What are Window Features?


The features I’m referring are not the ones located in the Accessories menu but special features and applications that reside in the Windows Features dialog box. The illustration below shows you the list.



Here you can activate or de-activate installed parts of Windows such as Games, Internet Explorer and Media Player to name a few.


In Windows 7, Windows Vista and earlier versions of Windows various features are automatically added during the installation.

Prior to Windows Vista, it was difficult to find these features much less remove them, as they were an integral part of that version of Windows. For example it was not easy trying to remove Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Things are different now in both Windows Vista and Windows 7. In these newer operating systems you can turn unwanted Windows features on or off as you see fit.

However, remember that Windows features in Vista and Windows 7 are still an integral part of the Windows installation remaining on your hard disk. So, turning off features does not uninstall them nor does it reduce the amount of hard disk space used by them. The features just remain dormant until you re-activate them.



The Windows 7 features list is more extensive than Vista’s and you have greater control over enabling or disabling a feature. In Windows 7 you can now disable Internet Explorer (See: “Removing Internet Explorer” later in this post.)


As usual there are several ways to probe Windows Features. The most common methods are described below.

Start > Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program > Turn Windows Features on or Off
Start > Search > Type: windows features > Turn Windows Features on or off

Accessing Windows Features

1.Click the Start button.
2.In the Start menu, select Control Panel.
3.Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.



4.When the Uninstall or Change a program window opens, in the left-hand side, select Turn Windows Features on or off.




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5.Windows opens the Windows Features window
6.Scroll down the list.



With Windows Features window open, let’s look at what’s available. On the left-hand side of this window are a series of check boxes. Some items are checked and others are blank. The checked items are default features selected by Windows during its installation. These items are regarded by Windows as necessary and important. The features with unchecked boxes are optional. Some boxes are blue. This indicates features inside are switched on



It’s up to the user to decide whether to use a feature or not. Unchecked items must be turned on before you can activate them. An example is Internet Information Service. Clicking the + button displays three options.




What can you get rid of?


Each user will have different requirements. You are on pretty safe ground removing unwanted Games and Internet Explorer. Some caution is required when disabling other areas such as Media Features, Print and Document Services and Windows Search.

So what do you do? Well you simply uncheck the items you don’t want and Windows goes about disabling them.

Windows takes them out of circulation. However, you can always reverse the process with Windows allowing you to restore any items you uncheck.
Removing Unwanted Features

Warning! When unchecking items, be cautious as some checked items are essential for running Windows. As a general rule the items Windows selected by default are important.

The Games Feature

Personally I have little or no use for the majority of these games and switch off all with the exception of Spider Solitaire and Chess Titans which I use for R & R.

As you can see the Games’s option is checked. Inside the Games folder are various types of games, some you can play directly from within your computer and others via the Internet.




Removing some Games


1.Click the + (plus) button to open the Games folder.
2.Uncheck each unwanted game.
3.Click the Ok button in the lower left-hand corner of the Windows Features window and follow the prompts from Windows.




Removing Internet Explorer


Some users do not like Internet Explorer preferring another browser such as Mozilla Firefox. Make sure you download it before you remove Internet Explorer.

To remove Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
1.In the Windows Features, uncheck the box against Internet Explorer 8.


2.Windows immediately chucks a “hissy fit”. Microsoft prefers you to use its internet browser, but you can continue.



3. Click the Yes button in the dialog box.

4. Then, click the Ok button in the Windows Features box (lower right).




5. Windows informs you it needs to restart your computer. Click the Restart Now button.
6. When the computer restarts Internet Explorer will no longer be operating.
7. Now you can install Mozilla Firefox.

A Final Note

When you work in Windows Features you may be bugged by the dreaded User Account Control, UAC. This will slow matters down asking you to confirm what you are about to do. Savvy users will have tamed UAC by either altering the settings to a more benign level or turning it off completely.