Tech • • 5 min read

10 Windows Features I Always Disable in 2025 (And Why You Should Too)

Taking back control of your Windows PC feels like a never-ending fight.

Every new version comes with more bloatware, more background services, and more “features” whose real job seems to be collecting data or showing ads rather than helping you get work done. Performance slowly degrades, RAM disappears, and somehow your PC feels slower than it did last year—on better hardware.

After years of managing Windows machines (both personal and professional), I’ve built a simple rule:

If a feature doesn’t clearly benefit me, it gets disabled.

Below are 10 Windows settings I always turn off in 2025 to improve privacy, performance, and sanity.

⚠️ Before you start:
Always create a System Restore Point. It’s your safety net in case a change has unintended consequences.

1. Tailored Experiences & “Personalized” Ads

Microsoft calls it “tailored experiences.”
I call it data harvesting with better branding.

This setting allows Windows to collect optional diagnostic data and use it for “tips, ads, and recommendations.” In practice, it just means more tracking and more noise.

Disable it:

  • Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Diagnostics & feedback

  • Turn Send optional diagnostic data Off

You lose nothing of value. You gain privacy.

2. Windows Search Indexing (The Silent Resource Hog)

Windows Search loves to index everything, constantly hammering your disk and CPU—especially noticeable on laptops and older SSDs.

I don’t need Windows to “think” all day just so I can search once.

What I disable:

Search History

  • Settings → Privacy & Security → Search

  • Turn off Search history

  • Click Clear

Search Highlights

  • Turn off Show search highlights

  • This removes trending junk from the search bar

Search My Accounts

  • Disable search for:

    • Microsoft account

    • Work or School account

Local search should stay local.

Find My Files

  • Switch from Enhanced to Classic

  • This limits indexing to core folders like Documents and Pictures

Result: lower disk usage, fewer background spikes.

3. Delivery Optimization (You’re Not a CDN)

Delivery Optimization turns your PC into a mini update server, uploading Windows updates to other machines on the internet.

That’s great for Microsoft. Not great for your bandwidth.

Disable it:

  • Settings → Windows Update → Advanced options → Delivery Optimization

  • Turn off Allow downloads from other devices

Your upload speed will thank you.

4. Widgets (Constant Distraction, Constant Network Calls)

Widgets look harmless. They aren’t.

They constantly fetch news, weather, and “recommended” content—burning RAM, CPU, and attention.

Disable it:

  • Right-click the taskbar

  • Taskbar settings

  • Toggle Widgets Off

Your taskbar should launch apps, not headlines.

5. Suggested Apps & Start Menu Ads

If you’ve ever wondered why Candy Crush keeps reappearing—this is why.

These are ads, not features.

Disable it:

  • Settings → Personalization → Start

  • Turn off:

    • Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more

Your Start Menu should belong to you.

6. Remote Assistance (The Forgotten Back Door)

Remote Assistance is one of those features that sounds helpful—until you realize you never use it.

Leaving it enabled is like leaving a spare key under the doormat “just in case.”

Disable it:

  • Search for System Properties

  • Go to the Remote tab

  • Uncheck Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer

If you need remote help, you’ll enable it intentionally.

7. Optional Windows Features (Legacy Baggage)

Windows still ships with features from another era: fax services, legacy file sharing, obsolete protocols.

You probably don’t need them.

Check and disable:

  • Search Turn Windows features on or off

  • Uncheck features you don’t use, especially:

    • SMB 1.0

    • Work Folders

    • Fax and Scan

Less attack surface. Fewer background services.

8. The Hibernation File (Free Disk Space)

If you use an SSD and never use Hibernate (not Sleep), Windows is reserving 3–6GB of disk space for nothing.

Disable it:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator

  2. Run:

powercfg -h off

Instantly reclaim disk space. No reboot required.

9. Ads in File Explorer (Yes, Really)

Microsoft even injects OneDrive ads directly into File Explorer.

They call them “Sync Provider Notifications.”
They are still ads.

Disable it:

  • Open File Explorer

  • Click … → Options

  • Go to the View tab

  • Uncheck Show sync provider notifications

Your file manager should manage files—not marketing.

10. Background Apps (The Biggest Win)

This is the single most effective change you can make.

Many built-in apps run in the background 24/7—for updates, telemetry, or reasons no one can clearly explain.

Disable background activity per app:

  • Settings → Apps → Installed apps

  • Click the three dots next to an app

  • Advanced options

  • Set Background app permissions to Never

Start with:

  • Calculator

  • Camera

  • Copilot

  • Media apps you rarely use

Less RAM usage. Faster startup. Better battery life.

Final Thoughts

Disabling these features won’t magically turn Windows into Linux—but it will:

  • Make your system feel faster

  • Reduce background noise

  • Shrink your attack surface

  • Keep more of your data where it belongs: on your machine

Windows works best when you decide what runs—not when the OS decides for you.

Stay safe.
Stay optimized.

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