Remove WindowsCapability - PowerShell

Overview

Remove-WindowsCapability removes Windows capabilities either completely or in portions, allowing you to disable or uninstall preinstalled Windows features. This command is particularly useful for customizing the Windows experience, troubleshooting issues related to specific capabilities, or optimizing system performance by removing infrequently used features.

Syntax

Remove-WindowsCapability [-Online] -Name <CapabilityName> [-Force] [-NoRestart] [-Provider <ProviderName>]

Options/Flags

-Online

  • Checks for and downloads the latest version of the capability to be removed before proceeding.

-Name (Required)

  • Specifies the name of the Windows capability to be removed. Use Get-WindowsCapability -Online to list available capabilities.

-Force

  • Suppresses any confirmation prompts and forcibly removes the capability, regardless of any dependencies or potential risks.

-NoRestart

  • Prevents the system from automatically restarting after the capability is removed. Use this flag if you plan to remove multiple capabilities in a sequence or if you want to manually restart the system later.

-Provider

  • Specifies the provider name for the capability to be removed. This flag is only required if the capability belongs to a third-party provider.

Examples

Example 1: Remove a specific capability

Remove-WindowsCapability -Name Microsoft.Windows.Cortana

Example 2: Remove a capability and prevent system restart

Remove-WindowsCapability -Name Microsoft.OneDrive -NoRestart

Example 3: Force removal of a dependency-dependent capability

Remove-WindowsCapability -Name Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay -Force

Common Issues

  • Feature Dependency: Removing a capability may impact other features or applications that rely on it. Check dependencies carefully before removing capabilities.
  • Data Loss: Removing certain capabilities may result in loss of stored data associated with those features. Back up important data before proceeding.
  • System Restart: Removing some capabilities may require a system restart. Plan accordingly to avoid interruptions.

Integration

Example: Mass Removal of Capabilities

Get-WindowsCapability -Online | Where { $_.Name -like "Xbox*" } | Remove-WindowsCapability -NoRestart
Restart-Computer -Force
  • Add-WindowsCapability
  • Disable-WindowsCapability
  • Get-WindowsCapability