Features Overview

App & Component Removal

Default Removals (UWP/APPX)

ReviOS removes the following applications by default for a lightweight and privacy-friendly system:

Optional

Up to the user to remove these apps:

WinSxS

ReviOS deploys a custom Windows (Updates alike) packages to remove unwanted system components via Revision Tool

• Privacy: Telemetry Client, CEIP (SQM), Error Reporting and Targeted Content Service - 32 bit
• Windows Insider Program, First-logon animation, UNP, Windows To Go, Retail Demo Content, Photo Viewer - 32 bit, Intel Indeo Codecs, and more
• Defender and its related components, full list here
• AI components: Recall (AIX), Click To Do (CoreAI) and Copilot.
• Windows Update cannot reinstall the removed components ✨

Performance Tweaks

• Activates "Revision - Ultra Performance" (customized Ultimate Performance):
  • Increase/decrease thresholds: 10/8, more information here
  • Core Parking disabled for both E-cores and P-cores
  • Full change list here
• Disables Memory Compression
• Intel TSX is enabled for supported systems
• Tweaks BCD settings
  • Disables HPET if enabled
  • Forces legacy boot policy
  • Enables Last Known Good mode
• NTFS optimizations for performance and security:
  • Disables last access time
  • Disables 3.8
• Disables Sleep Study
• Disables Disk Check on boot (C: drive)
• Disables unnecessary background drivers and services
  • dam, NetBT, PcaSvc, DPS, WdiServiceHost, WdiSystemHost, tcpipreg, UCPD (UserChoice Protection Driver)
  • Privacy/Telemetry: Telemetry, diagnosticshub.standardcollector.service, WerSvc, DiagTrack, wisvc
• Win32PrioritySeparation to 26/38 - Short Quantum, variable, 3x foreground boost
• Alternative method to group services to reduce memory usage
  • No longer modification of SvcHostSplitThresholdInKB, see reasoning here
• Shutdown and responsiveness optimizations:
  • WaitToKillServiceTimeout reduced to 1500ms (default: 5000ms)
  • HungAppTimeout reduced to 2000ms (default: 5000ms)
  • WaitToKillAppTimeout reduced to 2000ms (default: 20000ms)
  • LowLevelHooksTimeout reduced to 1000ms
  • AutoEndTasks enabled - automatically closes hung programs on shutdown
• Process priority adjustments via IFEO (Image File Execution Options):
  • SearchIndexer.exe - Below Normal CPU priority
  • ctfmon.exe - Below Normal CPU priority
  • fontdrvhost.exe - Idle CPU priority, Low I/O priority
  • lsass.exe - Idle CPU priority
  • sihost.exe - Idle CPU priority, Low I/O priority

Explorer

#88:

• Disable automatic folder type discovery
• Disable "Group By" in the Downloads folder
• Force explorer to use high performance GPU
• (OneDrive) Disable "Include account-based insights, recent, favorite and recommended"
• Disable transparency and animations
• Disable taskbar animations
• Disables Search Indexing when unplugged on laptops to save battery
• Search Indexing automatically throttles under the following conditions:
  • PC is in Battery Saver, Best Power Efficiency, or Game Mode
  • Process usage exceeds 80%
  • Disk usage goes up above 70%

Security Changes

• Disables Defender and its security components
  • Disables SmartScreen
  • Disables Smart App Control
  • Disables Virtualization-based Security (VBS/HVCI) - Improves gaming performance
  • Disables Credential Guard
  • Disables Watson event telemetry from Defender
• Enables following security mitigations:
  • CFG (Control Flow Guard) for Vanguard (vgc.exe)
  • ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) for osu!
• Disables automatic BitLocker encryption
  • Note: Disabling auto encryption does not affect drives that are already encrypted
• Disables WPBT (Windows Platform Binary Table) - Prevents firmware-level software injection
• Disables WiFi Sense (auto-connect to suggested networks, hotspot reporting)
• Configures App Install Control to allow apps from anywhere (removes "not from Store" warnings)
• Disables Defender signature updates on battery power
• Hides Windows Security system tray icon
• Removes SecurityHealth from startup
• Hides Account Protection Microsoft account warning in Windows Security

