hu-HU.xml will be used (if present) if no language specific autounattend.xml is found then it just uses the generic one.Read more:
schneegans Generate autounattend.xml files for Windows 10/11
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📄 config/capabilities.conf
List of Windows Capabilities to be removed. Lines starting with '#' character interpreted as comments and will be ignored. -
📄 config/features.conf
List of Windows Optional Features to be disabled. Lines starting with '#' character interpreted as comments and will be ignored. -
📄 config/files.txt
List of file paths to be deleted. They are relative to the mount folder. Lines starting with '#' character interpreted as comments and will be ignored. -
📄 config/hosts.conf
List of DNS entries to be sinkholed using the hosts file. Lines starting with '#' character interpreted as comments and will be ignored. -
📂 config/post-install
Scripts in this directory will be added to be executed when a user logs in for the first time.
Post installation they can be found in
c:\Windows\Setup\Scriptsyou may need to run them manually (as admin) to make them truly work.Note: Todo to investigate why they only executed 'partially'.
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📂 config/reg
*.reg files to implement registry changes. File whose name is starting with
-will be ignored.Note: At present the stuff in the reg files is a mess, i need to come up with a structure to organise them better.
The registry paths have to match with the mounted hives:
Pure11 Hive Path Deployed OS Registry Path Description HKLM\P11_COMPONENTS HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Components Device drivers, services, and other system elements HKLM\P11_DEFAULT HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT User hive of the NT Authority\SYSTEM account HKLM\P11_SOFTWARE HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software Settings for installed software and Windows System itself HKLM\P11_SYSTEM HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM Settings and configuration data for the operating system HKLM\P11_NTUSER HKEY_CURRENT_USER User-specific registry data, will be applied to new users -
📂 work/updates
Place windows update
*.caband*.msufiles in this directory and they will be added to the image. Recursive, subfolders allowed. -
📂 work/drivers
Place device drivers in this directory and they will be added to the image. Recursive, subfolders allowed.
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Download the repo
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Open powershell as admin and cd into the directory where you have the Pure11.ps1 script
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Run the script with the -Init flag to create the required directory structure
.\Pure11.ps1 -Init -
Use PsExec to open another powershell window as SYSTEM
psexec64.exe -nobanner -s -i powershell # for Windows powershell # or psexec64.exe -nobanner -s -i pwsh # for pwsh
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In the freshly opened powershell window, cd into the directory where you have the Pure11.ps1 script
.\Pure11.ps1 -BuildIso -
A file picker window will open to select your windows iso.
Note: A notice window will also complain about not being able to find the desktop folder, that is normal and just click "Ok". SYSTEM does not have a desktop folder.
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In the powershell window the script will list the available SKUs (installable images / editions). Pick the one you want to proceed with.
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The finished ISO will be placed into the iso directory right next to the script.
A ton of useful info, snippets and whatnot is coming from the below listed resources, huge thanks for their hard work!
- https://privacy.sexy
- https://github.com/undergroundwires/privacy.sexy
- https://schneegans.de
- https://www.youtube.com/@pcsecuritychannel
- https://github.com/StellarSand/privacy-settings
- https://github.com/memstechtips/UnattendedWinstall
- https://github.com/teeotsa/windows-11-debloat
- https://github.com/Atlas-OS/Atlas
- https://github.com/swczk/BetterWithReg
- https://github.com/beerisgood/Windows11_Hardening
- https://github.com/ntdevlabs/tiny11builder
This program is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
The developer takes no responsibility for any damages, data loss, or other issues that may arise from the use of this program.
Use at your own risk.
Always back up your data before making any modifications.
Testing in virtual machines are encouraged.