Learn how to make your individual light-weight Home windows ISO

by

Like maximum different instrument, Home windows has frequently grown over time, including extra options that at last result in a larger dimension. Home windows 10 used to be at first supported on gadgets with as much as 20GB of garage, however now you wish to have no less than 64GB for Home windows 11. This additionally applies to set up information. A couple of years in the past, a 4GB flash force used to be sufficient to carry a Home windows ISO (it was once much less), however this present day, 8GB is the minimal required by way of Microsoft.

XDA video of the dayScroll to proceed with the content material

However what if we advised you that you’ll be able to make your Home windows ISO a lot smaller and take away all of the things you do not want? Due to the paintings of XDA Senior Member jenneh, it is moderately simple to create a light-weight Home windows ISO that is extra appropriate for you. The developer has put numerous paintings into making the enjoy rather less daunting for brand new customers, and confidently it’s going to make it more uncomplicated for any individual to construct their very own Home windows ISO.


What’s going to you wish to have

There are just a few stuff you in point of fact want to create your Home windows 11 ISO:

  • Home windows 11 ISO same old: You wish to have an present Home windows 11 ISO record which would be the foundation for the adjustments you’re going to make. You’ll be able to Obtain it from the Microsoft website online.
  • Modwin: Program evolved by way of Jannah is a Senior Member of XDA To enable you to adjust the Home windows ISO record. Even though no longer technically required, this will likely ease lots of the ache of this procedure, so we extremely suggest it.

Learn how to make your individual Home windows ISO

We have now divided this procedure into a number of sections. For our instance, we are the usage of a Home windows 11 Usual Multi-Model 22H2 ISO, however this must paintings on Home windows 10 as smartly.

Settling on the resources and set up of the WIM record

First, it is very important add a WIM record to switch it. The WIM record accommodates all of the important Home windows set up information, and is contained in an ISO record. It may be an ESD record relying on which ISO you will have, however MODWIN will paintings with both.

  1. Obtain Modwin from GitHub and run the installer. You may even see a Home windows SmartScreen suggested, so click on Additional info after which Run anyway.
  2. The information will likely be extracted to A: modwin.
    Screenshot of the MODWIN folder

  3. Take your present ISO record and double-click it to mount it as a digital force, which must open mechanically.
  4. Reproduction the contents of this digital force to a record A: MODWIN ISO Folder.
    Screenshot of Windows 11 File Explorer windows with an arrow representing the process of copying files from a virtual drive to an ISO folder.

  5. Cross to the house web page A: modwin folder and run modwin. bat.
  6. This will likely open a command suggested with a couple of choices to choose between. There are two primary sorts:
    • Possibility 1 It’s an all-in-one removing script, this means that that it’s going to take away all packages, applications, and lines that don’t seem to be important for Home windows to serve as at a elementary stage. This selection isn’t really helpful for the general public.
    • Possibility 2 It means that you can adjust the ISO to take away apps and lines of your selection. The rest choices are in fact steps in the similar procedure. That is the choice we propose opting for.
      Screenshot of the main menu in MODWIN

  7. This system will ask you to make a choice in case your ISO record accommodates a WIM record or ESD record.
    Screenshot of MODWIN asking if the ISO file being used contains a WIM or ESD file

  8. Use Record Explorer to navigate to A: MODWIN ISO Resources and discover a record referred to as set up. wim or set up. esd. NB: Trendy variations of Home windows must have a set up. wim record in case you are the usage of an respectable Microsoft ISO as a base.
    Screenshot of File Explorer showing a folder with various files, including one called install.wim

  9. Go back to the Command Suggested window and input the quantity similar to the record structure you spot.
  10. You’ll see an inventory of all variations of Home windows which might be incorporated within the record you decided on.
    Screenshot of MODWIN showing a list of Windows versions included in a WIM file

  11. front index The quantity similar to the model of Home windows you wish to have (you’ll be able to want a license for it) and press Enters two times.
  12. This system will get started extracting the WIM record.
  13. When the method finishes, you are going to see a affirmation message.
    Screenshot of MODWIN after getting the WIM file from the original ISO

  14. He presses Enters to go back to the principle menu display screen.
  15. Now, we’re going to choose the choice 3. Mount WIM. Enters 3 and press Enters.
    Screenshot of MODWIN installing a WIM file

  16. Look ahead to the method to complete and you are going to be taken again to the principle menu. Depart the app open.

Take away apps and lines from the ISO

Now that WIM is put in, it is in a position to be changed. You must see all information inside a record A: MODWIN PATH Folder. Do not contact the information! The next move is to make a choice the apps you wish to have to take away out of your Home windows set up. So, observe those steps:

  1. From the MODWIN primary menu, choose the choice 4. Programs, Programs and Options Choices.
  2. You’ve got a couple of choices for the issues you’ll be able to take away or adjust:
    Screenshot of MODWIN giving users the option to modify apps, packages or features.

    1. Software applications: Refers to portions of Home windows which might be apps at the Microsoft Retailer, such because the Climate app, Xbox, Telephone Hyperlink, and so forth.
    2. Programs: It contains some elementary drivers for elementary capability (comparable to networking) and a few Home windows options comparable to WordPad.
    3. Options: Comprises non-compulsory Home windows options, comparable to Hyper-V.
  3. If you wish to see which apps you wish to have to disable, faucet on 1 and hit Enters.
  4. You’ll see an inventory of utility applications which might be incorporated together with your Home windows set up. Probably the most names is probably not solely correct to the user-friendly title, comparable to microsoft.home windows connections packages package deal, which refers back to the Mail, Calendar, and Other people apps. On the other hand, maximum packages must be simple to spot.
    Screenshot of the list of application packages that can be removed in MODWIN

  5. If you wish to take away any of the apps, faucet 1 and hit Enters.
  6. Reproduction the title of the appliance or package deal you wish to have to take away, paste it into the command box, and hit Enters. You’ll be able to double-click the title to choose it extra temporarily.
    Screenshot of MODWIN when Microsoft Solitaire Collection is removed from pre-installed applications

    No longer each app is essentially protected to take away. Be sure you know what apps you might be eliminating earlier than doing so.

  7. He presses Entersand you’ll be able to be again in step 5. Repeat for some other apps you wish to have to take away.
  8. If in case you have got rid of all of the apps you wish to have, faucet on 2 and hit Enters to go back to the principle menu.
  9. To take away applications as smartly, select the choice 4 Once more, then the choice 2 (See step 2 above).
  10. This works the similar means as eliminating utility applications. He presses 1 If you wish to take away the package deal you spot within the record. Once more, it is probably not protected to take away a few of these issues. Best take away issues that you realize evidently you do not want.
    Screenshot of packages available for removal in MODWIN

  11. Reproduction the title of the package deal you wish to have to take away, paste it into the enter box, and hit Enters.
  12. Repeat the method if you wish to take away extra applications, or 2 to go back to the principle menu.
  13. In spite of everything, you’ll be able to repeat the method to get the options. He chooses 4 from the principle menu, then press 3 to peer an inventory of non-compulsory options.
  14. This time, you are going to see an inventory of a few options which might be enabled and a few which might be disabled.
  15. Once more, you’ll be able to press 1 To take away a function or 2 To go back. You’ll be able to additionally allow options which might be disabled by way of urgent 3. This may turn out to be useful if you wish to have options like Hyper-V enabled out of the field.
    Screen display of MODWIN to enable Hyper-V

  16. As soon as you’ve got made the adjustments you wish to have, press Enters to go back to the principle menu.

Now, you are prepared to export your ISO record. There are two extra choices that don’t seem to be important right here. Possibility 5 installs the WIM registry (just for customers who in point of fact want it), and Possibility 6 means that you can push information from the USER folder in A: modwin in an ISO, so your Home windows set up will come with any information it’s possible you’ll want. We will skip that and pass directly to exporting the brand new ISO.

export iso

Now that you’ve got made your changes, simply observe those steps to export your new ISO record:

  1. From the principle menu, select the choice 7. Unmount the WIM and construct ISO choices.
  2. The most straightforward means to try this is to make a choice the choice 1which can save your adjustments, blank all brief information, and create a brand new ISO record.
    Screenshot of MODWIN showing options to unmount and create the ISO file

    You’ll be able to additionally use possibility 2 to discard any adjustments you made for those who made any errors within the procedure. Then you’ll be able to get started over with the adjustments.

  3. MODWIN will get started saving the adjustments and unloading the WIM record.
  4. Make a choice whether or not to compress the WIM record into the ESD structure. This will likely lead to a smaller ISO record, however it’s going to take longer. He presses 1 to compress the record or 2 to depart it as a regular WIM record.
    Screenshot of MODWIN asking the user if they want to compress a WIM file into an ESD file

  5. Look ahead to the method to complete, and your new ISO record will seem in A: MODWIN MOD Folder. Should you examine it to the respectable ISO, you are going to see that it’s noticeably smaller. We selected to compress the WIM record to the ESD structure right here and handiest disabled one utility package deal; The general dimension will range in response to the adjustments you are making.
    Screenshot of two Windows 11 ISO files, including a modified file that's less than 4GB in size, and an official one that's more than 5GB in size

You at the moment are in a position to put in Home windows 11 the usage of your new ISO. Needless to say your pc can’t be attached to the Web whilst you run the Home windows installer, in a different way it’s going to obtain updates from Microsoft and roll again your adjustments.

You’ll be able to use a program like Rufus to mount the ISO to a flash force and do a blank set up of Home windows. You’ll be able to take a look at our information on set up Home windows 11 for extra directions on that.

Due to Senior XDA Member Jenneh for the superb paintings creating this instrument and offering the unique steering. Take a look at the fee information right here.