The Cluttered Start Menu
Windows 11 is designed to be plug-and-play. When you plug in a new piece of hardware—like a specialized gaming mouse, a high-end printer, or a drawing tablet—Windows automatically searches its update servers for the correct drivers. However, by default, it doesn’t just stop at drivers. Microsoft also allows hardware manufacturers to bundle their own custom configuration software and bloated control panels (often completely unnecessary for the device to function) directly into the driver package. Windows will silently download and install these “manufacturer apps” in the background, cluttering your Start Menu and consuming system resources. If you prefer to manually control what software is installed on your PC, you must disable this automated behavior.
How to Turn Off Manufacturer App Downloads
You can block Windows from downloading extra software via the advanced system hardware settings.
- Click the Start Menu and type Change device installation settings, then press Enter to open the classic control panel dialogue box.
- A small window will appear with the question: “Do you want to automatically download manufacturers’ apps and custom icons available for your devices?”
- By default, “Yes” is selected. Click the radio button next to No (your device might not work as expected).
- Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the window.
- If prompted, provide administrator permission to confirm the change.
What Actually Happens?
Despite Microsoft’s slightly ominous warning message, your devices will continue to work perfectly. When you plug in a new keyboard or mouse, Windows 11 will still automatically download the essential, bare-bones drivers required to make the hardware function. It will simply refuse to download the massive, 500MB “Control Center” or RGB lighting software that the manufacturer usually tries to force onto your machine, keeping your PC significantly cleaner and faster.