An open-source project is catching the attention of developers and enthusiasts seeking an ultra-lightweight operating system. It’s nano11, a PowerShell script published on GitHub by ntdevlabs, which allows creating an extremely slim Windows 11 image that’s up to three times smaller than the usual.
What is nano11?
Nano11 isn’t a “new Windows” per se, but an automated script that uses only official Microsoft tools — DISM and oscdimg.exe — to generate a clean, minimal ISO image. Its features include:
- Creating a compact installation from scratch.
- Including a unattended installation file to bypass the requirement of signing in with a Microsoft account.
- Automatically generating a ready-to-install ISO for a PC or virtual machine.
The result is a Windows 11 image of just about 3 GB, designed solely for testing environments, development, or embedded use in virtual machines.
What does the script remove?
The aggressive process makes nano11 a system almost unrecognizable compared to a standard installation. The script eliminates:
- Pre-installed applications: Xbox, Clipchamp, News, Weather, Solitaire, Office Hub, etc.
- System components:
- Windows Component Store (WinSxS).
- Windows Update and all its services.
- Windows Defender.
- Most drivers (only VGA, network, and storage are kept).
- Basic services like Search, BitLocker, biometrics, Accessibility, and even audio.
- Other elements:
- Microsoft Edge and OneDrive.
- Internet Explorer and Tablet PC utilities.
- All Asian language IMEs.
Critical limitations
The developer warns that this is an experimental “disposable” script. Some key limitations include:
- The resulting system cannot be updated: it won’t receive security patches or new features.
- Languages, drivers, or removed features cannot be added back.
- It’s not suitable as a primary OS nor for production environments.
In practice, nano11 is useful for those needing a static, very lightweight, and disposable virtual machine, for example, for quick software testing or isolated development environments.
How to use it
The process is fairly straightforward:
- Download the official Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s website.
- Mount the ISO image on your system.
- Run PowerShell as an administrator and set execution permissions:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process - Navigate to the folder containing the script and execute it:
C:\path\to\nano11\nano11.ps1 - Specify the mounted drive and the desired Windows edition.
After a few minutes, a minimized ISO ready for installation will be generated.
More of a curiosity than an alternative
While appealing to optimization enthusiasts, nano11 remains an experimental exercise reminiscent of previous projects like Tiny11 by the same developer. Its practical use is limited to testing labs or embedded environments, and it’s not viable as a replacement for standard Windows.
Nevertheless, initiatives like this serve to demonstrate how flexible (and heavy) Windows 11 can be and show how far a community can go in creating minimalist versions of the world’s most popular operating system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is using nano11 legal?
Yes, as long as it’s based on an official Windows 11 ISO and you have a valid license. The script itself is open source.
Will I receive security updates on nano11?
No. The resulting system cannot connect to Windows Update or receive patches.
Can I use it on my main computer?
It’s not recommended. It’s designed solely for testing environments or disposable virtual machines.
What is the size of an installation with nano11?
Approximately 3 GB, compared to the usual 9-12 GB of a standard Windows 11 installation.