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Clarasfs's avatar
Clarasfs
Copper Contributor
Jun 18, 2026

What is the Minimalistic Windows 10 Setup?

I'm trying to figure out what a minimalistic Windows 10 setup actually means and how to achieve it. I want to strip down the operating system to its absolute essentials, removing all the pre-installed bloatware, unnecessary background services, and visual clutter that slow things down. My goal is to have a clean, fast, and responsive system that only runs the core applications I actually need, while disabling telemetry, Cortana, and all those extra features Microsoft bundles in by default. Could someone explain what this entails and recommend safe ways to debloat without breaking the system?

2 Replies

  • ShawnRussell's avatar
    ShawnRussell
    Steel Contributor

    You can run some open-source scripts to safely remove preinstalled apps and disable telemetry.

  • stusstow's avatar
    stusstow
    Iron Contributor

    Many Windows services and startup programs run automatically, consuming memory and CPU resources in the background.