Windows 11 Pro Minimal Gamer Edition [25H2 Build 26200.7171]

Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition

Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition is a heavily stripped-down gaming build designed to keep only the core components required to run modern games on supported hardware.

It removes updates, extra languages, Microsoft Store, Defender, and a long list of optional and background features to reduce CPU load, RAM usage, and disk footprint.

The edition uses an unattended installation, so there is nothing to configure during setup, and it includes .NET Framework 3.5 enabled by default together with a minimal desktop layout.

Review of Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition

This Minimal Gamer Edition focuses on performance and low overhead rather than full Windows feature coverage.

By removing telemetry, Store apps, accessibility tools, many management consoles, and extra services, it aims to free more resources for games and latency-sensitive workloads.

Several user-facing components such as Microsoft Edge, Widgets, Windows Copilot, Windows Search, and many inbox apps are removed, which results in a very clean and distraction-free desktop.

However, because core features like Defender, Windows Update components, and various troubleshooting tools are stripped out, this build is best suited for advanced users who understand the trade-offs and handle security and updates manually.

With 7-Zip, StartAllBack, hundreds of themes and wallpapers, and optional extras like Firefox, Visual C++ All-in-One, and Malwarebytes, it also provides a curated environment ready for gaming after installation.

Key Features of Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition

• Heavily Debloated System: Removes updates, Microsoft Store, Defender, optional features, many services, and inbox apps to reduce background activity.
• Unattended Installation: Installs automatically with preset options, so you do not need to interact with setup screens.
• Minimal Gamer Interface: Provides a clean, simple desktop layout focused on launching games rather than multitasking with many apps.
• .NET Framework 3.5 Enabled: Includes .NET 3.5 pre-enabled to improve compatibility with older games and utilities.
• Integrated 7-Zip: Adds 7-Zip for archive management and extraction right after installation.
• StartAllBack Included: Uses StartAllBack to adjust the Start menu and taskbar behavior for a more classic or streamlined feel.
• Large Theme and Wallpaper Pack: Ships with hundreds of themes and dozens of wallpapers so you can customize the look without additional downloads.
• Extras Folder: Provides optional installs for Firefox, Visual C++ All-in-One runtimes, and Malwarebytes in an Extras folder.

Technical Details

• Software Full Name: Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition
• Version: 25H2 Build 26200.7171
• Application Type: Customized, debloated Windows 11 Pro installation for gaming
• Setup Type: Unattended desktop installer
• Architecture: 64-bit
• File Size: Approximately 1.86 GB (ISO)
• Languages: English only
• TPM Requirement: TPM checks removed for this build
• Developer: Microsoft

Components and Features Removed

This Minimal Gamer Edition removes a very large number of optional features, services, and apps, including but not limited to:

• Accessibility tools, legacy File Explorer components, help content, and various management consoles aimed at enterprise administration.
• Microsoft Edge (Chromium and Legacy), WebView, Bing integration, Widgets, Copilot, and many inbox apps such as Photos, Sticky Notes, Weather, and Teams.
• Windows Defender, SmartScreen, Windows Search, telemetry clients, troubleshooting and diagnostic tools, and several virtualization and security layers.
• Microsoft Store and related Store Experience components, making app installation rely on offline installers and portable packages instead.

Because of these removals, the system footprint is reduced, but some standard Windows workflows are no longer available and must be replaced with third-party tools or manual administration.

Full list of removals:

