How to pre-configure Windows 11 to your liking using installation scripts

Windows 10 refuses to leave Windows 11 is a staple in the daily lives of countless users, and that's understandable: we've been living with it for almost a decade, with its quirks but also its stability. However, time marches on, and official support expires in 2025 (or 2026 if you pay for ESU), so sooner or later you'll have to upgrade to Windows 11, whether you like it or not.

The problem is that The standard installation of Windows 11 comes loaded with tolls: apps you don't want, demands of TPMA Microsoft account is practically mandatory, ads are everywhere, and the initial setup wizard is incredibly long. Add to that computers that don't meet the minimum requirements, and things get even more complicated. In this article, you'll see how Pre-configure Windows 11 to your liking using installation scripts, create lightweight ISOs, automate responses and even prepare USB drives that take care of almost everything on their own.

Why does the standard Windows 11 installation make life so complicated?

With the arrival of Windows 11, Microsoft has raised the bar considerably for requirementsIt requires TPM 2.0, relatively recent processors, and an internet connection for many system variants. For a modern PC, this is usually not a problem, but for a fleet of company computers or older machines, migration becomes a major headache.

Furthermore, The installation experience is very much geared towards the home user.Telemetry enabled by default, services you might not want, pre-installed apps you'll never open, and an initial setup filled with screens to choose your region, keyboard, privacy settings, personalized ads, and other services. If you have to do this manually 50 times, productivity will plummet.

What's more, Many computers that work perfectly with Windows 10 are left "out of commission" When trying to upgrade to Windows 11 due to hardware requirements. Before throwing away those PCs or migrating them all to LinuxIt is interesting to consider options such as creating an optimized ISO or using variants like Tiny11, which cut out everything unnecessary and eliminate friction.

The other big reason to look for alternatives is the bloatware and initial overloadApplications you don't need, background services, ads in the Start menu and system, integrations that add nothing in a professional environment... All this makes many prefer a much cleaner installation, focused on the essentials.

Tiny11 and tiny11builder: a lightweight foundation for your customized Windows 11

If you're looking for an operating system based on Windows 11 but free from most discomfort and burdenOne of the projects that has generated the most buzz is Tiny11. The idea isn't to create a "pirated" Windows or a strange distribution, but rather to take an official Microsoft ISO and run a script that cuts it down and makes it much lighter and more manageable.

The heart of this approach is tiny11builder, a script published on GitHub by NTDEV It automates the tasks of removing components and creating a new image. Its philosophy is clear: it relies solely on official Microsoft utilities such as DISM and image packaging tools, and adds an unattended answer file to adjust basic settings during installation.

Thus, The user always starts with a legitimate Windows 11 ISO. in the edition and language you want (Home, Pro, Enterprise, etc.), and tiny11builder acts as a "playbook" that applies a series of very specific changes: it removes bloatware, disables non-critical functions and adjusts the initial wizard to make it more manageable or, directly, to skip certain requirements.

One of the strong points is that tiny11builder is compatible with virtually any build and edition of 64-bit Windows 11In almost any language. You're not limited to a specific ISO prepared by third parties; you control which official version is available. downloads, and the script takes care of reducing and customizing it.

The result is a Lighter ISO, ideal for PCs that don't fully meet the requirements or for users who want to install Windows without the usual burden of pre-installed apps. In return, however, you have to be willing to do a little work with PowerShell now follow the steps to create the modified image.

Downloading the official Windows 11 ISO and preparing the environment

To get started, you need an original 64-bit Windows 11 ISO imagewhich can be downloaded from the official Microsoft website. In the "Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO file) for x64 devices" download section, you will need to choose the "Windows 11 (ISO with various editions)" option, select the language, and save the file, which will be around 5,4 GB. It is recommended to verify the file's integrity using the hash check after downloading.

While the ISO is downloading, it's a good idea to prepare the rest of the environment. The following is Get tiny11builder from its GitHub repositoryOn the project page, you'll find the green "Code" button; click it and select "Download ZIP". This ZIP file contains all the necessary scripts.

Once you have the ZIP file on your computer, Create a dedicated folder and extract its contents there.It is recommended that the path does not contain unusual characters or excessively strange spaces to avoid console problems, although PowerShell usually handles it quite well if you use quotation marks.

Once the Windows 11 ISO has been downloaded, Right-click on the file and select the "Mount" option.Windows will treat it as a virtual DVD drive that will appear in "This PC" with a drive letter, which is usually E:, although it may vary depending on your system and your connected drives.

It is important Note the letter that Windows has assigned to the mounted image.because the tiny11builder script will ask for it later to locate the original installation files it will work with.

Configure PowerShell to run scripts and launch tiny11builder

The next step is Open PowerShell with administrator privilegesYou can do this from the search bar on the taskbar by typing "PowerShell", right-clicking on the result and choosing "Run as administrator" or "Open as administrator".

Default, Windows typically restricts the execution of scripts in PowerShell To prevent malicious files from slipping through unchecked. To temporarily allow tiny11builder to run, you need to modify the execution policy with the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy unrestricted

After pressing Enter, the console will ask if you want to apply this change; you can respond with S (Yes) or A (Yes to everything) Depending on the version and language. This makes the policy more flexible and allows unsigned scripts to run, so it's best not to leave it like this permanently in a sensitive environment.

