On July 11, 2026, the open-source Win11Debloat project shipped a new release that finally addresses a long-standing request: a WhatIf preview for its Get.ps1 script. The update—versioned 07.11.2026—also adds fresh controls over Windows notifications and the automatic installation of driver companion apps, marking another step in the tool’s evolution from a simple removal script to a full-fledged Windows customization utility.
What’s new in Win11Debloat 07.11.2026
The centerpiece of this release is the addition of a -WhatIf parameter to Get.ps1, the standalone script that identifies and catalogs the bloatware, preinstalled apps, and unwanted features on a Windows 11 machine. When run with -WhatIf, the script performs a dry run—it enumerates every application, package, and service it would remove, but makes no actual changes. The output appears in the console just as it would during a real execution, item by item, so you can review the list before committing.
Microsoft’s own PowerShell cmdlets have supported -WhatIf for years, and this addition brings Get.ps1 in line with that safety-first convention. The changelog notes that the preview also works with the script’s newer app‑targeting logic, meaning the list reflects any custom configuration you’ve set—it’s not just a generic catalog.
Beyond the dry-run feature, the update introduces a dedicated module for controlling Windows notification behavior. The script can now tweak settings that govern notification sounds, banners, and the action center’s tendency to re‑promote silenced apps. Exactly which registry keys are modified isn’t detailed, but the net effect is a quieter, less distracting notification experience without turning everything off entirely.
Finally, the release adds a toggle to suppress the companion apps that often tag along with driver installations. Whether it’s the AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin service, NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience, or printer-specific OEM utilities, Windows Update and driver packages have a habit of installing additional software that many users neither need nor want. The new control intercepts that behavior—likely by setting policy keys or disabling scheduled tasks—so only the driver itself lands on the system.
What the update means for you
For home users and enthusiasts
If you’ve ever hesitated to run a debloating script because you weren’t sure what it would remove, the WhatIf mode is built for you. Before this release, the only way to see Get.ps1’s intentions was to either read the source code or run the script and hope nothing broke. Now you can generate a complete, itemized list, save it to a file, and even search it for apps you want to keep. That turns a scary one‑click operation into a transparent, confidence‑building step.
The notification and driver companion controls are equally practical. Notification annoyances are one of the top complaints about Windows 11, and while the Settings app offers some relief, Win11Debloat’s approach tends to go deeper—disabling background triggers and survival mechanisms that the GUI leaves intact. Similarly, stopping a driver companion app without blocking the driver itself means you get the performance or bug fix you need and nothing else.
For power users and IT admins
Power users who already tweak Windows with scripts and policies will appreciate the WhatIf parameter as a validation tool. It can be integrated into custom automation where you want to first log the planned changes, perhaps send them to a SIEM or review pipeline, and only then run the destructive command. The script’s exit codes and console output remain predictable, so scripting chains won’t break.
IT administrators in small-to-medium environments might use Win11Debloat to prepare golden images. WhatIf lets them audit exactly what the script strips from a reference machine, compare it against a list of company-approved software, and then bake the validated configuration into their deployment media. The notification and driver controls, meanwhile, could be folded into Group Policy preferences for broader rollout—though official GP templates would be a welcome future addition.
How we got here
Win11Debloat first appeared in late 2021, shortly after Windows 11’s public launch. Early versions were essentially curated collections of PowerShell commands that uninstalled Candy Crush, the Xbox app, OneDrive, and other preloaded items. The project quickly gained traction because it was transparent (you could read every line of code) and actively maintained. Over time, it grew to tackle telemetry, Cortana, Edge integrations, and taskbar clutter.
By mid-2022, the script had split into two main components: the interactive Win11Debloat.ps1 that presented a guided menu, and Get.ps1 that ran a diagnostic pass to enumerate bloat. The latter was often used independently to generate a manifest before the main script executed. Version 3.0, released in early 2023, added Windows 10 backward compatibility and a plugin framework for community‑contributed modules. The adoption of date‑based versioning in late 2025 simplified tracking of which build you were running.
Version 07.11.2026 is the eleventh release using that convention. Its feature set reflects feedback accumulated over half a year: users wanted a preview, they wanted finer control over the notification center, and they were tired of driver installations silently adding companion software. In open‑source fashion, all three items existed as feature requests on the project’s GitHub issues page before they were coded.
What to do now
If you’re already using Win11Debloat, updating is straightforward. Assuming you’ve cloned the repository, run git pull from its folder. If you downloaded it as a ZIP, simply replace the old files with the new ones—the script doesn’t leave remnants outside its own directory. First-time users should:
- Visit the official GitHub repository (linked in the references below) and download the latest release.
- Extract the files to a folder of your choice, e.g.,
C:\Scripts\Win11Debloat. - Right-click the Windows Start button and open Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
Previewing your bloat
Navigate to the script folder and run:
.\Get.ps1 -WhatIf
The console will fill with lines indicating what would be removed. You can redirect the output to a text file for review:
.\Get.ps1 -WhatIf | Out-File -FilePath "$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\preview.txt"
Open the file, search for any app you rely on, and if you’re satisfied, execute the same command without the -WhatIf flag to perform the actual cleanup.
Tuning notifications and driver companions
The notification and driver companion features aren’t separate scripts; they’ve been integrated into the main Win11Debloat.ps1 menu. When you launch the interactive script, you’ll find new options under Advanced Tweaks. The notification option presents a numbered list of common behaviors (e.g., “Disable toast banners for all apps” or “Silence notification sounds system‑wide”). Select what you want, and the script applies it immediately. The driver companion toggle is a simple on/off that prevents the installation of common OEM apps when new drivers come through Windows Update.
Safety reminders
- Always create a system restore point before running any large-scale removal. You can do this from the script’s own menu or by typing
Checkpoint-Computer -Description "Before Win11Debloat"in an admin PowerShell. - Test the WhatIf output on a non‑production machine if possible, especially if you’re in a managed environment.
- The script’s undo functionality is limited. If a removal goes wrong, your best fallback is reinstalling the affected application from the Microsoft Store or a vendor website.
Outlook
Win11Debloat shows no signs of slowing down. The project’s tracker hints at plans for a graphical wrapper using Windows Presentation Foundation, which would make the tool accessible to an even broader audience. There’s also discussion of a “recommended only” mode that strips the most egregious bloat while leaving arguably useful apps (like the Calculator) alone—a middle ground for less adventurous users.
More immediately, expect follow‑up patches that refine the notification and driver companion controls based on the edge cases that always arise when software runs on millions of different hardware configurations. As with any open‑source effort, the pace will be set by user reports and code contributions. For now, version 07.11.2026 delivers exactly what its community asked for: visibility before action, and a little more peace and quiet in their daily Windows 11 experience.