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My practical Windows 11 setup for gaming PCs
(Local account, clean system, manual optimization)
This guide describes my real-world approach to setting up Windows 11 for gaming.
It is not based on theory or “FPS myths”, but on repeated installations on real gaming systems.
I use official Windows 11 and configure it manually to achieve a clean, stable and predictable system.
Windows 11 installation with a local account (no internet)
During Windows 11 installation, when the system asks to connect to the internet and no network is available, I press:
Shift + F10
This opens Command Prompt.
I enter the following command:
start ms-cxh:localonly
This allows me to continue setup without an internet connection.
I create a local account, set the computer name, skip password creation and continue installation.
Privacy and services during initial setup
During initial setup, Windows offers multiple optional services:
cloud features, typing improvement, user data collection, personalization, telemetry, etc.
I disable everything.
The only option I keep enabled is location/time synchronization, so the system sets the correct time zone and system time.
For diagnostics, I choose “Basic” (not “Full”), knowing that diagnostics will be adjusted later.
No Windows Update at this stage
At this point:
I do NOT connect to the internet
I do NOT run Windows Update
This prevents Windows from installing drivers or apps automatically.
Manual driver installation (offline, prepared in advance)
All drivers are downloaded in advance.
On an AMD platform, I install drivers in the following order:
AMD chipset drivers
LAN / Ethernet drivers
Wi-Fi drivers
Audio drivers
Bluetooth drivers (if applicable)
Graphics driver installation
Immediately after all chipset and network-related drivers are installed, I install the graphics driver.
This is done before Windows Update.
If the GPU is NVIDIA, NVIDIA Control Panel will be configured later.
Basic interface cleanup
After driver installation, I adjust the interface:
Move the Start menu to the left
Remove unnecessary icons
Disable widgets
Simplify the desktop and taskbar
Removing built-in Windows applications
I remove unnecessary built-in applications such as:
OneDrive
Outlook
Xbox and related services
Copilot and assistant features
Other unused default apps
This can be done directly in Windows and is later also easy to manage via WinToys.
Connecting to the internet and updating Windows
After cleanup, I connect to the internet and run Windows Update.
I allow Windows to fully update and then reboot the system.
System tuning and cleanup using WinToys
After updates, I install WinToys from the Microsoft Store.
WinToys has a clear and intuitive interface and allows manual control over system behavior.
Using WinToys:
Disable telemetry and unnecessary background activity
Adjust Windows features manually
Enable Ultimate Performance power plan
(Windows normally only exposes Balanced and Performance modes)
Perform system cleanup after updates, including temporary files
After applying changes, I reboot the system.
Verification after reboot
After reboot:
I check Windows Update again
I verify the Start menu to ensure removed apps were not reinstalled
If any apps reappear, I remove them again
I perform another system cleanup if needed
Browser installation
I install Google Chrome and remove Microsoft Edge.
I configure Chrome as required.
Final reboot
I reboot the system again and perform a final check.
At this point, Windows is clean, updated and stable.
BIOS configuration and tuning are a separate topic and are not part of this guide.
Why I do NOT use custom Windows builds (Atlas OS, FoxOS, etc.)
I am aware of custom and “debloated” Windows builds such as Atlas OS, FoxOS and similar projects.
I understand why some users choose them, and I have experience with such builds.
These are not separate operating systems.
They are modified versions of official Windows with components removed in advance.
I do not use them for the following reasons:
No full control
You never have complete visibility into what was removed or modified.
This includes system services, security components and update mechanisms.
I prefer to control every change manually.
Update and compatibility risks
Custom builds often have limited or broken Windows Update support.
Major updates, drivers, games or anti-cheat systems may fail or behave unpredictably.
Security and reliability
Many custom builds weaken or remove built-in security mechanisms.
This may be acceptable for experiments, but not for stable gaming systems.
Difficult maintenance and recovery
Once core components are removed, reverting changes cleanly is difficult or impossible.
With official Windows, troubleshooting and recovery are straightforward.
Manual optimization works better long-term
Using official Windows and tuning it manually provides:
Full compatibility
Predictable updates
Stable performance
No hidden modifications
For these reasons, I use official Windows 11 and optimize it manually.
This approach provides the best balance between performance, stability and long-term usability.