Having done this, it's time to... navigate to the folder where you extracted tiny11builderThe easiest way is to open File Explorer, go to that folder, and click on the address bar and copy the full path.

In PowerShell, use the command cd to change to the corresponding working directory, for example:

cd "C:\Users\TuUsuario\Downloads\tiny11builder-main"

It is important enclose the route in quotation marks If it includes spaces, otherwise PowerShell will misinterpret it. Once inside the folder, when run the main script A security warning may appear; in that case, type the letter R (from “Run Once”) and press Enter to allow it to run only this time.

Create the tiny11 ISO step by step with tiny11builder

When the script starts, one of the first things it will do is Request the drive letter where the original Windows 11 ISO is mounted.If your drive letter is E:, simply type E and press Enter. If it's something else (D:, F:…), check the correct one by looking in “This PC”.

Next, tiny11builder It will copy the necessary files and generate a version index. These are included within the original ISO: Home, Pro, Education, Enterprise, and so on. Each one will be numbered so you can choose with a simple number.

In many cases, the option that is usually selected is the Number 6, which usually corresponds to Windows 11 Pro within the official Microsoft "multi-edition" ISOs, but this may vary slightly depending on the image. The script will show you the list so you can safely choose the edition you want to crop.

Once the edition has been selected, tiny11builder begins processing the image and applying its “strict diet”It removes non-essential applications, trims unnecessary components, and adjusts the initial configuration to make it less intrusive, while keeping the system fully functional for general use.

The process may take a few minutes, during which time Modifications are also applied to the unattended response file.This file allows, among other things, bypassing the TPM 2.0 requirements during installation and ignoring the obligation to connect to the Internet or log in with a Microsoft account in certain scenarios.

When it finishes, a file is generated in the same folder as the script. new image usually called “tiny11.iso”This ISO is the one you will use to install the already stripped-down system, without needing to repeat the entire process each time.

What does tiny11builder remove and what are the implications?

The key to tiny11 is that It removes a long list of applications and components that Microsoft includes by default. in Windows 11, but for many users, and especially for professional environments, they are completely unnecessary.

Among the applications that the script removes are Clipchamp, News, Weather, Xbox, GetHelp, GetStarted, Office Hub, Solitaire, PeopleApp, PowerAutomate, ToDo, Alarms, Mail and Calendar, Feedback Hub, Maps, Sound Recorder, Your Phone, Media Player, QuickAssist, Internet Explorer, Tablet PC Math, Edge and OneDrive, among others.

The immediate consequence is that The installation is much cleaner and lighter.With fewer icons in the Start menu, fewer background processes, and fewer services trying to grab your attention. In addition, telemetry and intrusive notifications related to ads and suggestions are significantly reduced.

However, it must be clear that Not everything that is removed is harmless.For example, removing Edge also uninstalls the WebView2 component, which is essential for certain parts of the program to function. Microsoft Teams or some sections of Office that use integrated web views. If your environment relies on these tools, it can cause problems.

Something similar happens with Xbox servicesRemoving them helps reduce resource consumption and clean the system, but it can affect performance or certain features. video games that they use for integration with the Microsoft account or with the Xbox platform itself.

Therefore, before you take the plunge, it's advisable Carefully evaluate what uses the PC will have and what corporate or personal software it will need.In some cases, tiny11 might be perfect for offices, classrooms, or test teams; in others, you might be more interested in using a customization tool that lets you choose exactly what to remove and what to keep.

Restore the PowerShell execution policy and create the installation USB drive

Once the lightweight ISO has been generated, there is one security detail that you shouldn't overlook: to revert the PowerShell execution policy to a more restrictive levelLeaving it in "unrestricted" indefinitely increases the risk of a malicious script running without too many obstacles.

To restore it, simply Reopen PowerShell as administrator and run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted

After confirming the change, the console will revert to its default settings, preventing the execution of unsigned scripts unless you modify the policy again. For best practices and how to sign and harden script execution, see the guide on signing scripts and hardening ExecutionPolicy.

With the The tiny11 ISO is now ready, the next step is to create a bootable installation USB driveOne of the most used tools for this is Rufus, which allows you to select the ISO image, the destination USB drive, and the partition scheme (MBR or GPT) depending on the type of BIOS or the UEFI of the machine where you will use it.

When Rufus finishes, you'll have a USB drive from which you can boot and perform the installation like any normal Windows installationBut you'll enjoy a much cleaner system with more relaxed requirements. Before doing this on a production machine, though, make sure you have backups of everything important, because the process usually involves formatting and a complete reinstallation.

Unattended installation scripts: skipping questions and automating decisions

Beyond tiny11, one of the great advantages of Windows 11 for administrators and advanced users is the possibility of using response files (unattend.xml) and scripts to automate the installationWith this approach, you can predefine region, keyboard layout, language, privacy options, account type, and even domain join. If you want to delve deeper into creating reference images and using unattend.xml, see the guide on Create reference images with Sysprep and unattend.

