Build a Lean Windows 11 with Tiny11 and Rufus on Old PCs

Microsoft’s official support clock for Windows 10 is winding down, and a growing cottage industry of community tools now offers a practical — if unofficial — path forward: build a pared-back Windows 11 installer with Tiny11, then write it to USB with Rufus to bypass Microsoft’s hardware checks and deploy a lean, fast system on older machines. This piece explains how those tools work, verifies the key technical claims, weighs the benefits, and lays out the risks for anyone considering a “super-slim” Windows 11 installation as Windows 10 reaches end of support.

Background / Overview​

Windows 10 reaches its end of support on October 14, 2025. After that date Microsoft will stop shipping regular security updates and technical support for consumer Windows 10 editions, though a one-year Extended Security Updates (ESU) option exists for consumers and businesses wanting more time. This is the immediate impetus for many users to consider migrating to Windows 11 — even on older or unsupported hardware. The end-of-support date is documented on Microsoft’s lifecycle pages and reiterated in multiple mainstream reports.
At the same time, two community projects have become central to the “upgrade older PC” story: NTDEV’s Tiny11 builder (a PowerShell-driven image re‑builder that trims inbox apps and system payloads) and Rufus (a widely used USB creation tool that added an automated compatibility-bypass wrapper for Windows 11 upgrades). Together they let users create a stripped Windows 11 ISO and produce a bootable USB that can avoid the installer’s system-requirements guardrails. The remainder of this article verifies how those tools work and what they actually change.

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What is Tiny11? A practical overview​

Tiny11 is not a new operating system — it’s a script-driven image builder that modifies an official Windows 11 ISO to remove a broad set of inbox applications, optional components, drivers, and in more extreme variants, servicing infrastructure. The project’s code and release notes are public on GitHub and the maintainer documents what the builder does: offline servicing with DISM and PowerShell, component removal, registry tweaks to prevent reinstallation, then re-packaging of the install image with stronger compression. The repository and community write-ups confirm this workflow.
Why this matters: a standard Windows 11 install often occupies tens of gigabytes on disk and includes many “inbox” apps and services that some users never use. Tiny11’s builder reduces that bloat at image-creation time so installs are smaller, faster, and less demanding on older hardware.

Tiny11 profiles: tiny11maker vs tiny11Coremaker​

Tiny11 exposes multiple build profiles. At a high level:

• tiny11maker (the standard profile) removes a large list of inbox apps and conveniences while leaving core servicing and update paths intact. It targets getting a lean, usable desktop that still receives regular updates. Typical removed items include Clipchamp, News, Weather, Xbox apps, GetHelp, GetStarted, Office Hub, Solitaire, People, Power Automate, To Do, Alarms, Mail & Calendar (classic), Feedback Hub, Maps, Sound Recorder, Your Phone, Media Player, Quick Assist, Internet Explorer artifacts, Tablet PC Math, Edge/OneDrive hooks in some variants, and other consumer-focused packages. This is confirmed in the project README and independent reporting.
• tiny11Coremaker (the “core” profile) is far more aggressive: it not only strips inbox apps but will also alter or massively reduce the Windows Component Store (WinSxS), disable or remove Windows Update and Windows Defender in some configurations, and remove WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) to squeeze size down at the cost of serviceability. The repository and third‑party analyses spell out these differences and warn that the core profile is intended for testing or lab builds rather than everyday machines.

These two profiles map to a trade-off spectrum: standard Tiny11 aims for a usable, debloated OS that can still receive updates; the Core/nano variants optimize for minimum disk footprint and fast installs, sacrificing patchability and built‑in security.

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How Tiny11 achieves its size and performance gains​

Tiny11 combines three technical levers:

• Offline component removal. The script mounts Microsoft’s official install.wim (or ESD), uses DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and PowerShell to remove package families, optional features, language packs, drivers, and pre-provisioned UWP apps. The GitHub builder and community guides show the exact DISM calls and package removals.
• Registry and OOBE tweaks. Tiny11 applies registry changes that block reinstallation hooks and reduce the telemetry/partner-app reinstalls that sometimes reappear after upgrades. The project README documents those tweaks and how they prevent certain inbox apps from respawning.
• Aggressive compression. After pruning, the builder re-packs the image using recovery‑style compression options (WIM LZMS/LZX), or applies CompactOS-style NTFS compression for on-disk savings. These compression modes are native to Windows image tooling and CompactOS; both are supported and documented by Microsoft and by open-source image utilities. LZMS/LZX modes yield markedly lower ISO sizes compared to stock WIM compression. Community results and the project’s notes consistently show multi‑gigabyte reductions using these flags.

