NTLite Removes Copilot and AI Features from Windows 11

Ghacks reports that NTLite shipped version v2026.04.10936, adding the ability to remove AI features such as Copilot and Windows Recall from Windows 11 25H2 installation images. Ghacks and Windows Central report the update also delivers faster, multi-threaded extraction which reduces the time required to process and rebuild an installation image. Both outlets state that removing the AI components can shrink the overall installation size. Ghacks notes NTLite operates on the installation image itself, so changes affect new installations rather than existing, running systems. Ghacks and Windows Central say the tool is available for download from the NTLite website, with an optional paid license that unlocks additional capabilities.

Editorial analysis: Tools that modify Windows installation images operate at the image layer rather than the live OS, which lets administrators and enthusiasts produce leaner ISOs before deployment. Industry-pattern observations: Multi-threaded extraction speeds primarily reduce rebuild time by parallelizing file operations and compress/decompress steps, which benefits large images like Windows 11 25H2 where AI feature payloads increase image size. For practitioners: removing built-in features at install time avoids runtime uninstallation steps and can simplify imaging workflows for system builders and ISOs used in mass deployment scenarios.

Editorial analysis: Reporting from Windows Central and Yahoo frames this update within a broader user reaction to Microsoft s expanding AI footprint in Windows 11, including privacy and surface-area concerns. Industry observers have in recent months cataloged a rise in third-party "debloating" and customization tools as users and admins seek smaller, more controlled Windows deployments. This release is notable because it targets AI-specific components, a category that has grown in both binary size and user attention since Microsoft integrated AI features into the OS.

For practitioners: observers should verify that removing components from an installation image does not unintentionally remove dependencies that other enterprise features require; test images in a lab before wide deployment. For security-minded teams: validate that the stripped image maintains expected security updates and telemetry behavior for your environment. Editorial analysis: Watch community feedback and changelogs from NTLite for any caveats about supported editions and future 25H2 cumulative updates, and monitor how Microsoft s servicing cadence for Windows 11 25H2 affects third-party image modifications over time.