Do you ever feel like your computer is doing things behind your back? Windows 11 is currently packed with artificial intelligence features that run constantly, which can slow down your system and use up valuable memory. If you want a faster, more private computer, you are in the right place. In this guide, we will explore how to safely remove these AI components using a specific automation script and several important manual adjustments.
To begin this process, we must understand that manually turning off every single AI option would take hours because they are hidden deep within the settings. Therefore, we will use a popular tool known as the “Remove Windows AI” script. You can find this script on GitHub. Before you run anything, there is a very important first step. You need to open the Microsoft Edge browser at least once. This is necessary because the script needs to detect that Edge is fully installed so it can properly remove the AI integration, such as Copilot, from the browser. Once you have done that, you will need to open PowerShell as an administrator. You can do this by searching for PowerShell in your start menu, right-clicking it, and selecting “Run as Administrator.” This gives the computer permission to make deep system changes.
Once you have PowerShell open, you will paste the command you copied from the GitHub page. There are usually two versions of the command, and for this tutorial, we are using the “compact” version because it is cleaner and easier to read. After the script interface launches, do not rush to click apply. You must ensure that you check the box labeled “Backup Mode.” This is crucial for your safety. If something goes wrong, or if you decide later that you actually miss the AI features, this backup allows you to restore your settings to exactly how they were before. After selecting the backup option, you can run the script. It will take some time to process all the different files and registries. When it is finished, it will tell you that the operation was successful, and you must restart your computer to see the changes.
After your computer restarts, you will notice that the main Copilot icon is gone, but the job is not finished yet. The script does a great job, but it cannot remove everything because some AI is built into specific applications. We need to remove these manually. Navigate to your Settings, click on Apps, and then select Installed Apps. The first target is Microsoft Paint. You might be surprised, but the new version of Paint has AI features like “Cocreator” built-in. Since we cannot just turn off the AI part, the best solution is to uninstall Paint entirely. You can always install an older, non-AI version later if you need it. The next app to remove is ClipChamp. This is a video editor that relies heavily on AI for processing, so go ahead and uninstall that as well.
The next step involves a very famous application called OneDrive. You need to go to the Control Panel to uninstall this. While OneDrive is mainly for cloud storage, it scans your files and photos to organize them, which is a process that often uses machine learning and AI algorithms. If you do not want your personal data being used to train an AI system, removing OneDrive is a smart move. After removing these apps, we need to address the Windows Game Bar. This feature includes something called the “Gaming Copilot.” To stop this, go to Settings, then System, and find System Components. Locate the Game Bar, go to its Advanced Options, and set the “Background component permissions” to “Never.” You should also click the “Terminate” button to stop it from running right now.
There is one final, very advanced setting we need to change regarding security. Open your Windows Security app and look for “App & browser control.” Inside, you will find “Smart App Control.” This feature uses AI to learn your habits and decide which apps are safe for you to open. It constantly monitors what you do to build a pattern. To stop this analysis, you must turn Smart App Control off. However, you must be very certain about this decision. Once you turn this feature off, Windows will not allow you to turn it back on unless you completely wipe your computer and reinstall Windows from scratch. If you are comfortable managing your own security, go ahead and disable it.
The results of doing all this work are actually quite amazing. When you look at the performance numbers, a standard Windows 11 installation uses a lot of system memory (RAM) just to sit idle. In tests, a normal PC might use about 3.1 Gigabytes of RAM doing nothing. After removing all these AI features, that usage can drop down to 1.8 Gigabytes. That is a massive saving of memory that your games and other apps can now use. Furthermore, Windows caches, or pre-loads, a lot of data to make AI features load faster. By removing the AI, you free up gigabytes of cached memory, making the whole computer feel much snappier and more responsive.
By following this guide, you have successfully reclaimed control over your hardware. We have used a script to clear out the deep system files, manually uninstalled apps that rely on AI, and disabled background monitoring tools. You should now experience a computer that runs significantly faster and respects your privacy much more than a standard installation. It is always good practice to monitor your system after making these changes to ensure everything is running smoothly. Enjoy your faster, cleaner Windows 11 experience.