Real-world outcomes reported by multiple outlets and community tests show final Tiny11 ISOs in the low single-digit gigabytes for certain configurations (a frequently cited target is about 3.5 GB for one Tiny11 24H2 configuration), and the most extreme Nano/Core variants can produce ISOs under 3 GB with installed footprints in the single-digit gigabytes. Those numbers are reproducible only when you choose the more aggressive removal options and high-ratio compression. Treat any fixed-size claim as a configuration-dependent result, not a universal guarantee.

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Step-by-step: How the community workflow looks in practice​

Below is a concise, practical sequence — the exact commands and dialogs vary depending on Tiny11 version and your chosen profile.

• Prepare: Download an official Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft and obtain the Tiny11 builder from its GitHub repository. You will run the builder locally; it expects administrative PowerShell and the Windows ADK tools for some operations.
• Set PowerShell execution policy (example):
• Run PowerShell as Administrator
• Execute: Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process
• Run the builder:
• Navigate to the Tiny11 folder and run tiny11maker.ps1 for the standard profile, or tiny11Coremaker.ps1 for the “core” profile.
• When prompted, point the script at the mounted Windows 11 ISO’s drive letter (without the colon) and select the target edition.
• Create bootable media:
• Use Rufus to write the newly created Tiny11 ISO to a USB stick. With recent versions Rufus can also apply compatibility workarounds automatically (see next section).
• Install: Boot from the USB and install as usual. Expect a leaner initial install with fewer inbox apps and lower disk usage.

These steps are intentionally high-level: the scripts automate much of the work but assume some familiarity with admin‑level tooling and the risks of modifying installation images.

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Rufus and the compatibility bypass: what’s happening and why it matters​

Rufus, the popular bootable-USB utility, introduced an automated wrapper (released in the 4.x era) that simplifies in-place upgrade compatibility fixes and can create USB media that avoid certain Windows 11 installer checks. The Rufus changelog and independent coverage describe a new setup.exe wrapper that implements the registry workarounds (the same LabConfig keys and other fixes widely described) so an in-place upgrade or clean install can proceed on otherwise “unsupported” hardware. This behavior has been confirmed by multiple outlets.
Technically, the bypass leverages small modifications that either (a) inject a workaround into setup.exe to skip checks, or (b) prepare the environment so the official installer does not abort on TPM, secure boot, or CPU checks. These techniques mirror manual workarounds people have used for months — the difference is Rufus packages them into a one-click flow when creating the USB. Because Microsoft sometimes changes how deeply the checks are enforced, Rufus’s approach is best thought of as an “automated workaround” rather than a permanent guarantee that every future upgrade will succeed.

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Benefits: real and measurable​

• Smaller disk footprint. Tiny11 builds demonstrably reduce installed occupancy and ISO size by removing packages and applying high-ratio compression. Multiple demonstrations show reductions from a standard ~20+ GB installed footprint to single-digit GBs depending on profile.
• Faster installs and updates for trimmed builds. Less payload to write and fewer background services mean quicker first-boot experiences and lower baseline memory usage on constrained machines.
• Renewed life for older hardware. Users with otherwise perfectly functional machines that fail Microsoft’s Windows 11 compatibility checks can often install a functional, modern desktop experience without buying new hardware.
• Control and privacy. By defaulting to fewer inbox apps and some telemetry-related components disabled, Tiny11 gives admins and power users more deterministic control over what ships in a fresh install.

