15 Things to Do After Installing Windows 11 (2026 Setup Checklist)
Windows 10 support officially ended on 14 October 2025, which means most fresh installs today, whether on a new laptop or a clean reinstall, are running Windows 11, currently on the 25H2 update.
If you just finished setup and you’re staring at the desktop wondering what comes next, this is the checklist to work through before you install a single game or open a spreadsheet.
A few things have changed since the Windows 10 days that make this list a bit different from older guides. Microsoft now pushes AI features like Copilot and Recall into the setup flow, some privacy defaults have shifted, and the built-in Backup and Restore tool has effectively been replaced by the newer Windows Backup app. We’ll walk through all of it in order of priority.
Quick answer: Update Windows and drivers first, lock down privacy and AI settings (Copilot, Recall, advertising ID) second, then handle software, backups, and personalisation. Doing them in this order avoids the most common post-install headaches.
Before You Start: Local Account vs Microsoft Account
If you haven’t finished the initial setup screens yet, this decision is worth pausing on. Windows 11’s setup process (OOBE) increasingly pushes you toward signing in with a Microsoft account and an active internet connection, and Microsoft has patched most of the older offline workarounds in recent builds.
If you’d rather use a local account, some options still exist depending on your build. But they’re less reliable than they used to be, and Microsoft tends to close these gaps in later updates.
If a Microsoft account works fine for your needs (it does enable OneDrive backup, Find My Device, and cross-device sync), it’s the path of least resistance. If privacy is a bigger priority for you than convenience, it’s worth researching the current bypass method for your specific build before committing.
Related: How to Install Windows 11 From a USB Drive: Complete Guide
1. Install Windows Updates
This is still step one, and it hasn’t changed since Windows 10. A fresh install rarely ships with the latest patches, and each update fixes security vulnerabilities, driver issues, and stability bugs that existed at the time your installation media was built.
How to do it:
- Press Win + I to open Settings.
- Click Windows Update in the left sidebar.
- Click Check for updates.
- Install everything offered, then restart when prompted.
- Repeat the check after restarting; updates often come in waves, not all at once.
2. Update Your Drivers
Windows 11 installs a reasonable set of generic drivers automatically for your graphics, network, audio, and storage hardware. That’s usually enough to get you online and working, but generic drivers rarely unlock full performance. This matters most for graphics cards, where the manufacturer’s own driver package makes a real difference for gaming and creative work.
How to check what’s missing:
- Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
- Look for any entries with a yellow warning triangle. These need attention first.
- For graphics cards, download drivers directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel’s website rather than relying on Windows Update alone.
- For laptops, check your manufacturer’s support page (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, etc.) for a dedicated driver package, since laptop-specific components like touchpads and keyboard backlighting often need vendor drivers.
3. Review Privacy, Copilot & Recall Settings
This is the step most older guides don’t cover properly, and it matters more in 2026 than it used to. Windows 11 25H2 ships with advertising personalisation, diagnostic data collection, and several AI features switched on by default; opting everyone in gives Microsoft and its partners more usable data, and reversing that is on you.
Turn off ad tracking and diagnostic extras:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & security > General.
- Turn off Let apps show me personalised ads by using my advertising ID.
- Turn off Let websites show me locally relevant content by using my language list.
- Turn off Let Windows improve Start and search results by tracking app launches.
Check Recall (Copilot+ PCs only):
If your PC has a Copilot+ badge and an NPU, Recall may be present. It’s opt-in and takes periodic encrypted screenshots of your activity to make everything you’ve seen searchable through on-device AI.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.
- Confirm Save snapshots is off unless you specifically want the feature.
- If it was previously on, click Delete all to clear stored snapshots.
Manage Copilot’s reach:
Copilot is enabled by default in current Windows 11 builds and now surfaces inside File Explorer, Paint, Photos, and other apps, not just as a standalone sidebar.
