Nano11 cuts Windows 11 down to size, grabbing just 2.8 GB of disk space
(2025/09/11)
- Reference: 1757604611
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/09/11/nano11_cuts_windows_11_down/
- Source link:
How low can Windows 11 go? Storage-wise, it can take up less than 3 GB, as demonstrated by some impressive engineering from the same individual behind the Nano11 "diet" build.
The Nano11 installation media itself is a mere 2.2 GB while the installed OS tips the scales at just 2.8 GB.
"You pretty much can't get any tinier than this," [1]said the author of the script that takes the work they did for Tiny11 Core and goes further in the quest for the smallest possible version of Windows 11 that will still boot to a desktop and remain usable ... kind of.
[2]
The developer, NTDEV, released an [3]update to Tiny11 earlier this month, which allows adventurous users to create Windows 11 install images without many of the components that Microsoft deems essential, such as Copilot and the new Outlook. Even Teams doesn't need to be there.
[4]
[5]
The update, according to NTDEV, is also Windows 11 25H2-ready, and images should come out smaller thanks to the use of LZX compression (although the developer warned, "keep in mind that this takes a while and it uses A LOT of RAM, so be patient.")
Satisfying as it might be to remove the Windows 11 bloat, a health warning has to be applied to [6]Tiny11 – it isn't sanctioned by Microsoft and is best for testing. T
[7]
Which brings us on to Nano11, a script that takes the debloating to extremes. As well as the usual suspects (Clipchamp, News, Weather, and so on), Nano11 cuts deeper. You didn't need Windows Update, did you? Or any of the system services? Or Windows Defender?
The list goes on, and the developer warns, "You cannot add back features or languages in an image created with this script!"
[8]Why Windows 95 left a handy power saving feature on the cutting-room floor
[9]Microsoft readies Windows 11 25H2 while Windows 10 circles the drain
[10]Microsoft open-sources the 6502 BASIC coded by Bill Gates himself
[11]Microsoft veteran's worst Windows bug was Pinball running at 5,000 FPS
[12]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
"The resulting OS is not serviceable. This means you cannot add languages, drivers, or features, and you will not receive Windows Updates. It is intended only for testing, development, or embedded use in VMs where a minimal, static environment is required."
But goodness, it is small. It is not really usable as a daily driver (the author warns, "It goes without saying that Nano11 is NOT for daily use!") However, it could be handy as a quick and dirty way to try something out in a VM.
Nano11 is an impressive feat of engineering. It also demonstrates that the bloat in Windows 11 is a definite choice by Microsoft – it does not have to be that way. While undoing those choices is not for the faint of heart, there is a certain level of satisfaction to be drawn from removing a Windows component that nobody wanted or asked for. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://x.com/NTDEV_/status/1965908849606668366
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://ntdotdev.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/tiny11-builder-september-2025-release/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/22/tiny11_builder_update/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/09/chen_windows_95_hlt/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/02/windows_11_25h2_preview/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/microsoft_open_sources_6502_basic/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/09/dave_plummers_worst_windows_bug/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The Nano11 installation media itself is a mere 2.2 GB while the installed OS tips the scales at just 2.8 GB.
"You pretty much can't get any tinier than this," [1]said the author of the script that takes the work they did for Tiny11 Core and goes further in the quest for the smallest possible version of Windows 11 that will still boot to a desktop and remain usable ... kind of.
[2]
The developer, NTDEV, released an [3]update to Tiny11 earlier this month, which allows adventurous users to create Windows 11 install images without many of the components that Microsoft deems essential, such as Copilot and the new Outlook. Even Teams doesn't need to be there.
[4]
[5]
The update, according to NTDEV, is also Windows 11 25H2-ready, and images should come out smaller thanks to the use of LZX compression (although the developer warned, "keep in mind that this takes a while and it uses A LOT of RAM, so be patient.")
Satisfying as it might be to remove the Windows 11 bloat, a health warning has to be applied to [6]Tiny11 – it isn't sanctioned by Microsoft and is best for testing. T
[7]
Which brings us on to Nano11, a script that takes the debloating to extremes. As well as the usual suspects (Clipchamp, News, Weather, and so on), Nano11 cuts deeper. You didn't need Windows Update, did you? Or any of the system services? Or Windows Defender?
The list goes on, and the developer warns, "You cannot add back features or languages in an image created with this script!"
[8]Why Windows 95 left a handy power saving feature on the cutting-room floor
[9]Microsoft readies Windows 11 25H2 while Windows 10 circles the drain
[10]Microsoft open-sources the 6502 BASIC coded by Bill Gates himself
[11]Microsoft veteran's worst Windows bug was Pinball running at 5,000 FPS
[12]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
"The resulting OS is not serviceable. This means you cannot add languages, drivers, or features, and you will not receive Windows Updates. It is intended only for testing, development, or embedded use in VMs where a minimal, static environment is required."
But goodness, it is small. It is not really usable as a daily driver (the author warns, "It goes without saying that Nano11 is NOT for daily use!") However, it could be handy as a quick and dirty way to try something out in a VM.
Nano11 is an impressive feat of engineering. It also demonstrates that the bloat in Windows 11 is a definite choice by Microsoft – it does not have to be that way. While undoing those choices is not for the faint of heart, there is a certain level of satisfaction to be drawn from removing a Windows component that nobody wanted or asked for. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://x.com/NTDEV_/status/1965908849606668366
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://ntdotdev.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/tiny11-builder-september-2025-release/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/22/tiny11_builder_update/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMLyE13CrlDqmPv6iWb03AAAAAs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/09/chen_windows_95_hlt/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/02/windows_11_25h2_preview/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/microsoft_open_sources_6502_basic/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/09/dave_plummers_worst_windows_bug/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/