Please confirm these before moving forward
Describe your suggestion
⭐ Feature Request: Add a “System-Only Debloat Mode”
(no HKCU/profile customizations, Sysprep-safe, preserves Edge/WebView2)
First of all, congratulations on this project.
The autounattend-based optimization is by far the cleanest and most reliable debloat approach I’ve tested — especially compared to traditional post-install PowerShell debloat scripts that often break packages or leave corrupted remnants. The result is a very fast and lightweight installation. Excellent work.
🎯 Environment
- Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (latest build)
- Enterprise environment requiring Sysprep (machines must have unique SIDs)
- Trend Micro endpoint protection (restrictive to HKCU post-logon modifications)
❗ Problem
The current autounattend XML performs both:
- System-level optimizations (HKLM)
- User-profile customizations (HKCU) applied to Default User
For my use case, this creates issues:
- New local or domain users inherit:
- Dark theme / forced theme
- Explorer “Recent files / Quick Access” disabled
- Custom power plan names (e.g., “Winhance Power Plan”)
- Microsoft Edge and WebView2 are removed (not ideal in enterprise)
- Some preferences cannot be changed later due to mandatory domain policies
- Sysprep works, but the resulting profiles are “locked” into the XML customizations
What I need is the excellent system debloating — without modifying end-user experience.
✅ Requested Enhancement
Please consider adding an optional mode or alternative XML:
“System-Only Debloat Mode”
A version that:
✔ Keeps:
- Removal of bloatware (system-wide)
- Telemetry reductions
- Privacy hardening
- Service and scheduled task pruning
- Performance optimizations
✔ Preserves:
- Microsoft Edge
- WebView2 Runtime
- Default Windows power plan names
- All stock user experience defaults
(theme, Quick Access, taskbar settings, etc.)
✔ Removes:
- Any HKCU changes
- Any modifications to
C:\Users\Default
- Any scripts that run at first user logon
- Winhance shortcuts auto-created in new profiles
✔ Must be:
- Fully Sysprep-safe
- Non-invasive to user profiles
- Suitable for enterprise cloning workflows
💡 Why this is needed
Many organizations (mine included) require:
- Windows deployed from a clean, optimized image
- Sysprep to ensure unique SIDs
- Default user experience to remain untouched
- Browser + WebView2 preserved for compatibility
- No opinionated profile customizations applied
Currently, the XML performs flawlessly at debloating, but brings strong UX customizations that enterprise environments cannot adopt.
A system-only preset would allow broader adoption of this excellent project.
🧩 Optional: A cut-list or guideline
If a dedicated XML variant is not planned, a document or comment explaining which sections of the existing XML correspond to:
- HKCU/profile customizations
- Edge/WebView2 removal
- Power plan modifications
- Winhance post-logon actions
…would allow safe manual tailoring.
🙏 Thanks again
This tool is genuinely impressive and extremely helpful.
A “clean, system-only” XML would be hugely valuable for enterprise imaging workflows that depend on Sysprep and default profile integrity.
Happy to test builds or provide feedback.
Current behavior
The autounattend XML applies both system-level debloat and user-profile customizations. All new users inherit modified defaults (theme, Explorer settings, removed Edge/WebView2, custom power plan name, Winhance shortcut, etc.). This makes the image unsuitable for Sysprep-based enterprise deployments where default Windows user experience must remain unchanged.
Proposed behavior
Provide an optional “System-Only Debloat Mode” that keeps all system-level optimizations but removes all user-profile tweaks. This mode should preserve Edge/WebView2, avoid modifying C:\Users\Default, avoid adding shortcuts, keep default Windows themes and Explorer settings, and remain fully Sysprep-safe for enterprise deployments.
Benefit
This improvement would allow the project to be safely used in enterprise environments that rely on Sysprep, require unique SIDs, and must preserve default user experience. A system-only debloat mode expands compatibility, avoids profile issues, and makes the tool suitable for large-scale IT deployments.