If you’d rather it stayed out of your workflow, you can disable individual AI features (like Generative Fill in Photos or Click to Do) from Settings > Privacy & security > Windows AI, or remove the Copilot app entirely through Group Policy on Pro and Enterprise editions.
Related: Secure Your PC With Dynamic Lock in Windows 10 & 11
4. Turn On Core Security Features
Security setup takes ten minutes and matters more than almost anything else on this list. A fast PC that isn’t secure is a liability, not a convenience.
Windows Security (built-in, free):
- Search for Windows Security in the Start menu.
- Under Virus & threat protection, confirm real-time protection is on.
- Under Firewall & network protection, make sure the firewall is enabled for all active network profiles.
- Under App & browser control, turn on Reputation-based protection to block known malicious files and sites.
Device encryption (BitLocker):
- Press Win + Pause or go to Settings > System > About to check whether you’re on Windows 11 Home or Pro. BitLocker’s full feature set requires Pro.
- On Pro, search for Manage BitLocker and turn it on for your system drive.
- On Home editions, a lighter version called Device Encryption may already be active automatically if your hardware supports it. Check under Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption.
Encryption matters most for laptops: if the device is lost or stolen, an encrypted drive keeps your files unreadable without your credentials.
5. Install Essential Software
Windows 11 comes with the basics, but most people still need to add a few things for daily use.
- Third-party antivirus (optional): Windows Security is genuinely solid as a baseline. If you handle a lot of online banking or want extra features like a VPN or password manager bundled in, options like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, or Malwarebytes remain reasonable choices. The free tier is enough for most people, and premium security suites make more sense if you’re doing frequent financial transactions online.
- Browser: Microsoft Edge is the default and genuinely capable in 2026, but Chrome, Firefox, and Brave remain popular if you prefer a different ecosystem or extension library.
- Media playback: Windows’ built-in Media Player covers basic needs; VLC remains the most reliable free option if you deal with unusual file formats.
- Productivity: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or LibreOffice, depending on whether you need cloud collaboration or a fully offline suite.
- Cloud storage: OneDrive comes pre-integrated; Google Drive and Dropbox are common alternatives if your workflow already lives elsewhere.
Related: Types of Computer Viruses and How to Avoid Them
6. Set Default Apps
Once your preferred software is installed, tell Windows to actually use it.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Search for the app you just installed (browser, PDF reader, media player, etc.).
- Click it and set it as default for the relevant file types and links.
- Alternatively, use Set defaults by file type if you want granular control; useful if, say, you want PDFs opening in Acrobat but images opening in a different viewer.
7. Clean Up Startup Programs
Every app that registers itself to launch at startup adds to your boot time, and a lot of installers turn this on without asking clearly.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click the Startup apps tab.
- Check the Startup impact column. Anything marked “High” is worth reconsidering.
- Right-click anything you don’t need running constantly and select Disable.
8. Set Up Windows Backup
The old Backup and Restore (Windows 7) control panel tool still technically exists, but Microsoft’s primary backup path in current Windows 11 builds is the Windows Backup app, which syncs your settings, apps list, and key folders through OneDrive rather than creating a local system image the old way.
To set it up:
- Search for Windows Backup in the Start menu and open it.
- Choose which folders to sync (Desktop, Documents, Pictures are common picks).
- Toggle on Remember my apps, Remember my preferences, and Remember my credentials if you want a smoother experience when setting up a future device.
If you’d rather keep a traditional local backup instead of relying on cloud sync, File History (under Settings > System > Storage > Advanced storage settings) or a dedicated third-party imaging tool still work and don’t depend on your OneDrive storage quota.
Related: How to Recover Shift-Deleted Files in Windows
9. Configure Your Power Plan
Power settings decide when your display dims, when the machine sleeps, and how aggressively it manages performance versus battery life.
- Go to Settings > System > Power & battery.
- Adjust Screen and sleep timings to match how you actually use the PC.
