Windows 10: Manage Optional Features in Windows 10

How to: Manage Optional Features in Windows 10

How to Manage Optional Features in Windows 10

This tutorial will show you how to add or remove optional features for all users in Windows 10.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18963, Microsoft made a number of usability improvements to the Optional Features page in Settings (Settings > Apps & Features > Optional Features).

• Multi-select: You can now select and install multiple optional features at the same time.
• Better list management: You can now search through lists of optional features and sort them by Name, Size, and Install date.
• More useful information: You can now see the install date for each optional feature in your ‘Installed features’ list. Microsoft also added feature dependencies to the description of each optional feature in the list of features available for install.
• Easier page navigation: View the status of your latest installs/uninstalls/cancels right on the main page in the ‘Latest actions’ section. You can now add optional features and view your history via pop-up dialogues, so you never have to navigate away from the main page

CONTENTS:

• Option One: Manage Optional Features in Settings
• Option Two: Manage Optional Features in Command Prompt
• Option Three: Manage Optional Features in PowerShell

OPTION ONE [/i] Manage Optional Features in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Apps icon.

2. Click/tap on Apps & features on the left side, and click/tap on the Optional features link on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Do step 4 (history), step 5 (add), step 6 (remove) below for what you would like to do.


4. To See Optional Feature History
A) Click/tap on the See optional feature history link. (see screenshot below)



B) You will now see the last 7 days of added and removed optional feature history. Go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




5. To Add an Optional Feature
A) Click/tap on Add a feature. (see screenshot below)



B) Click/tap on an optional feature you want to add, click/tap on Install, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




6. To Remove an Optional Feature
A) Click/tap on an added optional feature you want to remove, click/tap on Uninstall, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)





7. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Manage Optional Features in Command Prompt
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. This will give you a list of all optional features with their Capability Identity (name) and their current State as either Installed (added) or Not Present (removed). (see screenshots below)

*note Make note of the name (ex: "XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0") of the optional feature (ex: "XPS Viewer") you want to add or remove.
*Arrow DISM /Online /Get-Capabilities






3. Do step 4 (add) or step 5 (remove) below for what you would like to do.


4. To Add Optional Feature
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:name

*note Substitute name in the command above with the actual name (ex: "XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0") of the optional feature from step 2 you want to add.

For example: DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0





5. To Remove Optional Feature
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow DISM /Online /Remove-Capability /CapabilityName:name

*note Substitute name in the command above with the actual name (ex: "XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0") of the optional feature from step 2 you want to remove.

For example: DISM /Online /Remove-Capability /CapabilityName:XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0




6. You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] Manage Optional Features in PowerShell
1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

2. Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. This will give you a list of all optional features with their FeatureName and their current State as either Enabled (added) or Disabled (removed). (see screenshots below)

*note Make note of the name (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") of the optional feature (ex: "Internet Explorer") you want to add or remove.
*Arrow Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online






3. Do step 4 (add) or step 5 (remove) below for what you would like to do.


4. To Add Optional Feature
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "name" -All -Online

*note Substitute name in the command above with the actual name (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") of the optional feature from step 2 you want to add.

For example: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64" -All -Online





5. To Remove Optional Feature
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "name" -Online

*note Substitute name in the command above with the actual name (ex: "XPS.Viewer~~~~0.0.1.0") of the optional feature from step 2 you want to remove.

For example: Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64" -Online




6. If prompted to restart the computer to apply, type Y, and press Enter.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Turn Windows Features On or Off in Windows 10
• How to Defer Feature and Quality Updates in Windows 10
• How to Install and Uninstall Graphics Tools in Windows 10
• How to Install or Uninstall Windows Media Player in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove XPS Viewer app in Windows 10
• How to Install or Uninstall Microsoft Paint (mspaint) in Windows 10
• How to Install or Uninstall Microsoft WordPad in Windows 10

:)

 

Manage Optional Features in Windows 10 Empty, Can't Install IE11

Hello,

On one of our machines with Windows 10 Pro, we had trouble with a site that uses an active x control. We tried to reset the IE settings and clear the cache, to get the control to load up again. However, I saw on one of the settings tabs that it was completely
blank. So it seemed like IE was corrupt somehow.

So I tried to reinstall IE by removing it, via Apps & Features, Manage Optional Features. At the time several items, such as recognition options and IE11 appeared. After removing IE11 and rebooting, I went back into Manage Optional Features to restore
IE11. However, now there is nothing in the list to select. This machine did have the fall creators update recently installed.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Or, at least, is there an offline installer for IE11 for Windows 10?

Thanks

Moved from: Windows / Windows 10 / Windows settings

 

Manage Optional Features in Windows 10 Empty, Can't Install IE11

Hi,

There may have been some broken or corrupted system files on Internet Explorer 11
that results to this issue. To help you with this, we recommend that you perform an in-place upgrade using an
ISO file. This is to repair any broken system files while keeping your personal files, settings, and installed applications. To do this, follow the steps provided by
PaulSey in this
article.

Let us know if the solution above works.

 

I almost missed Insider Hub in the list as well. *Smile

 

Add me to the "did miss it" list...*Redface

 

*Thumbs
I pretty much use the Windows UWP apps all the time now, and I find WMP and IE11 to be security risks., that's why I want them gone, and as I said above I have never used XPS, so... bye bye*Wink

 

Hey Shawn, have you already tried uninstalling WMP and/or IE11 with the manage optional features?
I was just wondering if it had any negative side effects, as I do not use either anymore, on this machine at least.

I probably could get rid of XPS viewer too, as I have never, ever used it, unless you know a reason I should leave it on the system...
I'm on 1803 RP in case these three are not showing up on your system.

 

I removed IE from my 1803 a couple days ago. I have not ran into any issues. Edge still works fine without it. I do not know about WMP and XPS.

 

Thanks A.D.*Smile

 

Hey Cliff, *Smile

I tried, but it doesn't do anything for me when I click on the Uninstall button in Manage Optional Features.

 

I'll give it a shot, and nuke all three, and let you know then.

 

Ok I selected uninstall for all three, and they were still there.

I then decided to reboot, and:
Getting Windows Ready
Working on updates xx%....
Restarting
Working on updates xx%
Windows!

Opened Start and all three are gone*Smile

 

Good to know they can be removed. WMP will cause a BSOD for me when using Bitdefender. I plan on using BD when I clean install 1803 from the MCT. Thanks Cliff *Smile