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Windows 11 is great overall, but there is no denying that it is on the heavier side of the operating system spectrum, not to mention steep hardware requirements and tons of unnecessary components. A lean and lightweight Windows, like the recently released Tiny11 (there is also a separate ARM64 version), is everyone"s dream, but installing homebrew projects involves risks and raises privacy concerns. Now, you can do it yourself.
The developer behind the Tiny11 project published a 15-minute video to detail every step in creating a debloated Windows 11 ISO. You can follow the video to DIY a similar installation media and then use it without fears of North Korean hackers mining on your rig, reading your browser history, and sending your data to ad providers (although the latter does not necessarily requires third parties, as shown in a recent video). All jokes aside, we never recommend using modified Windows installations, so making one for yourself is a good option for those with free time.
Keep in mind that stripping Windows 11 off unnecessary components does not remove the need for activation, so prepare a valid license key before proceeding. The good thing is that Windows 11 is not very picky in this regard, and you can use a matching SKU key (Home-Home or Pro-Pro) from any previous Windows release down to Windows 7.