- Laptop users should check the Power mode setting. “Best power efficiency” extends battery life, while “Best performance” favours speed at the cost of runtime.
- For more granular control, search for Edit power plan to access the classic Control Panel options.
10. Personalise the Look and Feel
Purely optional, but worth a few minutes since you’ll be looking at this every day.
- Go to Settings > Personalisation.
- Set your Background, Colours (including light/dark mode), Lock screen, and Themes.
- Under Taskbar, decide which icons and widgets you actually want visible. Windows 11 defaults to showing several you may never use.
- Under Start, choose how many pinned apps and recommendations you want to see.
11. Remove Bloatware
New PCs, in particular, often arrive with manufacturer-installed trial software, games you didn’t ask for, and duplicate utilities. Even a clean Microsoft install carries a handful of preinstalled apps most people never open.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Sort by name and scroll through. Uninstall anything you recognise as unnecessary.
- For a faster pass, right-click unwanted tiles pinned to Start and choose Uninstall directly.
- If you’re comfortable with more advanced tools, community utilities exist that strip out default Microsoft apps and telemetry during a custom install. It is worth researching only if you’re setting up multiple machines or want a genuinely minimal install.
12. Create a Recovery Drive
A recovery drive lets you reinstall Windows without a full system rebuild if something goes seriously wrong down the line; corrupted system files, a failed update, or a drive that won’t boot.
- Type Create a recovery drive into the Windows search box and open it.
- Check Back up system files to the recovery drive if you want the option to reinstall Windows entirely from the drive, not just troubleshoot.
- Insert a USB drive with at least 8-16GB of free space; all existing data on it will be erased.
- Follow the prompts to complete the backup.
Keep in mind this only restores your OS, not your personal files; that’s what step 8 (Windows Backup) is for.
13. Check for Previous Windows Files You Can Delete
If this installation was an upgrade rather than a completely clean install, Windows keeps a copy of your old installation for about ten days in case you want to roll back. That folder can eat tens of gigabytes of space.
- Search for Disk Cleanup and open it for your system drive.
- Click Clean up system files.
- Check Previous Windows installation(s) and Windows Update Cleanup.
- Only do this once you’re confident you won’t need to roll back. It’s irreversible.
14. Set Up File Explorer the Way You Want
A small step, but one that saves friction every single day.
- Open File Explorer and click the three-dot menu, then Options.
- Under the General tab, you can set File Explorer to open to This PC instead of the default Home/Quick access view if you prefer a cleaner start.
- Under View, enable File name extensions and Hidden items if you regularly work with files or need to see system folders.
15. Activate Windows and Verify Your License
Easy to forget, but worth confirming before you rely on the machine for anything important.
- Go to Settings > System > Activation.
- Confirm it shows Windows is activated with a digital license.
- If it isn’t activated, you’ll need a valid product key. Either from your previous Windows 10 device (if this was a free upgrade-eligible machine) or a fresh licence.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping updates because they’re annoying. Deferring them just means installing more, later, all at once, with a higher chance of one going wrong.
- Assuming Recall and Copilot are harmless because they’re “off by default.” Some AI features are opt-in, but ad personalisation and diagnostic tracking are on by default and easy to miss.
- Backing up only your OS, not your files, or vice versa. A recovery drive and Windows Backup solve different problems. You generally want both.
- Installing driver software from random third-party “driver updater” sites. Stick to the manufacturer’s own website for GPU, laptop, and peripheral drivers.
- Disabling every startup app indiscriminately. Some background utilities (like your antivirus or graphics control panel) are meant to run persistently. Check what an app does before disabling it.
Expert Tips
- Do the privacy and security pass (steps 3 and 4) before installing anything else. Some third-party installers change default app associations or add their own startup entries, which is easier to manage on a clean slate.
- If you’re setting up multiple machines regularly, look into Windows 11’s answer files or a tool like Rufus, which can pre-configure a local account and strip default bloatware during installation itself, saving you this whole checklist on future installs.