Imagine you have to install Windows 11 on dozens of PCs that share hardware and network configuration. Instead of answering the same questions over and over, you can Create a response file that specifies in advance country, keyboard layout, time zone, computer name, network configuration, and moreThus, the assistant skips a good part of the interactive steps.

These response files can be used From a Bootable USB or integrated into the ISO itselfand are especially useful when you want to standardize the configuration across many devices or when you don't want the end user to have to make decisions during installation.

In the case of corporate environments, it is even possible Prepare for automatic joining to a domaineven if you want to leave some manual steps, such as choosing the disk drive if there are several. SSD or the name of a specific team. The goal is to reduce repetitive work without losing control where it matters.

In combination with PowerShell or batch scripts that run after the first desktop load, you can Finalize the configuration: install corporate software, apply security policies, disable unnecessary services, and fine-tune the system so that the user receives it ready to work with.

Automate partitioning and disks with Diskpart in mass installations

When you face a scenario with dozens of computers that share the same hardware But if they have between one and three SSDs of varying capacities, managing disks can become a nightmare if everything is done manually. That's where Diskpart comes in, the command-line tool from commands Windows partition management software.

The idea is to develop a Diskpart script that is launched from the installation USB (for example, from the recovery environment or WinPE) and handle cleaning, creating, forma tear and automatically assign drive letters, minimizing technician intervention. If you're interested in seeing practical examples of batch scripts and similar commands, check out the practical examples of batch scripts.

Although there are many examples of scripts circulating on the Internet, most tend to be designed for very specific cases and do not adapt well to mixed scenarios with several disk drives of different sizes. In these cases, the ideal solution is to create your own script that, for example, allows you to select the disk to be processed and then always applies the same partitioning scheme, using 100% of its capacity.

A typical flow would look something like this: first, List the available discs so the technician can choose the correct one. (avoiding confusion on systems with more than one SSD), and then run the commands to clean it, create the system partition and the data partition if necessary, and format it. NTFS and mark the active partition or prepare the GPT scheme for UEFI.

Once that script is defined, you can integrate it into the Windows 11 24H2 Enterprise installation processYou can launch it from the installer console or even automate its execution within a custom WinPE environment. This way, with just a few keystrokes, you can replicate the same disk structure across 50 or more computers.

This type of automation saves working hours and reduces human error, but it requires Test the script thoroughly on lab machines before applying it in production, since a poorly executed "clean" on the wrong disk can result in total data loss.

WinScript: Create your own graphical configuration scripts for Windows 10 and 11

If the command line intimidates you or you simply prefer a more visual approach, there's a particularly interesting tool: WinScript, an open-source project focused on generating setup and uninstallation scripts for Windows 10 and 11It's not a modified ISO, but an application that helps you decide what changes you want to apply and then produces the script that makes them.

WinScript Its interface mimics the Windows 11 Settings panelIt features a side menu where categories are grouped and a main panel with specific settings. Available categories include privacy, telemetry, gaming, performance, pre-installed applications, and many other sensitive system areas.

The operation is quite simple: Each option appears with an on/off switchMost of these options are disabled (off) by default, so you decide which changes make sense for your situation. As you enable options, WinScript automatically adds them to the script being built in the background.

A key advantage is that There are no closed, predefined profilesYou're not forced to use a pre-packaged "gaming mode" or "privacy mode." Instead, you browse category by category and activate only what you actually want to use, allowing for much finer customization.

In addition, the tool includes a brief description for each settingexplaining exactly what it does and what the consequences might be. This helps avoid common mistakes like accidentally disabling a necessary service or deleting an app you might need later.

Apply WinScript scripts from USB and on different computers

One of the great things about WinScript is that, once you have the script tailored to your preferences, Can Save it and run it from a USB driveThus, every time you install or restore Windows 10 or 11, you will only need to connect the USB drive, run WinScript or the generated script directly, and apply the changes in a matter of minutes.

This fits very well in environments where you want Customize Windows behavior without touching the original ISO.For example, you can use an official Microsoft ISO (or a pre-made tiny11), install the system in a fairly standard way, and then, right after the first login, run your script to fine-tune it to your privacy policies, applications, and performance.

WinScript is available in both installable and in portable versionThis makes it easy to use from a USB drive without needing to install it on every computer. Its resource consumption is very low, so you'll have no problem running it even on modest machines.

Before applying aggressive changes, it is recommended to use the integrated restore point creation tool which includes WinScript. This way, if a setting doesn't produce the desired effect, you can always revert to the previous setting without having to reinstall the entire system.

With this strategy you can define an internal standard for all PCs in your environment: which applications are removed, which services are disabled, which telemetry options are turned off, which performance settings are prioritized, etc., all packaged in a single, easy-to-apply script.

By combining these approaches—reduced ISOs like tiny11, unattended response files for installationWith Diskpart scripts for partitioning and tools like WinScript for post-configuration, you gain a high degree of control over how Windows 11 installs and behaves on your computers. This translates to less bloatware, fewer repetitive questions, fewer absurd requirements, and more time to spend on what really matters: using your computer, not fighting with it.