Additional context
Testing has been performed on Windows 11 Pro 25H2, where several changes introduced by the version impact OOBE, WebView2 dependencies, and profile provisioning behavior. In enterprise environments, user-profile modifications made during setup conflict with:
Domain-level enforced UX policies
Sysprep generalization requirements
Endpoint security tools (e.g., Trend Micro) that monitor HKCU changes at first logon
Standardized user experience guidelines
Mandatory preservation of Microsoft Edge and WebView2 for application compatibility
A clean, system-only debloat mode would avoid these conflicts while keeping the project’s strong advantages: reduced telemetry, lighter footprint, improved performance, and a consistent installation baseline. This would significantly expand the suitability of this tool for enterprise imaging workflows.
Please confirm these before moving forward
Describe your suggestion
⭐ Feature Request: Add a “System-Only Debloat Mode”
(no HKCU/profile customizations, Sysprep-safe, preserves Edge/WebView2)
First of all, congratulations on this project.
The autounattend-based optimization is by far the cleanest and most reliable debloat approach I’ve tested — especially compared to traditional post-install PowerShell debloat scripts that often break packages or leave corrupted remnants. The result is a very fast and lightweight installation. Excellent work.
🎯 Environment
❗ Problem
The current autounattend XML performs both:
For my use case, this creates issues:
What I need is the excellent system debloating — without modifying end-user experience.
✅ Requested Enhancement
Please consider adding an optional mode or alternative XML:
“System-Only Debloat Mode”
A version that:
✔ Keeps:
✔ Preserves:
(theme, Quick Access, taskbar settings, etc.)
✔ Removes:
C:\Users\Default✔ Must be:
💡 Why this is needed
Many organizations (mine included) require:
Currently, the XML performs flawlessly at debloating, but brings strong UX customizations that enterprise environments cannot adopt.
A system-only preset would allow broader adoption of this excellent project.
🧩 Optional: A cut-list or guideline
If a dedicated XML variant is not planned, a document or comment explaining which sections of the existing XML correspond to:
…would allow safe manual tailoring.
🙏 Thanks again
This tool is genuinely impressive and extremely helpful.
A “clean, system-only” XML would be hugely valuable for enterprise imaging workflows that depend on Sysprep and default profile integrity.
Happy to test builds or provide feedback.
Current behavior
The autounattend XML applies both system-level debloat and user-profile customizations. All new users inherit modified defaults (theme, Explorer settings, removed Edge/WebView2, custom power plan name, Winhance shortcut, etc.). This makes the image unsuitable for Sysprep-based enterprise deployments where default Windows user experience must remain unchanged.
Proposed behavior
Provide an optional “System-Only Debloat Mode” that keeps all system-level optimizations but removes all user-profile tweaks. This mode should preserve Edge/WebView2, avoid modifying C:\Users\Default, avoid adding shortcuts, keep default Windows themes and Explorer settings, and remain fully Sysprep-safe for enterprise deployments.
Benefit
This improvement would allow the project to be safely used in enterprise environments that rely on Sysprep, require unique SIDs, and must preserve default user experience. A system-only debloat mode expands compatibility, avoids profile issues, and makes the tool suitable for large-scale IT deployments.
Additional context
Testing has been performed on Windows 11 Pro 25H2, where several changes introduced by the version impact OOBE, WebView2 dependencies, and profile provisioning behavior. In enterprise environments, user-profile modifications made during setup conflict with:
Domain-level enforced UX policies
Sysprep generalization requirements
Endpoint security tools (e.g., Trend Micro) that monitor HKCU changes at first logon
Standardized user experience guidelines
Mandatory preservation of Microsoft Edge and WebView2 for application compatibility
A clean, system-only debloat mode would avoid these conflicts while keeping the project’s strong advantages: reduced telemetry, lighter footprint, improved performance, and a consistent installation baseline. This would significantly expand the suitability of this tool for enterprise imaging workflows.