Windows Update

• Automatic Updates are disabled
• Updates are paused until 2038-01-19 (Feature, Quality, and all updates)
• Drivers updating via Windows Updates are disabled (Can be enabled via Revision Tool)
  • Disables Windows Update driver searching
  • Excludes drivers from quality updates
  • Disables driver search prompt
  • Prevents device metadata retrieval from the internet
• Disables Windows Insider Program
• Disables Reserved Storage (saves ~7GB disk space)
• Disables Delivery Optimization (peer-to-peer update sharing)
• Disables Microsoft Store automatic app updates
• Disables OS upgrade offers through Microsoft Store
• Prevents automatic installation of unwanted apps via Windows Update Orchestrator:
  • DevHome
  • New Outlook
• Disables update and restart notifications
• Disables Malicious Software Removal Tool diagnostic reporting
• Disables Windows Media Player auto-updates
• Hides Media Creation Tool link in Settings

Explorer Tweaks

• Take Ownership via context menu (with protection for system folders like C:\Windows, C:\Program Files)
• Hide 'Windows Update' and 'OneDrive' banners, 'Cortana', 'Privacy Feedback', 'Windows Insider', and 'Home' pages in Settings
• Performance improvements
• Increased context options time threshold (MultipleInvokePromptMinimum: 100)
• WaitToKillServiceTimeout: Speed up shutdown time by lowering the amount of time it takes the OS to close/kill background Services
• Open File Explorer to "This PC" by Default
• MenuShowDelay(0): removing the delay before a menu appears
• ActiveWndTrkTimeout(10): reducing the delay before a window is activated when hovering over it
• AutoEndTasks: Automatically close non-responsive programs
• HungAppTimeout(2000): reducing the time before Windows considers a program to be non-responsive
• WaitToKillAppTimeout(2000): reducing the time before Windows forces a program to close
• LowLevelHooksTimeout(1000): reducing the time before Windows considers a low-level hook to be non-responsive
• Enables:
  • Dark mode by default
  • Classic context menu (Windows 11)
  • Always show more details in a file copy dialog (EnthusiastMode)
  • Do not track Shell shortcuts during roaming
  • Allow Windows Ink Workspace (without suggested apps)
  • 'End task' on the taskbar right-click menu
  • Search specific tweaks:
    • Don't search the web or display web results in Search
    • Don't search the web or display web results in Search over metered connections
    • Do not allow web search
    • ConnectedSearchPrivacy - Anonymous info
  • Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts
  • Pin items to the Start Menu: MS Store, Settings, Notepad, Paint, File Explorer, Calculator
  • Hide Task View button in taskbar
  • Display the full path in title bar
  • Show file extensions for all files (security feature)
  • Sudo - Inline mode (Windows 11 24H2+)
  • Sleep option in power menu
  • Shutdown without logon
• Disables:
  • Spotlight icon on Desktop
  • - Shortcut text on shortcut creation
  • AutoPlay and Autorun (security improvement)
  • Windows low disk space checking
  • Allow suggested apps in Windows Ink Workspace
  • Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more
  • Show account related notifications occasionally in Start
  • Show pop-up description/tooltips
  • Wallpaper JPEG compression (JPEGImportQuality: 100)
  • Enhance Pointer Precision (mouse acceleration) - provides 1:1 raw mouse input
  • Annoying Ease of Access features (Sticky Keys, Filter Keys, Toggle Keys, etc.)
  • First sign-in animation
  • Windows startup sound
  • Automatic restart sign-on (prevents apps from auto-reopening after restart)
  • "Let's finish setting up your device" notifications (SCOOBE)
  • Notifications specific tweaks:
    • Feature advertisement balloon notifications
    • Notification area cleanup (keeps all tray icons visible)
    • Notifications network usage (cloud notifications)
    • Update notifications
  • Search specific tweaks:
    • Display of recent search entries in the File Explorer search box
    • Allow Cloud Search: User Selected
    • Allow Cortana above lock screen
    • Cortana on Lock Screen
    • Allow Cortana
    • Allow Cortana Page in OOBE on an AAD account
    • Allow search and Cortana to use location
    • Disable Bing Integration in the Start Menu
    • Voice activation on lock screen ("Hey Cortana")
  • System beeps (PC speaker)
  • Taskbar specific tweaks:
    • The new Weather and News widgets (with reinstallation prevention)
    • People bar
    • Meet Now
    • Teams Chat icon
    • Search box (shows icon only)
  • Hide extensions for known file types (disabled = extensions shown)
  • Show sync provider notifications (OneDrive ads in Explorer)
  • Hide Insider page in Settings
  • ContentDeliveryManager
    • System Pane Suggestions
    • Show suggestions occasionally in Start
    • Timeline suggestions
  • All typing features by default:
    • Autocorrect, spellcheck, text prediction
    • Add space after suggestions
    • Period after double-tap spacebar
    • Typing insights
    • Hardware keyboard text prediction
    • Multilingual suggestions
  • Clipboard History (disabled by default, user can enable)
  • Maps auto updating
  • CrossDeviceResume
  • Sync your settings (disabled by default, user can enable per-category)
  • Game Bar/DVR (when Xbox removed)
  • Show me notifications in the Settings app
  • ValueBanners in Settings (promotional content)
  • Windows Recall/AI Data Analysis (Windows 11 24H2)
  • Tablet mode auto-switching (always use desktop mode)

