Winwise v1.6.2
A guide to Windows 11 services: what each one does, what you gain or lose by turning it off, and a builder that creates a reversible PowerShell script for the services you choose.
Use it
Every release also has a winwise.html.sha256 file. To check your download, run this in PowerShell and compare the result with it:
Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256
What's inside
- 157 Windows 11 service entries explained in plain language, with privacy and performance tradeoffs, search, filters and sorting.
- Script builder: pick the features you don't use and Winwise selects the related services for your script.
- Safety built in: every script supports a
-WhatIf dry run, saves the original settings to a JSON backup before changing anything, and restores them with -RestoreFrom. Services that can break boot or sign-in are excluded.
- Windows 11 backup and recovery guide with a table of what each option does to your personal files, apps, and settings. It covers File History, Windows Backup and OneDrive, Fix problems using Windows Update, System Restore, Point-in-time restore, Reset this PC, a Windows 11 installation USB, and system images, plus a short list of useful Windows tools.
- Opens in dark mode, with a light-mode switch for the current visit. No tracking or cookies; your motion preference stays in your browser.
Version 1.6.2, updated October 30, 2026, makes the backup page wider and easier to read on a PC, with each section as a separate card and two columns on wide screens. Version 1.6.1 corrected the page against Microsoft's documentation, including the Recovery Drive warning. See CHANGELOG.md for the release changes and SERVICE-REVIEW.md for coverage, corrections, and validation scope. The guide includes optional and build-dependent entries; your PC will not necessarily have every listed service.
Using a generated script
- Create a System Restore point named "Before Winwise".
- Copy the script folder’s full path from File Explorer, open PowerShell as Administrator, and use
Set-Location -LiteralPath "YOUR-COPIED-FOLDER-PATH". Administrator protection can give an elevated window a different user profile, so do not assume its Downloads folder is yours.
- Preview:
.\Winwise-Services.ps1 -WhatIf
- Apply:
.\Winwise-Services.ps1
- Undo:
.\Winwise-Services.ps1 -RestoreFrom '.\Winwise-backup-....json', using the backup path printed after applying.
The script only changes service startup settings and running state. It downloads nothing, creates no scheduled tasks and leaves security services alone. Read it before you run it: it comes with no warranty (see the license).
Project structure
| Path | What it is |
|---|
index.html | The whole site in one file, built from src/. Don't edit it by hand. |
src/ | The source files listed below |
tools/build.mjs | Combines src/ into index.html. Node.js only, no dependencies. |
tools/test-data.mjs, tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 | Check directory data, selection rules, and script dependency handling using mock services. |
.github/workflows/ | Checks that index.html matches src/, and attaches winwise.html to each release |
File in src/ | What it does |
|---|
index.html | Page structure and all sections |
services.js | Service data: descriptions, tradeoffs, risks and Microsoft sources |
script-builder.js | Builds the script from the selected services |
script-template.ps1 | The PowerShell template the builder fills in |
app.js | Directory, filters, details dialog and builder interface |
intro.js, intro.css | Opening animation |
galaxy.js | Shared particle distribution, spiral shape, colors, and nebula glow for the three galaxy scenes |
launch-glass.js | A rotating particle galaxy with mint and violet arms, a warm nebula glow, and compact gears in the START panel’s bottom-right corner; pauses with motion preferences and stops after START |
appearance-init.js, appearance.js | Theme and motion settings |
theme.css, styles.css | Colours and layout |
Making changes
- Edit the files in
src/.
- Run
node tools/build.mjs (Node.js 18 or later).
- Open
index.html in your browser to check the change.
- Commit
src/ and index.html together.
GitHub Actions rebuilds index.html on every push and pull request and fails if it doesn't match src/. While you edit, you can also serve src/ with any local web server, for example python3 -m http.server 8000 --directory src, to see changes without rebuilding.
Run the data checks with node tools/test-data.mjs. Run the dependency regression checks with pwsh -NoProfile -File tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1, or use powershell instead of pwsh on Windows PowerShell 5.1. The dependency checks execute the template's ordering and preview/apply code against mock services; they do not change Windows services or the registry. GitHub Actions also runs both checks, including a Windows PowerShell 5.1 job.
Corrections and new services are welcome. Open an issue or a pull request, and link a Microsoft source for any change to what a service does. To report a security problem, see SECURITY.md.
License
MIT © 2026 Damian Machelski
