Windows 10: Turn Windows Features On or Off in Windows 10

How to: Turn Windows Features On or Off in Windows 10

How to Turn Windows Features On or Off in Windows 10

Some programs and features included with Windows, such as Internet Information Services, must be turned on before you can use them. Certain other features are turned on by default, but you can turn them off if you dont use them.

Turning off a feature doesn't uninstall it from your PC or reduce the amount of hard drive space used by it. After you turn off a feature, you can turn it back on at any time.

This tutorial will show you how to turn Windows features on or off for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to turn Windows features on or off.

If Windows Features is empty or blank, then double check to make sure that the Windows Modules Installer service is enabled and set to Automatic.



Contents

• Option One: To Turn On or Off Windows Features from Windows Features
• Option Two: To Turn On Windows Features in PowerShell
• Option Three: To Turn Off Windows Features in PowerShell
• Option Four: To Turn On Windows Features in Command Prompt
• Option Five: To Turn Off Windows Features in Command Prompt

OPTION ONE [/i] To Turn On or Off Windows Features from Windows Features
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Programs and Features icon.

2 Click/tap on the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left side. (see screenshot below)

This will open the C:\Windows\System32\OptionalFeatures.exe file.




3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

4 Turn on (check) or off (uncheck) the Windows features you want, and click/tap on OK when finished. (see screenshot below)

Some Windows features are grouped together in folders, and some folders contain subfolders with additional features.


= Indicates that you have the feature for the main folder turned on, but not all of the features in it's subfolders are turned on.


= Indicates that a feature, or features for a main folder and all subfolders, are turned on.




5 You may be prompted by Windows to restart the computer to finish turning a feature on or off.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Turn On Windows Features in PowerShell
1 Open an elevated PowerShell.

2 Type the command below you want to use into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. Make note of the FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") for the disabled Windows Feature you want to enable. (see screenshot below)
(without full details)
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature –Online | Where-Object {$_.State –eq “Disabled”}

OR

(with full details)
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName * –Online | Where-Object {$_.State –eq “Disabled”}




3 Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "FeatureName" -All -Online

Substitute FeatureName in the command above with the actual FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") from step 2 above you want to enable.

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


4 If prompted to restart the computer, type Y, and press Enter when ready to do so. (see screenshot below)









OPTION THREE [/i] To Turn Off Windows Features in PowerShell
1 Open an elevated PowerShell.

2 Type the command below you want to use into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. Make note of the FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") for the enabled Windows Feature you want to disable. (see screenshot below)
(without full details)
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature –Online | Where-Object {$_.State –eq “Enabled”}

OR

(with full details)
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName * –Online | Where-Object {$_.State –eq “Enabled”}




3 Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature –FeatureName "FeatureName" -Online

Substitute FeatureName in the command above with the actual FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") from step 2 above you want to disable.

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


4 If prompted to restart the computer, type Y, and press Enter when ready to do so. (see screenshot below)









OPTION FOUR [/i] To Turn On Windows Features in Command Prompt
To see more usage options for the DISM command, see: Enable or Disable Windows Features Using DISM - Microsoft


1 Open an elevated Command Prompt.

2 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. Make note of the FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") for the disabled Windows Feature you want to enable. (see screenshot below)
DISM /online /get-features /format:table | find "Disabled"




3 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"FeatureName" -All

Substitute FeatureName in the command above with the actual FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") from step 2 above you want to enable.

For example: Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64" -All


4 If prompted to restart the computer, type Y when ready to do so. (see screenshot below)









OPTION FIVE [/i] To Turn Off Windows Features in Command Prompt
To see more usage options for the DISM command, see: Enable or Disable Windows Features Using DISM - Microsoft


1 Open an elevated Command Prompt.

2 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. Make note of the FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") for the enabled Windows Feature you want to disable. (see screenshot below)
DISM /online /get-features /format:table | find "Enabled"




3 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"FeatureName"

Substitute FeatureName in the command above with the actual FeatureName (ex: "Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64") from step 2 above you want to disable.

For example: Dism /online /Disable-Feature /FeatureName:"Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64"


4 If prompted to restart the computer, type Y when ready to do so. (see screenshot below)





That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable Access to Windows Features in Windows 10
• How to Manage Optional Features in Windows 10
• How to Install or Uninstall Internet Explorer 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 Enable or Disable SMB1 File Sharing Protocol in Windows
• How to Install .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows 10

:)

 

Turn Windows features on or off Windows 10

Nothing has worked, I had to go-back to the 16093 ver, to try to down load the updates, it downloads

but is very slow, and when the 16199 is installed it restarts, and does not complete the restart,

and goes back to the last version. and then updates all over again, goes in a circle.

I need a ISO I can download for 16199 and am unable to find a 'good' site to do so. So I can do a clean install... hate to..

 

Turn Windows features on or off Windows 10

Hi Art,

One possible cause of this issue is corrupted system files. Just for clarification, are you getting an error message when you tried downloading the files? Would it be possible to send us a screenshot?



For now, we suggest that you use the SFC tool and DISM to repair corrupted system files. You may refer to this
Wiki article created by ZigZag3143 (MS -MVP) for the steps.

 

I'm glad they can help onlytanmoy. *Smile

 

Hi Brink, Is it safe to turn off "internet Explorer 11" feature if I am only using Edge? Thanks John

 

Hello John, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

I wouldn't recommend to turn off Internet Explorer since so many other features in Windows use IE as well. Turning off IE could cause issues with them.

 

ok, i'm about to punch my laptop, trying to turn on media feature so I can get iCloud 5.1 for windows to install but have not media features option, how else can I turn them on? thanks

 

Hello Reece, *Smile

Media Features is not included in the Windows 10 N or KN versions by default. However, you can download and install it from Microsoft below.

Media Feature Pack for N and KN versions of Windows 10

 

thanks so much *Smile will download now

 

You're most welcome. *Smile

 

Hey, could someone, for love of god, print a standard windows features window? If possible, all expanded? I've mess up with mine and now my right click menu in google chrome have a huge delay.
Thanks

 

Hello Thomas, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

If you like, you could do a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened to undo it.

System Restore Windows 10

 

I've updated the screenshot in the tutorial to include the expanded parts as well. They're all the defaults. *Smile

 

You're most welcome. *Smile

 

Hello Brink,

Is there any way to enable all of the features automatically via Windows 10 DVD?

Thanks in advance