Moving to Windows 11: image customization tools
The subject of discontinuation of support for Windows 10 has been covered in this blog rather extensively. We’ve reported the date, described the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, and have given some valid reasons to actually migrate to Windows 11. In most cases, the move is inevitable: enrolling in the ESU will cover the safety part of keeping Win 10 as the main OS on your computer (again, only up to a certain point), but the problems with software and hardware compatibility will only be snowballing.
Anyway, subjectively, Windows 11 is at least as good as Windows 10 in most scenarios, and it can actually be fine-tuned to fit your specific needs like a glove. This piece is the first in the two-part series dedicated to making Windows 11 yours. It gives you some tools that allow customization of the OS image before installation. The next one will be dedicated to utilities that let you tweak Win 11 after installation.
NTLite
NTLite is a versatile Windows image modifier that lets you rid it of bloatware, integrate drivers, pre-install applications, tweak the registry, manage disk partitioning, and customize the build in a number of other ways. The tool has been around since 2014; currently, it’s an active product that also has a paid version.
NTLite may feel geared towards experienced users, and the learning curve can look rather steep. Still, even the free version allows compiling a build you can stick your label onto.
Download NTLite Windows image customization tool:
Schneegans Unattended Generator
If you are new to the domain of Windows installation image customization, Schneegans Unattended Generator is probably the best starting point for a journey that will not feel like torture every now and then. This tool is a web-based service that has a clear point-and-click interface enabling you to modify many aspects of the OS package. Under the hood, the tool leverages the XML answer files, which impose certain limitations.
Customize Windows 11 installation here:
schneegans.de/windows/unattend-generator
MSMG Toolkit
This one is for those users who know their way around the command line: MSMG Toolkit doesn’t have a GUI, only the cursor blinking back at you and waiting for prompts. Aside from being unfriendly to those preferring point-and-click interfaces, this is a powerful and completely free Windows image customization utility giving access to mostly everything, from drivers to themes, and many options come in the form of convenient packs (Windows Feature Packs, Feature on Demand (FODs) Packs, Inbox Apps, Add-on Packs).
Thus far, the developers of MSMG Toolkit have been quick to react to Windows 11 updates.
Download MSMG Toolkit:
ET Optimizer
This project started as a Windows 11 debloater and optimizer compiled for personal use in 2021, and has evolved into a community-recognized toolkit that, as of this writing, has over 5000 lines of code and boasts 900+ GitHub commits. Just to give you an idea of what the utility can do: the Performance section of tweaks has almost 40 items, and the Privacy portion gives 20+.
ET Optimizer can be used to fine-tune a Windows 11 image file as well as to tinker with an already installed instance.
Download ET Optimizer:
github.com/semazurek/ET-Optimizer
WinReducer
As the name implies, this toolkit focuses on slimming down the Windows image by removing components, bloatware, and tweaking what remains into its leaner versions. The project has been around for over a dozen years now; it is a community-driven effort with a core team, which means regular updates and gradual extension of the software’s capabilities.
WinReducer comes under a free license, which offers limited features that still cover most of the bases, and several paid options that pack more power and allow addressing some specific needs.
Download WinReducer Windows image customization tool:
