Windows 11 Services to Disable for Performance Boost

Windows 11 packs over 100 background services and scheduled tasks that often run unnecessarily, eating into CPU, RAM, and disk resources even when idle—perfect candidates for optimization if you’re gaming or just want snappier performance. Safely disabling services like Connected User Experiences and Telemetry, Print Spooler, and Remote Desktop Services can free up significant resources without breaking core functionality. For automation, customizable PowerShell scripts like win11-optimizer handle this with interactive menus, while lists from gaming-focused tweaks provide a solid starting point.

Contents

• Why Optimize Windows 11 Services and Tasks
• Comprehensive List of Safe-to-Disable Services
• Scheduled Tasks to Disable for Better Performance
• Customizable Lists for PowerShell Automation
• Existing Scripts to Automate the Process
• Step-by-Step Manual Disable Guide
• Risks and Reversal Tips
• Sources
• Conclusion

Why Optimize Windows 11 Services and Tasks

Ever catch your Windows 11 PC chugging away in the background, fans spinning for no good reason? That’s services and scheduled tasks at work—think telemetry phoning home to Microsoft, print spoolers waiting for printers you don’t have, or Xbox tasks nagging even if you’re not gaming. Disabling the unneeded ones isn’t about stripping your system bare; it’s targeted cleanup for real performance gains, especially on gaming rigs or older hardware.

These background gremlins launch during idle time, hogging resources that could go to your apps. A clean setup might shave off 10-20% CPU usage and cut boot times noticeably. But heads up: not everything’s safe to nuke. Stick to proven lists from sources like Kartones’ gaming tweaks, which assume no printers, sharing, or fancy peripherals.

Comprehensive List of Safe-to-Disable Services

Here’s a battle-tested compilation from multiple experts, focused on Windows 11 gaming or minimal setups. Stop them first (if running), then set to Disabled via services.msc. Always create a restore point beforehand.

Core telemetry and privacy hogs:

• Connected User Experiences and Telemetry (DiagTrack) – Microsoft’s data collector; kills battery life and privacy.
• Cloud Backup and Restore Service – Useless without OneDrive sync.
• Downloaded Maps Manager – No offline maps? Gone.

Print and remote access bloat:

• Print Spooler – No printer? This one’s a resource pig.
• Remote Desktop Services – Disable unless remoting in.
• Remote Registry – Security risk, rarely needed.

Hardware-specific (disable if unused):

• WalletService – NFC payments? Probably not.
• Windows Camera Frame Server – Webcam dodgers rejoice.
• Geolocation Service – Tracking your couch? Nope.

Full gaming-optimized list (from Kartones):
ActiveX Installer (AxInstSV), BitLocker Drive Encryption Service (BDESVC), Cellular Time (cellcore), Certificate Propagation (CertPropSvc), Connected Devices Platform Service (CDPSvc), Contact Data (PimIndexMaintenanceSvc), Microsoft Windows SMS Router Service (SmsRouter), Netlogon, Parental Controls (WPCSvc), Payments and NFC/SE Manager (SEMgrSvc), Phone Service (PhoneSvc), Print Device Configuration Service, PrintNotify (PrintNotifySvc), PrintScanBrokerService, Quality Windows Audio Video Experience (QoSVantageSvc? wait, actually from list: Quality Windows Audio Video Experience), Radio Management Service (RmSvc), Remote Access Auto Connection Manager (RasAuto), Remote Access Connection Manager (RasMan), Remote Desktop Configuration (SessionEnv), Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector (UmRdpService), Retail Demo Service (RetailDemo), Secondary Logon (Seclogon), Sensor Data Service (SensrSvc), Sensor Monitoring Service, Sensor Service (SensorService), Server, Shared PC Account Manager (Shpcreg), Smart Card (SCardSvr), Smart Card Device Enumeration Service (ScDeviceEnum), Smart Card Removal Policy (SCPolicySvc), TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (lmhosts), Telephony (TapiSrv), Virtual Disk (vds), Volume Shadow Copy (VSS), Windows Backup, Windows Biometric Service (WbioSrvc), Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) (stisvc), Windows Insider Service (wisvc), Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (WMPNetworkSvc), Windows Mobile Hotspot Service (icssvc), Windows Remote Management (WinRM), Windows Search (WSearch), Work Folders (workfolderssvc), WWAN AutoConfig (wwansvc).