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Risks, trade-offs, and important caveats​

• Security and updates. The more aggressive Tiny11 or nano/core profiles remove or disable Windows Update and Windows Defender, or damage the WinSxS serviceability model. That means the system cannot be patched or extended via normal Microsoft servicing — a non-starter for many production and connected machines. The project documentation clearly flags core and nano variants as non-serviceable. If you disable Defender and Windows Update, you must accept elevated security risk or provide alternative update and protection strategies.
• Stability and compatibility. Stripping components such as language packs, drivers, or servicing bits can break software compatibility in unexpected ways. Some applications assume certain system components exist; removing them can result in crashes or missing features. The builder is purposefully conservative in its standard profile, but edge cases remain.
• Warranty and licensing concerns. Installing a community-modified image on OEM hardware may affect support options from device manufacturers. Tiny11 operates on official Windows images and does not change licensing per se, but it modifies how the OS is deployed and may complicate support dialogues with vendors. Users should keep original ISOs and install media in case they need to restore a stock configuration.
• Microsoft’s stance and future changes. Microsoft can and does change setup and installer behavior. The use of Rufus’s bypass wrapper or registry workarounds may be thwarted by a future Windows update that enforces checks more strictly at multiple levels. There is also an ongoing pushback and “cat-and-mouse” around unsupported upgrades: what works today may be blocked tomorrow.
• Unverifiable or anecdotal claims. Community posts sometimes assert extraordinary resource numbers (for example, running Windows 11 with 100–200 MB of RAM). These are extreme, experimental demos that often rely on massive paging and heavily curtailed services; they are not representative of a usable desktop experience. Such claims should be treated as proofs of concept until independently tested under controlled conditions. When a claim could not be corroborated in authoritative documentation, it is explicitly flagged as experimental.

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Practical recommendations and a safe checklist​

If you want to experiment with Tiny11 + Rufus, follow these steps to mitigate risk:

• Back up everything first. Make a complete disk image and store user data externally. This is non-negotiable.
• Test in a VM first. Build the Tiny11 ISO and install it in a virtual machine to validate compatibility before touching production hardware.
• Use the standard tiny11maker profile for daily use. Avoid Core/Nano builds on devices you rely on — they’re intended for lab/testing environments.
• Keep a stock Windows 11 ISO and an untouched USB installer available so you can re-install the official image if needed.
• If you disable Windows Defender or Windows Update, plan an alternate security/update strategy (third‑party AV, offline patching, or periodic rebuilds).
• Watch for upstream changes. Monitor the Tiny11 GitHub for release notes and Rufus changelogs to understand when a new Windows release may break a bypass or require rebuilding your ISO.

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Legal and ethical dimensions​

Tiny11 operates on official Microsoft media and uses Microsoft tooling to service images; it does not relicense Windows. However, redistributing modified Windows ISOs or shipping modified images in a commercial product can trigger licensing and support issues — particularly for OEM/deployment scenarios. For individual, personal use the community tools occupy a gray but broadly tolerated space: they are widely used and discussed by enthusiasts, but they are unofficial and unsupported by Microsoft. Be mindful of license terms and organizational policies before deploying any community-built image in a business setting.

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Final assessment: who should consider this and who should not​

Tiny11 + Rufus is an attractive, practical option for:

• Hobbyists and power users who want a minimal Windows 11 desktop for older hardware or lab VMs.
• IT pros building disposable test images for labs and development environments.
• Users who value control over default inbox apps and who can tolerate manual update strategies.

Tiny11 + Rufus is not recommended (without strong precautions) for:

• Production desktops, business-critical endpoints, or machines that handle sensitive data and require guaranteed security updates.
• Users lacking backup and recovery experience — because a misstep can leave the system unserviceable.
• Organizations with strict compliance and support policies.

The combination gives users power: a legitimate way to reclaim older PCs and craft a leaner Windows experience. But that power comes with responsibility. The standard Tiny11 profile strikes a balance between usability and slimming; the Core and Nano experiments show what’s technically possible but also underscore what you lose when you cut too deep. Verify claims, test in safe environments, and accept the tradeoffs before deploying.

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Windows 10’s deadline forces choices: upgrade to supported Windows 11 devices, enroll in ESU, or use community tooling to stretch an older PC’s useful life. Tiny11 and Rufus together offer a credible, community‑driven route to a de‑bloated Windows 11 install — but they require technical care, a backup plan, and an acceptance of reduced official support or updateability for the most extreme builds. For power users and lab environments, Tiny11 is a practical way to keep older hardware productive; for general users and business machines, proceed cautiously and prioritize security and supportability.

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Source: XDA I created a super-slim Windows 11 install that's perfect for when Windows 10 falls out of support