Privacy

• Allow Telemetry policy set to 0 (in multiple registry locations for comprehensive coverage)
• Allows Microsoft accounts to be optional for Store apps
• Prevents communication to Windows Spotlight, Content Delivery Manager, WebServices, WindowsMovieMaker, OnlineAssistance components
• Removes Windows Error Reporting, CEIP and Telemetry Client components and prevents connections if they are reinstalled by Windows Updates
• Firewall-based telemetry blocking (defense-in-depth):
  • Blocks DiagTrack service outbound connections
  • Blocks WerSvc (Windows Error Reporting) outbound connections
• WMI Autologger telemetry disabled at boot:
  • Diagtrack-Listener
  • SQMLogger
  • SetupPlatformTel
• IFEO-based process blocking - Automatically terminates telemetry executables:
  • CompatTelRunner.exe (CEIP telemetry)
  • AggregatorHost.exe (Telemetry aggregation)
  • DeviceCensus.exe (Webcam/device telemetry)
  • FeatureLoader.exe (Microsoft PC Manager spread)
  • BingChatInstaller.exe, BGAUpsell.exe, BCILauncher.exe (Bing popup ads)
• Disables Online Tips
• Disables Application Compatibility features:
  • Application Compatibility Engine
  • Application Telemetry
  • Problem Steps Recorder
  • Program Compatibility Assistant
  • Program Inventory
  • SwitchBack Compatibility Engine
• Disables Web Search
• Blocks a minimal list of Windows telemetry via hosts file
• Prevents sending KMS client activation data
• Prevents sending handwriting recognition data and error reporting
• Disables NVIDIA telemetry (when NVIDIA drivers installed)
• Disables Message Service Cloud Sync (cellular text backup)
• Disables MFU (Most Frequently Used) app tracking
• Restricts Internet communication for legacy components:
  • Web Publishing Wizard, Online Prints Wizard
  • HTTP printing, Web PnP download
  • Internet Connection Wizard
  • Event Viewer Microsoft links
  • Registration Wizard
  • Search Companion content updates
  • Help Headlines and KB Search
• CEIP disabled across all components:
  • Windows SQMClient
  • App-V
  • Internet Explorer
  • Windows Messenger
  • Windows Setup
• Content Delivery Manager completely disabled:
  • No automatic app installations (Candy Crush, etc.)
  • No pre-installed app promotions
  • No OEM app installations
  • No Windows Spotlight on lock screen
  • No tips, tricks, and suggestions
  • Subscriptions and SuggestedApps registry keys removed
• Cloud Content disabled:
  • Windows Spotlight features
  • Third-party suggestions
  • Tailored experiences using diagnostic data
  • Windows Welcome Experience
  • Cloud-optimized content
• Disable the following Privacy options in Settings:
  • Let apps use advertising ID
  • Let websites provide locally relevant content by accessing my language list
  • Send Microsoft info about how I write to help us improve typing and writing in the future
  • Online speech recognition
  • Inking & typing personalization
  • Diagnostics & feedback
  • Activity history
  • AI related permissions (Recall, Text and image generation)
• Default App Permissions (privacy-first defaults):
  • Denied: Location, Motion, Account info, Calendar, Tasks, Messaging, Radios, Bluetooth sync, App diagnostics, Documents, Pictures, Videos, File system broad access
  • Allowed: Camera, Microphone (functional necessity for video calls)
• WiFi Sense Telemetry (all features disabled)
• Windows Error Reporting completely disabled:
  • No automatic memory dump uploads
  • Logging disabled
  • No consent for error reports
  • No additional data sent
  • No error UI shown

