Windows 10 Settings

[LHammonds]

List of software I like to uninstall on Windows 10 and settings I change (which usually have to be re-applied after updates...thus why I need to document them)

Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows Features on or off

• Uncheck - Internet Explorer 11 (I used Firefox / Chrome instead)
• Uncheck - Media Features / Windows Media Player (I use VLC Player instead and do not use it to host media to other devices)
• Uncheck - Microsoft Print to PDF (Does not always work so I use other software like Bullzip instead)
• Uncheck - Microsoft XPS Document Writer (Nobody uses XPS files, they use PDF)
• Uncheck - Print and Document Services / Internet Printing Client (I never use it)
• Uncheck - Print and Document Services / Windows Fax and Scan (I do not have a scanner nor need for faxing)
• Uncheck - Remote Differential Compression API Support (this is no longer used by any Microsoft app as of 2019 and no longer being developed)
• Uncheck - Windows PowerShell 2.0 / Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine (version 5.1 is already installed...no need to keep old stuff if not used)

Services (Right-click Start -> Run -> services.msc)

• Connected User Experiences and Telemetry -> Disabled
• Diagnostic Policy Service -> Disabled
• Geolocation Service -> Disabled

Local Group Policy Editor (Right-click Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc)

• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Data Collection and Preview Builds -> Allow Telemetry -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Allow Cloud Search -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Allow Cortana -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Allow Cortana above lock screen -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Allow Cortana Page in OOBE on an AAD account -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Allow search and Cortana to use location -> Disabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Do not allow locations on removable drives to be added to libraries -> Enabled
• Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Search -> Do not allow web search -> Enabled

Registry Editor (always make a backup first)

• Hide OneDrive from File Explorer on a 64-bit machine:

  Code: Select all

  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  
  [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}]
  "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000000
  
  [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}]
  "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000000
  

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Task Scheduler (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Task Scheduler)

• Microsoft -> Windows -> Application Experience -> Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Application Experience -> ProgramDataUpdater -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Application Experience -> StartupAppTask -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Customer Experience Improvement Program -> Consolidator -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Customer Experience Improvement Program -> UsbCeip -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Maps -> MapsToastTask -> Disable
• Microsoft -> Windows -> Maps -> MapsUpdateTask -> Disable
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Startup (Task Manager -> Startup tab)

• Microsoft OneDrive -> Disabled

Performance Settings

• Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced tab -> Performance Settings -> Visual Effects tab -> Click "Adjust for best performance" and re-enable "Smooth edges of screen fonts" and "Show thumbnails instead of icons"
• Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced tab -> Performance Settings -> Advanced tab -> Virtual memory change -> Set custom size and ensure Initial size and Maximum size are identical to prevent fragmentation issues. (defrag system first if not using SSD)
• Control Panel -> Power options -> Change plan settings -> Change advanced power settings -> Sleep -> Hibernate after -> Never
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