57-bit Linear Addressing, Accessibility tools (Ease of Access), ActiveX Installer Service, Add Folder Suggestions dialog, Agent Activation Runtime, Application Virtualization (App-V), APX speaker and microphone driver, Assigned Access, Assigned Access Lock app, Authorization Manager – 32 bit, AutoPlay, Auto-Rotation Manager, Auto Time Zone Updater, Biometric – Support, Bing Search (InboxApp), BitLocker Drive Encryption, BranchCache Client, Cache and temp files, CEIP (SQM), Cellular Time, Certificate Manager – 32 bit, Clipboard User Service, Clipchamp.Clipchamp, Cloud Desktop, Cloud Notifications, COM+ (Component Services) (management console) – 32 bit, COM+ (Component Services), Computer Management – 32 bit, Containers (Application Guard), Content Delivery Manager, Cross Device Experience Host, Cumulative Update cache (LCU), Data Center Bridging (DCB), Data Usage service, Declared Configuration (DC) service, Desktop Activity Moderator (DAM), Desktop image downloader, Dev Home, Device Experience, Device Guard, Device Lockdown (Embedded Experience), Device Manager – 32 bit, Device Picker, Devices Flow – 32 bit, Device Update Center, Diagnostics and Troubleshooting, DirectX WARP JIT Service, Disk failure diagnostics, Disk Management – 32 bit, Disk Usage utility, DiskRAID tool, DVD Play, Easy Transfer, Ease Of Access Themes, Email and accounts, Embedded Mode, Enhanced Storage, Enterprise App Management Service, Enterprise Data Protection (EDP/WIP), Event Viewer – 32 bit, Eye Control, Face Recognition, Feedback Hub, File Explorer (Legacy), File History, File Picker UI Host – 32 bit, File Revocation Manager – 32 bit, File Server Resource Manager, First-logon animation, Flipgrid PWA (InboxApp), Floppy disk, Folder Redirection, Font previewer – 32 bit, Get Help, Guarded Host, Help file support (CHM), Host Bus Adapter (HBA) API, Hyper-V, Hyper-V Integration Services, Image Mastering API (IMAPIv2) – 32 bit, Improved Inter-Integrated Circuit (I3C), Infrared devices, Input Method Editor (IME), Internet Authentication Service (IAS), Internet Explorer, Internet Explorer – 32 bit, Internet Information Server (IIS), Internet Printing Client, IPsec Policy Agent, iSCSI Initiator, Japanese (IME), Kernel Debugging, Korean (IME), Legacy components, Link-Layer Topology Discovery protocol (LLTD), Live Captions, Local Profile Assistant Service, Local Users and Groups Manager – 32 bit, Location notifications, Location Service, Manual feature repository, Manual Setup, Map Control, Messaging Service, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft | apxunit.inf, Microsoft | kdnic.inf, Microsoft | kdnic_legacy.inf, Microsoft Bing, Microsoft Edge (Chromium), Microsoft Edge (Legacy), Microsoft Edge DevTools Client, Microsoft Edge Update, Microsoft Edge WebView, Microsoft Family Safety, Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ), Microsoft News, Microsoft Photos, Microsoft Privacy Engine, Microsoft Sticky Notes, Microsoft Sync Framework, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft To Do, Mobile Device Management (MDM), MobilePC, Mouse Pointers (Accessibility tools), MSN Weather, MultiPoint Connector, Narrator, Natural Authentication, Natural Language – Legacy, NDIS Packet Capturing (NDISCAP), Near Field Communication (NFC), Net Command-Line Tool (net.exe) – 32 bit, .NET Framework Assembly Cache, Network Adapter Multiplexor Protocol, Network Projection, Network Shell (netsh.exe) – 32 bit, NFS Administrative Tools, NTVDM 16 bit subsystem, Offline Files, On-Screen Keyboard (Accessibility tools), On-Screen Keyboard (Windows Personalization themes), OneDrive, Outlook for Windows, Outlook PWA (InboxApp), Packet Monitor (PktMon), Parental Controls, Payments, Pen Service, Performance CMD Tools for Tracing, Performance Logs and Alerts, Performance Monitor, Phone Link, Phone Service, Photo codec – 32 bit, Photo Viewer – 32 bit, Picture password, Point of Service (POS), Portable Device Enumerator Service, Power Automate, Print 3D – 32 bit, Print Management, Print to PDF, Print Workflow Service, Private Character Editor, Proximity – Wi-Fi Direct, Pseudo-locale, Quality of Service Packet Scheduler (QoS), Quick Assist, ReadyBoost, Recommended Troubleshooting service, Reliability Analysis Services, Remote Access Auto Connection Manager, Remote Access Service Client Tools, Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop Client – 32 bit, Remote Desktop Licensing, Remote Desktop Server, Remote Desktop Services ActiveX Client – 32 bit, Remote Desktop Services Port Redirector, Remote Differential Compression (RDC), Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) ping tool, Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator, Remote Registry, RemoteFX, Retail Demo Content, Rights Management support, Routing and Remote Access Service, Screen Magnifier, Scripto, Screensavers, Security Center, Sensors, Services (management console) – 32 bit, Setting Sync, Share Media Control Panel, Shared Folders UI – 32 bit, Shared modem settings (mdmgl*.inf), Shared PC mode, SimSun & NSimSun, SimSun-ExtB, Sleep Study, Smartcard, SmartScreen, Solitaire & Casual Games, Speech Recognition, Speech TTS, Spell Checking, Start Experiences (InboxApp), Steps Recorder, Storage Quality of Service (Storage QoS), Store Experience Host, Support directory, Sustainability Service, Sync Center, System Preparation tool (Sysprep), Table Text Service, Tablet PC, Take a Test, Targeted Content Service – 32 bit, Task Manager – 32 bit, Task Scheduler (management console) – 32 bit, Telemetry Client, Telephony, Text prediction, Time Travel Debugger (TTD), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) (management console) – 32 bit, Unexpected Codepath, Universal Print Management Service, Unix socket (AF_UNIX), User Experience Virtualization (UE-V), Virtualization-based security (VBS), Voice Access, Wallet Service, Wallpaper (Default), Wallpapers (Themes), WebClient, Wi-Fi Network Manager (Wi-Fi Sense), Widgets Platform Runtime (InboxApp), WiFi Sync Provider, WinSXS, Wired AutoConfig, Windows Application Compatibility Enhancements, Windows Audit, Windows Barcode Preview, Windows Camera, Windows Clock, Windows Connect Now (WCN), Windows Copilot (InboxApp), Windows Copilot (Windows Feature Experience Pack), Windows Disc Image Burning Tool, Windows Defender, Windows Error Reporting, Windows Firewall (management console) – 32 bit, Windows Help content, Windows Hello Setup, Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS), Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player – 32 bit, Windows Mixed Reality, Windows Performance Recorder, Windows Push Notifications Service (System), Windows PushToInstall Service, Windows Remote Management (WS-Management), Windows Search, Windows Shell Experience, Windows Sound Recorder, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Windows Terminal, Windows To Go, Windows Update Medic Service, Windows Web Experience Pack, WMP Network Sharing Service, WMP Network Sharing Service – 32 bit, WWAN AutoConfig, Zip & Cab folder

