Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Windows 11 Without Bloatware

• To perform an installation of Windows 11 devoid of bloatware, begin by booting from a USB drive containing the operating system. During the setup, select either the “English (World)” or “English (Europe)” option under the “Time and Currency format” setting, and follow the prompts to execute a clean install.
• After reaching the desktop, ensure you specify the proper language and regional settings through the Settings application.

It is possible to set up Windows 11 without any third-party applications utilizing a specific method, which will be detailed in this guide. When you conduct a clean installation of Windows 11, the installation process typically includes promotional applications from Microsoft partners like Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Twitter, Disney, ESPN, Spotify, among others.

Though these are merely shortcuts to their services, they can clutter your Start menu with apps that you might never utilize. Normally, post-installation, you can remove these bloatware apps either from the Settings app or by selecting “Uninstall” from the Start menu. However, a nifty trick exists during the initial setup that allows you to prevent the installation of these additional apps.

It’s crucial to understand that this technique will not prevent mandatory Microsoft applications, such as Calculator, Outlook, and Microsoft Edge, from being installed.

This guide will illustrate the steps to perform a fresh installation of Windows 11 without any bloatware.

Steps to Install Windows 11 Without Bloatware

Follow these guidelines to install Windows 11 free from bloatware:

1. Start your computer using the Windows 11 USB flash drive.

2. Press any key to initiate the process.

3. Select the “English (World)” or “English (Europe)” option in the “Time and Currency format” setting.

   

   Quick note: Choosing this setting is essential for installing the OS without third-party applications. If you need a different language, please ensure to select the appropriate “(World)” option based on your location.

4. Choose your preferred operating system language.

   

5. Press the Next button.

6. Click the Next button again.

7. Select the “Install Windows 11” option.

   

8. Tick the “I agree everything will be deleted including files, app, and settings” checkbox.

9. Click the Next button.

10. Select the “I don’t have a product key” option.

    

    Quick note: If the device was never previously equipped with a Windows 11 installation, you may be required to enter a product key post-installation.

11. Choose the Windows 11 edition for which your license key activates (if relevant).

    

12. Agree to the “I accept the license terms” terms.

13. Hit the Next button.

14. Select each hard drive partition intended for Windows 11 installation and choose the Delete option. (Usually, “Drive 0” will hold all installation files.)

    Warning: Deleting a partition results in the complete loss of data on that drive. Additionally, it is unnecessary to delete partitions on secondary hard drives.

15. Click on the hard drive labeled (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to initiate the Windows 11 installation.

    

16. Press the Next button.

17. Click the Install button.

18. On encountering the “Something went wrong” error page, click the Skip option.

    

19. Choose your keyboard layout setting.

    

20. Click the Yes button.

21. If you do not require a second layout, click the Skip button.

22. If your computer connects via Ethernet, the network setup will be automatic. For a wireless connection, manual configuration might be necessary (you may need a security key).

23. (Optional) Assign a name to the computer.

    

24. Press the Next button (your device will reboot automatically at this point).

25. If you are setting up Windows 11 Pro, opt for the “Set up for personal use” choice, as it is not an option for the “Home” edition.

    

26. Hit the Next button.

27. Press the Sign in option.

28. Verify your Microsoft account to create an account.

    

29. Click the Next button.

30. Select the Create PIN button.

    

31. Create a new four-digit PIN.

    

32. Press the OK button.

33. Toggle the switches for each privacy setting to conform to your preferences.

    

34. Hit the Next button.

35. Press the Next button once more.

36. Finally, click the Accept button.

    

37. Click on “More options.”

    

38. Select the “Set up a new device” option.

    

39. Click the “Set up as a new PC option” once again.

40. (Optional) On the “Let’s customize your experience” screen, indicate one or more usage patterns for your device to tailor the setup with relevant tools and service recommendations.

    

41. Click the Accept button to proceed or choose the Skip button to bypass this portion of the setup.

42. Press the Skip button to ignore the Android phone linking process.

43. Skip the backup prompt for your phone with OneDrive by clicking the Skip button.

44. Select the Not now option to avoid the setup of Microsoft Edge.

45. After completing the setup, open the Settings app.

46. Navigate to Time & language.

47. Click on the Language & region section.

48. From the “Region” section, pick your country from the “Country or region” setting.

49. Select the Recommended choice for the “Regional format” setting.

Once all these steps are completed, you can enjoy using Windows 11 without any bothersome third-party applications and in your preferred language and region settings.