Additional from other tweaks (Partition Wizard, Pocket-lint):

• Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service (TabletInputService)
• DevicePicker (device picker for casting)
• Windows Update Delivery Optimization (DoSvc) – Solo PC? Share nothing.

Test one by one. Notice FPS bumps in games? That’s the win.

Scheduled Tasks to Disable for Better Performance

Services get the spotlight, but Task Scheduler (taskschd.msc) hides periodic jobs like Xbox game saves or maintenance scans. Disable these for idle-time relief:

• Xbox Game Save (XblGameSaveTask) – Non-gamers, kill it.
• Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser – Telemetry runner.
• Customer Experience Improvement Program – More data collection.
• Maintenance tasks: WinSAT (graphics assessment), USO_UxBroker (update broker).
• Family Safety Monitor, ProgramDataUpdater.

From script sources like WindowsMize, they target Xbox tasks and defrag schedules. Poke around \Microsoft\Windows in Task Scheduler—disable anything Xbox or telemetry-related if unused.

Why bother? These fire up disks and CPU at weird hours, fragmenting your SSD.

Customizable Lists for PowerShell Automation

Absolutely—build your own script with arrays of service/task names. Here’s a starter from community patterns:

$servicesToDisable = @(
 "DiagTrack",
 "SysMain", # Superfetch
 "Spooler",
 "RemoteRegistry",
 "XblAuthManager"
)

foreach ($service in $servicesToDisable) {
 Stop-Service $service -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
 Set-Service $service -StartupType Disabled
}

Tweak for tasks: Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName "XblGameSaveTask". Back up registry first with reg export HKLM\SYSTEM system_backup.reg. Sources like win11-optimizer GitHub offer JSON configs for cherry-picking.

Existing Scripts to Automate the Process

Yes! Ready-to-run options exist:

1. win11-optimizer: Single optimize-win11.ps1. Interactive menu for services (DiagTrack, SysMain), tasks, temp cleanup. Creates restore points—gold standard for safety.

2. WindowsMize: Config-driven for Windows 11. Disables RemoteRegistry, Xbox tasks, more. GitHub README lists everything.

Run as admin: Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process; .\optimize-win11.ps1 -Interactive. Revert? Restore point or sc config ServiceName start= demand.

These beat manual fiddling, especially for repeated tweaks.

Step-by-Step Manual Disable Guide

No script? services.msc for services: Right-click > Properties > Startup type: Disabled > Stop > Apply.

For tasks: taskschd.msc > Navigate > Right-click > Disable.

Quick PowerShell one-liner for telemetry: Stop-Service DiagTrack; Set-Service DiagTrack -StartupType Disabled.

Pro tip: Group Policy (gpedit.msc) for deeper locks, like disabling Delivery Optimization.

Risks and Reversal Tips

Break something? Rare with these lists, but printers vanish if you spooler-nuke it. Test on a clone VM first.

Revert: services.msc > Set to Automatic/Demand > Start. Tasks: Enable. Restore point covers most. Monitor with Task Manager—CPU under 5% idle? You’re good.

Not for servers or shared PCs. Gaming solo? Go wild.

Sources

1. Disabling unneeded Windows 11 Services (for gaming) - Kartones Blog
2. GitHub - lvictorerod/win11-optimizer
3. Disable Windows 11 Services to Boost Performance Securely
4. I finally disabled these Windows services and my PC is happier for it
5. 5 Windows 11 services I disabled to give my PC a performance boost
6. WindowsMize - PowerShell script to automate and customize the configuration of Windows

Conclusion

Trimming unnecessary Windows 11 services and tasks like telemetry, print spoolers, and Xbox jobs delivers tangible optimization—faster boots, cooler temps, higher FPS—without the nuclear option. Grab win11-optimizer for one-click magic, or customize the lists above for your setup. Your PC will thank you; just restore if a peripheral rebels.