- Recheck your privacy settings after every major feature update (24H2, 25H2, and beyond). Microsoft has a track record of resetting some toggles or introducing new ones you’ll want to review.
- If BitLocker isn’t available on your edition, at minimum set a strong sign-in PIN or Windows Hello biometric so an unlocked or sleeping PC isn’t an open door.
Conclusion
None of these steps is mandatory. Windows 11 works out of the box, and plenty of people never touch a single setting beyond what’s shown during setup. But spending thirty to forty minutes on updates, drivers, privacy, and backups now saves you from far more frustrating troubleshooting sessions six months down the line.
If you only do three things from this list, make them updates, the privacy/AI settings pass, and Windows Backup. Those three cover security, control over your own data, and protection against losing anything important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Run Windows Update first, since a fresh install rarely ships with the latest security patches and driver fixes. Everything else on this checklist builds on having an up-to-date system.
No. Windows 10 reached end of life on 14 October 2025, meaning it no longer receives free security updates. If you’re still on Windows 10, upgrading or moving to Windows 11 is strongly recommended.
Yes, for most core hardware like audio, chipset, network, and basic graphics support usually install automatically. For full performance, especially on dedicated graphics cards, downloading the manufacturer’s own driver package is still worth doing.
A Microsoft account unlocks OneDrive backup, Find My Device, and settings sync across devices, which most users find convenient. A local account offers more privacy and independence from Microsoft’s cloud services, though current Windows 11 builds make it harder to set up during initial setup than it used to be.
Recall is an AI feature on Copilot+ PCs that periodically captures encrypted screenshots of your activity so you can search your past activity using on-device AI. It’s opt-in and off by default; whether to enable it comes down to how much you value the convenience versus having that data exist at all, even locally.
Windows Security provides solid baseline protection for most users and doesn’t need to be replaced. Third-party suites make more sense if you want bundled extras like a VPN, password manager, or dedicated support for heavy online banking use.
You can disable specific AI features under Settings > Privacy & security > Windows AI, and on Pro or Enterprise editions, IT admins (or advanced users via Group Policy) can remove the Copilot app entirely using the RemoveMicrosoftCopilotApp policy introduced in recent 25H2 updates.
Full BitLocker management requires Windows 11 Pro. Home editions often get a lighter, automatic version called Device Encryption if the hardware supports it, which you can check under Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption.
Microsoft’s current primary backup path is the Windows Backup app, which syncs settings, your installed apps list, and selected folders through OneDrive. The older File History tool and third-party imaging software remain valid options if you’d rather avoid relying on cloud storage.
At least 8GB, though 16GB gives more headroom if you’re including a full system backup rather than just recovery tools. Any existing data on the USB drive you use will be erased in the process.
Recent Windows 11 builds increasingly require an internet connection and Microsoft account sign-in during initial setup, and Microsoft has closed off most of the older offline workarounds. If offline setup matters to you, research the current method for your specific build before starting installation.
Yes, through Disk Cleanup’s “Clean up system files” option, but only do this once you’re sure you won’t need to roll back to your previous setup. The rollback window is typically about ten days, and deleting the folder removes that option permanently.
Not automatically required, but it’s worth checking your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s site for firmware updates, especially if you’re experiencing stability issues. Firmware updates sometimes resolve compatibility problems that driver updates alone can’t fix.
Device Encryption is a simplified, automatic version available on qualifying Home edition hardware, while BitLocker on Pro editions offers more configuration options, including encrypting removable drives and setting custom unlock methods. Both protect your data if the device is lost or stolen.
You can reduce it significantly through the Privacy & security settings, but Windows doesn’t offer a single toggle to eliminate all diagnostic data collection through the standard interface. For most users, disabling ad personalisation and app-launch tracking covers the bulk of what’s reasonably controllable.
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