Minimum System Requirements

• Processor: 2 GHz or faster CPU compatible with 64-bit Windows.
• RAM: At least 2 GB (4 GB or more recommended for modern games).
• Storage: Minimum 20 GB free space on the system drive.
• Graphics: DirectX 9 compatible graphics device or newer.
• Display and Input: Monitor and keyboard/mouse; multitouch features require a touchscreen device that supports multi-touch.
• Network and Store Access: An active internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024×768 are required to access online content and services that you add yourself, since Microsoft Store is removed.

How to Install and Use Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition

• Download the ISO file and create a bootable USB drive using your preferred tool, then boot the target PC from that USB.
• Because this is an unattended installation, let the setup process run until Windows finishes installing and you reach the desktop.
• Once on the desktop, verify hardware drivers using Device Manager and install any missing GPU or chipset drivers from the vendor websites.
• Review the StartAllBack configuration to adjust the Start menu and taskbar to your preferred layout.
• Install Visual C++ All-in-One runtimes from the Extras folder if your games or applications require them.
• Install your preferred browser (such as Firefox from the Extras folder) and any anti-malware solution you trust, since Windows Defender and Store are removed.
• Finally, install your game clients and titles, then tune graphics and system settings for best performance on this minimal build.

Integration With Other Tools

• To further debloat or customize Windows images before deployment, you can follow advanced workflows such as those described in Gorstaks Debloat Tools, Presets And Guide To Debloating Windows if you want to build your own minimal editions.
• For ongoing cleanup and optimization on this gaming build, you can pair it with utilities like Wise Care 365 Pro and Advanced SystemCare Ultimate to keep performance stable over time.
• If you need to manage or scan your gaming network and connected devices, you can use MyLanViewer Network/IP Scanner to discover PCs, shares, and IP addresses on your LAN.

Conclusion

Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Minimal Gamer Edition is aimed at experienced users who want a very lean Windows environment focused almost entirely on gaming performance.

By removing updates, Store apps, Defender, and many extra components, it offers a lighter footprint and fewer background tasks, but it also requires more manual management of security, drivers, and software installation.