10 Essential Things to Do After Installing Windows 11 (2026 Guide)

10 Essential Things to Do After Installing Windows 11

Congratulations on a fresh install! To get the most out of your PC, follow this 10-step checklist to make Windows 11 faster, cleaner, and more secure in 2026.

1 Activate Windows 11

Before you can customize your PC (even simple things like changing the wallpaper), you need to activate it. An inactivated Windows limits features and shows an annoying watermark.

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2 Run Windows Update

Even if you just installed Windows, there are likely new security patches waiting. Go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.

3 Debloat Your System

Windows 11 comes with "bloatware" (TikTok, Instagram, or games you don't need). Manually uninstall apps from Settings > Apps > Installed Apps to free up RAM and CPU power.

4 Master Your Privacy Settings

Microsoft loves data. To protect yours, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > General. Turn OFF advertising ID and tracking. Under Diagnostics & feedback, turn off "Send optional diagnostic data."

5 Disable Startup Apps

Speed up your boot time by opening Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). Click the Startup apps tab and disable anything you don’t need immediately (Steam, Spotify, etc.).

6 Optimize Display & Refresh Rate

Make sure your monitor is actually running at its best. Go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display and set your Refresh Rate to the maximum available (e.g., 144Hz).

7 Enable Dark Mode & Night Light

Save your eyes! Set Dark Mode in Personalisation > Colours and schedule the Night Light to reduce blue light during evening hours.

8 Configure "Snap Layouts"

Hover over the Maximise button of any window to see Snap Layouts. This is the ultimate productivity hack for multitasking with multiple windows.

9 Set Up BitLocker (Pro Only)

If you have the Pro version, encrypt your drive using BitLocker. This ensures that if your laptop is stolen, your data remains unreadable.

10 Create a System Restore Point

Now that your PC is perfect, save it! Search for "Create a restore point" in the Start menu. If anything goes wrong later, you can "time-travel" back to this moment.

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Windows 11 is a powerful OS, but it needs a little bit of "polishing" to be perfect. Happy Computing!