Windows 11 fully streamlined in just two clicks? Talon utility promises to rip all the bloatware out of Microsoft’s OS in a hassle-free way

Articles

Mac Support London - SupportPlan > Blog > Articles > Windows 11 fully streamlined in just two clicks? Talon utility promises to rip all the bloatware out of Microsoft’s OS in a hassle-free way

Talon is a debloating tool designed for those who aren’t tech-savvy
It does everything for you in running a fully automated debloat of Windows
Bear in mind that third-party apps are used at your own risk, though the developer of Talon seems commendably transparent

Fed up with Windows 11’s bits of additional bloat, meaning all those unwanted bits of software and other elements that you’ll never use, clogging up the system?

You might not know where to start to do anything about fixing this, which is where a new utility comes in, allowing for a very easy method of debloating Windows 11 with a minimum of fuss required.

As TweakTown flagged up, this is Talon, a software tool developed by Raven with the aim of being an automated full debloat of Microsoft’s operating system that’s suitable for even novice computer users.

The promise is just two clicks – to choose the type of debloat you want and a dialog box to accept the changes being made to your PC – and you’re done. Well, you have to wait some time for the actual process to happen, but it’s all performed automatically, there’s no brain-ache or puzzling over options involved.

A barebones debloat is what many folks will run – just a straightforward stripping out of all the crud from Windows 11 – but other options can then add some (hopefully) useful apps back for you. For example, choosing ‘Gaming’ as the use of your PC will run the debloat and then install the likes of Discord and Steam.

You can find out more about Talon by watching the YouTube video below, and you can download the utility here (but have a quick read of my analysis underneath the video clip before you do so).

Analysis: An easy way to banish the bloat – but is it a sensible one?

I’ve got to say, I really like the philosophy of Talon, which is to take all the hassle out of debloating.

As Raven points out in the above video, a typical debloating tool will be a maze of check boxes and submenus, and it might even involve entering PowerShell commands. Tasks that less tech-savvy Windows 11 users will doubtless find difficult or even arcane.

So, taking all the pain out of that is a commendable goal. What Talon is really doing is bundling a bunch of these trickier utilities in a user-friendly, automated package. (For the curious, the tools drafted in under the bonnet of Talon include ChrisTitusTech’s WinUtil and Raphi’s Win11Debloat, which are the main engines of what’s happening here).

However, with any third-party app, you must be cautious. Ultimately, whether you want to install any piece of software is a decision that you must take yourself, especially when it comes to lesser-known developers.

However, Talon appears to be laudably transparent in the interview given to TweakTown, and one definite positive is that the code for the tool is open source and can be viewed and checked by anyone. (So, if there are flaws or anything amiss, hopefully they’ll be shouted about).

The developer Raven freely admits that as Talon relies on some third-party software, as mentioned, any vulnerabilities in those would also apply to the app itself (obviously).

I’ll leave the final words to the developer, as quoted from the TweakTown interview: “While it is possible for a supply chain attack to occur, where one of these [third-party] utilities gets compromised then Talon is inherently compromised as a result, they are very popular utilities with lots of eyes on their code, and with extremely talented and trusted maintainers.”

“The rest of Talon is done through homemade scripts that we maintain. At the end of the day, the possibility of malware injection, a supply chain attack, or whatever else, is there for any software, no matter the size of the team or the popularity of a project. We will do our best to ensure that this day never comes, though, and if it does we will address it as fast as possible to ensure minimal impact.”

For those who aren’t convinced or would rather DIY the task of streamlining their operating system, make sure you check out TechRadar’s guide on how to find and remove bloatware from your Windows 11 PC.

You may also like…

Over 320 Satisfied Customers

I just wanted to say thank you for the visit today from SupportPlan. The engineer picked up many issues that we had outstanding and was professional and tireless! Really grateful for all his support and expertise today.

Beth, Operations Manager

SupportPlan has been a highly valued supplier to APR Communications, supporting our luxury PR agency from 1997 until 2018 when the company merged to become ANM.

We cannot recommend SupportPlan more highly. Not only have SupportPlan provided an impeccable service; they have also been a true partner of the agency providing excellent counsel re our IT requirements and valuable cost-saving advice.

The team are very responsible and always go the extra mile in providing technical solutions in a user-friendly manner.

We wish Lance and the SupportPlan team our best and have been honoured to work with them.

Annabel McAvoy, Managing Partner, APR Communications LLP

All unforeseen problems were handled smoothly and calmly with the expertise of the engineers…[SupportPlan] sold me solutions and not technology.

Reginald Thompson, Conran Design Group Ltd

SupportPlan are fast, efficient, friendly and very knowledgeable. They have resolved any problems I have thrown their way and in quick time. I would recommend them to any company.

Design Manager, Colliers International

I rely on SupportPlan. Even though I’m able to carry out certain tasks, it’s reassuring to know that SupportPlan is on the other end of the phone if I need them for back up.

Neil Hickford, Four IV Design

I work in a very busy marketing team. Knowing that SupportPlan are there to help us, in case of any problems has always been reassuring. They proved it one day when my Mac broke down as I was facing a tough deadline. Not only did SupportPlan swiftly replace the faulty computer, but their engineer also transferred all my files to the new Mac, enabling me to get back to work right away.

Claudia Mansaray, Marketing Communications Executive, Alzheimer's Society

I had the opportunity to work with your engineer via telephone today. I was so impressed with his helpfulness, knowledge and professionalism that I felt that I should send this email complement. Who ever hired him made the right decision. I will certainly be recommending your company to any other company I work with.

John McCrudden, MSc MCSE ACTC JNCIS-ER, "IT Infrastructure Specialist", Mitie Business Services

SupportPlan’s engineers have the knack for solving problems quickly by asking jargon-free questions that make a user feel like an IT expert.

Christine Holdforth, Manager, Corporate Publicity and Design Studio, Department of Education and Skills

SupportPlan is unusual in that the ‘top man’ is much more hands on with his clients than in other comparable organisations and is happy to step in when required. The engineers are responsive in a crisis and devote themselves to solving the problem efficiently.

Irena St John-Brooks, Managing Director, Pension Publications Ltd

SupportPlan are a rare breed in that they genuinely understand creative agencies and how we use IT in the business. They provide all our day-to-day IT support in a seamless and proactive way as well as advising us at a strategic level.

Financial Director, Salter Baxter

We were very impressed not only by the promptness of response but also by the consistency for the support…our Mac users were able to build up a strong working relationship with the regular team of experts from SupportPlan.

Richard Swann, IT Manager, Institute of Directors

I thoroughly recommend SupportPlan for whatever creative IT needs you may have…their expert knowledge is worth their weight in gold, let alone the service and range of services they back this up with. They are and always will be constant to my working life, as they have never let me down.

Neil Carter, Studio Manager, Penna Plc.

It’s reassuring to know that I have the breadth of skills of the SupportPlan team to back me up when I need them.

Gareth Perry, Group IT Manager, Eaglemoss

I have no hesitation recommending SupportPlan. They have maintained our computers for 12 years and they have ensured that any problems are resolved on the same day so we experienced as little down time during working hours. Their technicians are extremely knowledgeable and are always polite and helpful.

Maria Grasso, mgdc design consultants