Miscellaneous

• Bypasses Windows 11 requirements:
  • Secure Boot check
  • TPM 2.0 check
  • CPU compatibility check
  • RAM minimum check
  • Storage minimum check
  • Suppresses "unsupported hardware" watermarks (SV1, SV2)
  • Bypasses Network Requirement in OOBE (BypassNRO)
• Restores the legacy Windows Photo Viewer when removing Photos appx package (full file association support)
• Disables Fast Startup and Hibernation (Can be enabled via Revision Tool)
  • Pros: Real shutdown, Improved Linux/dual-boot compatibility, less memory issues, more storage space
  • Cons: Slower boot time, Overheat in sleep mode (make sure to enable it if you experience this)
• Enables Sudo - Inline (Windows 11 24H2+)
• Dual-boot fixes:
  • RealTimeIsUniversal enabled - Uses UTC for hardware clock (fixes time discrepancy between Windows and Linux)
• UAC/Network fixes:
  • EnableLinkedConnections - Mapped network drives visible from elevated processes
• Game compatibility fixes:
  • WebView2 installation allowed while blocking Edge reinstallation (for Visual Studio, etc.)
• App Deprovisioning - Prevents removed apps from reinstalling after Windows Updates:
  • 50+ apps marked as deprovisioned including Cortana, Bing apps, Edge, Teams, Office apps, Widgets, etc.
  • DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium policy enabled
• Crash Control:
  • AutoReboot disabled - BSOD stays visible for viewing error codes
  • Small memory dumps (64KB) - saves space while retaining basic crash info
• MSI Installer in Safe Mode - Windows Installer service enabled in Safe Mode
• Logging optimizations:
  • Office background logging disabled
  • RSoP (Resultant Set of Policy) logging disabled - improves boot time
• System Restore - Pre-defined configuration removed (user can configure manually)
• Audio - "When Windows detects communications activity" set to "Do Nothing" (no volume ducking)
• OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience) configured for privacy:
  • Local account default (online account screens hidden)
  • EULA page hidden
  • Wireless setup hidden
  • Privacy experience page hidden
  • OEM registration hidden
  • Cortana voice disabled during OOBE
  • ProtectYourPC set to maximum privacy (disables data collection options)
  • Network location set to Home (keeps Network discovery enabled)
• Environment variables set:
  • DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=1
  • POWERSHELL_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=1
• Prevents automatic Teams installation via ConfigureChatAutoInstall

Custom Features

• Option to select a privacy focused browser
  • Brave (default), Tweaked:
    • Disabled VPN, Wallet, Brave Rewards and Side Panel buttons on the toolbar
      • Disabled widgets on the new tab page
      • Disabled WebTorrent
      • Enabled Sidebar
  • Firefox
• Defender toggle (default: Disable Defender)
• Hibernate toggle (default: Disable Hibernate)
• Option to include or exclude some components:
  • Remove Microsoft Edge (default: ON)
  • Remove OneDrive (default: ON)
  • Remove AI (Recall & Copilot) (default: ON)
  • UWP
    • Remove Photos (default: ON)
    • Remove DevHome (default: ON)
    • Remove Xbox (default: OFF)
    • Remove 'Your Phone' (default: ON)
  • General configuration:
    • Apply Revision wallpaper (default: ON)
    • Enable Dark Mode (default: ON)
    • Enable Legacy Context Menu (default: ON)
    • Disable Transparency Effects (default: ON)
  • General configuration, page 2:
    • Remove pinned items in Start Menu (default: ON)
    • Disable Automatic Maintenance (default: OFF)

Untouched

• Fullscreen optimization
• Windows Update support
• UAC
• Printing
• Windows Mail
• Hyper-V
• Xbox
• Windows Subsystem for Linux and Android
• etc.

Broken

• Data Usage (Can be enabled via Revision Tool)
• Overheating in Sleep mode, see fix here
• Xbox Achievement notifications
  • Not supported due to the removal of Telemetry services.