What NixThis is, and what it isn't
The project's GitHub page calls it a filter engine for Windows itself, "not another Windows tweaker." The developer's pitch is about the annoyances Windows adds: ads, suggestions, a Chat button, Bing in Search, and full-screen "here's what's new" pages after an update.
The uBlock comparison needs some care. uBlock Origin's documentation says its element picker creates a network or cosmetic filter that permanently removes elements from a web page, while the element zapper removes them only temporarily. NixThis does not block network traffic or filter web pages. It borrows the select-the-thing-you-hate workflow and applies it to Windows settings and apps. Think of it as a Windows settings finder with a crosshair, not a browser ad blocker running on your desktop.
How to use it
NixThis is portable. According to the project's README, you grab the latest build from the Releases page, extract it somewhere writable and run NixThis.exe. It needs Windows 10 or 11 and .NET Framework 4.8.
The picker workflow looks like this:
- Click Pick an element, or press Ctrl + Shift + Space from anywhere.
- Move the pointer over the item that annoys you.
- Look at the frame. A green frame means NixThis recognises the item.
- Click it, read what will change, then block it or leave it alone.
A few details help with troubleshooting:
- NixThis catches the click itself, so it does not accidentally activate the button underneath.
- If the hotkey does nothing, another app may already own Ctrl + Shift + Space, so use the button instead.
- A grey frame means NixThis doesn't know that element yet. The sighting is recorded locally so it can become a filter later, and nothing is changed.
A grey frame is not always bad news. Trishtech's write-up says grey can also mean the item is already how you want it, or that NixThis doesn't know the element yet. The GitHub README only describes the "unknown" case, so treat grey as "no action available."
The filter list and installed apps
You don't have to hunt for things on screen. Open the list with More. It shows everything NixThis currently knows, including items not visible right now. You search it, tick what should go and choose Apply changes. Each row tells you where the item lives and what will change.
Installed apps also appear here. The developer takes a measured approach: apps required by Windows are protected, and everything else is shown as a choice rather than assuming every preinstalled app is bloat.
Neowin reports that a recent update added 15 filters for settings you can't pick from the interface. These include Advertising ID, setup prompts, tips, Settings suggestions, tailored experiences, Activity history, diagnostic data, Recall, location and speech. Neowin also says installed apps now have their own section. I could not confirm those specifics in the README, so treat them as Neowin's account of the release.
What it changes under the hood
The README says most filters write one documented or well-known Windows registry value. It adds that NixThis does not patch system files, disable random services or run a mystery "Optimize" script. Neowin's summary matches this.
Three practical points follow:
- Admin rights: The README says some machine-wide settings need administrator rights. NixThis first tries the change normally. If Windows refuses, it explains why and can restart with elevation.
- App removal: Preinstalled apps are removed through Windows PowerShell, and a protected package list stops core components like the Store, App Installer and Windows runtimes from being offered for removal.
- Identification: The picker reads the element under the pointer with AutomationElement.FromPoint and draws a border around it. Because one element rarely identifies a feature reliably, it also checks parent elements. It collects the AutomationId, ClassName, visible name and owning process, and prefers stable IDs because visible text changes with the Windows language. The README adds that the Windows 11 taskbar often reports only itself, so the app walks the automation tree to find the real button.
Everything NixThis knows lives in a file called Data/Filters.ini. Each filter describes how an element is recognised, what setting sits behind it, what value blocks it and what restores it. The list has its own version number and can grow independently of the app. Unknown elements write their signature to Data/Sightings.log, which stays on the PC. That design should let new Windows builds be supported through list updates rather than a new executable each time.
Undoing changes
The undo story is mostly good, with one exception. The README says registry changes remember their previous value. Open "What you blocked," and "Bring it back" restores what was there before.
The exception is app removal. Windows has no real undo for an uninstall, so NixThis opens the matching Microsoft Store page instead. If you remove a preinstalled app, assume reinstalling is a manual job.
Privacy and the optional AI button
The README says NixThis works fully locally without the optional Explain button. That button stays disabled until you add your own API key in Settings. When you request an explanation, the developer says only the name and technical details of that one setting are sent, never a scan of your PC. That is the developer's description of the app's behavior, not an independent audit.
Caveats before you try it
- It is early. The developer says NixThis only blocks what it recognises, and that Windows changes often and the filter list will keep needing updates. If a filter fails on your build, the README asks you to open an issue stating what you pointed at and your Windows version.
- The source isn't published yet. The README says the first release is out but the source will follow after cleanup. So don't call it open source for now. The repository currently has no downloadable code to audit.
- Version numbers vary by listing. MajorGeeks lists NixThis 0.42.0, dated 10/04/26, at 568 KB, as freeware for Windows 10 and 11. OlderGeeks lists v0.40. Check the Releases page for the newest build.
- Test first. Neowin recommends a virtual machine because the tool is new and not widely tested. That is sound advice. For a physical PC, make a restore point or backup before applying machine-wide changes or removing apps.
Who it suits
NixThis is a good fit if you set up PCs often and are tired of looking up registry values for each tweak. The "show me what will change" step is a better default than a giant checkbox list. It is less suited to anyone who needs full coverage or auditable source code today. Enterprise admins should still prefer managed policy through Intune or Group Policy over an unreviewed third-party tool, since this app makes per-user and per-machine registry edits outside those channels. That recommendation is general IT practice, not something the developer states.
The idea of pointing at a thing instead of decoding Windows setting names is appealing. Whether NixThis lasts depends on how well the developer keeps the filter list current as Windows builds change.