A comprehensive Windows 11 debloating utility that automates the process of removing bloatware, optimizing system settings, and configuring a clean Windows environment in just a single click.
Features • Requirements • Installation • Before & After • Contributing
Basilisk is designed to be used on freshly installed Windows 11 systems. Using Basilisk on an already in-use system, or any older versions of Windows, is not guaranteed to work and can cause some apps to stop working properly and system corruption!
You must disable Real-time Protection, Tamper Protection & add a C:/ drive exclusion in windows security before running basilisk.
- 🚀 Automated Debloating - Removes Windows bloatware and unnecessary applications
- ⚡ System Optimization - Applies registry tweaks for better performance
- 🌐 Network Optimization Tweaks - Disables Delivery Optimization, tunes TCP/IP, and improves network performance
- 🛡️ Telemetry & Tracking Blocker - Blocks known Microsoft telemetry and ad servers at the hosts file level
- 💾 SSD & Hardware-Specific Optimizations - Detects SSDs, enables TRIM, disables scheduled defrag, and applies hardware-specific tweaks
- 🔧 Update Policy Configuration - Configures Windows Update policies based on your edition
- 🎨 Custom Desktop Background - Sets a custom desktop wallpaper
- 🖥️ User-Friendly Interface - Simple GUI with progress tracking
- 📝 Comprehensive Logging - Detailed logging for troubleshooting
- 🛡️ Safety First - Creates system restore points before modifications
- 🪟 Automated App Installation - Installs essential apps (Brave, .NET, DirectX, etc.) directly using winget with admin rights
- 🖌️ Start Menu & Accent Color Tweaks - Disables "Show recently added apps" and "Show recommended files" in Start Menu, enables accent color
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home or Professional (fresh pro installation recommended)
- Architecture: x64
- Python: 3.12.4 or greater (for development)
- Administrator Privileges: Required for system modifications
- Internet Connection: Required for downloading scripts and system optimization
Run Basilisk directly from GitHub with a single command:
iex (irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ctrlcat0x/basilisk/master/run.ps1)This command will automatically:
- Configure Windows Defender settings
- Download the latest Basilisk executable
- Launch Basilisk with administrator privileges
- Download the latest version from GitHub Releases
- Temporarily whitelist your C: drive in Windows Defender
- Run as Administrator
# Install Python 3.12.4 or greater
# Install required dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt# Run the build script
build.batThe build process uses Nuitka to create a standalone executable with PyQt5 GUI framework and all dependencies bundled.
# Developer mode (no installation overlay)
python basilisk.py --developer-mode
# Skip specific steps
python basilisk.py --skip-download-scripts-step
python basilisk.py --skip-registry-tweaks-step
python basilisk.py --skip-configure-updates-step
# ... etc for all 7 stepsBasilisk delivers measurable improvements to system performance by removing bloatware, disabling unnecessary services, and optimizing system settings. Below is a real-world before-and-after comparison on a fresh Windows 11 installation:
Left: Before running Basilisk
Right: After running Basilisk
Test environment:
- VirtualBox
- Windows 11 24H2 downloaded from microsoft.com
- 8GB RAM at 5200MT/s
- 2 cores assigned from an AMD 7600X
- 60GB HDD for install
| Metric | Before Basilisk | After Basilisk |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Usage (Idle) | 3-4 GB | 1.5-2.5 GB |
| CPU Usage (Idle) | 10-20% | 0-5% |
| Disk Space (System) | 20-30 GB | 15-20 GB |
| Background Processes | 120-150 | 70-75 |
| Telemetry/Tracking | Enabled | Disabled |
| UWP Apps | Pre-installed | Removed |
| Privacy Settings | Default | Hardened |
Note: Actual results may vary depending on hardware, Windows build, and selected options. The above values are based on real-world tests with default Basilisk settings on a clean Windows 11 Pro VM.
Basilisk installs the following apps directly using winget (with admin rights):
- Brave Browser as we remove Microsoft Edge.
- Microsoft.DotNet.DesktopRuntime.8 [Windows Dependency]
- Microsoft.DotNet.DesktopRuntime.9 [Windows Dependency]
- Microsoft.VCRedist.2015+.x86 [Windows Dependency]
- Microsoft.VCRedist.2015+.x64 [Windows Dependency]
- Microsoft.EdgeWebView2Runtime [Windows Dependency]
- Microsoft.DirectX [Windows Dependency]
Basilisk follows a modular 8-step debloating process:
- 📥 Download Scripts - Downloads PowerShell scripts from Github servers
- 🦅 Execute Scripts - Runs custom scripts for Edge removal and Office Online cleanup
- 🔧 Execute External Scripts - Runs ChrisTitusTech WinUtil and Raphi's Win11Debloat
- ⚙️ Registry Tweaks - Applies visual and performance registry modifications
- 🚀 Advanced Optimizations - Enables Ultimate Performance, disables telemetry, removes UWP apps
- 🔄 Configure Updates - Sets appropriate update policies for your Windows edition
- 🎨 Apply Background - Sets custom desktop wallpaper and cleans up temporary files
- ✅ Pre-installation Checks - Validates system compatibility
- ✅ Restore Point - System restore point created before any changes
- ✅ Error Handling - Comprehensive error catching and user feedback
- ✅ Logging - Detailed logs for troubleshooting
- ✅ Rollback Protection - Safe registry modifications
- Windows 11 Home/Pro - Primary target
- Fresh Installations - Recommended for best results
- Administrator Rights - Required for system modifications
basilisk/
├── basilisk.py # Main application entry point
├── debloat_components/ # 7-step debloating process
├── ui_components/ # GUI components and styling
├── utilities/ # Core utility functions
├── screens/ # UI screens and overlays
├── scripts/ # PowerShell scripts
├── configs/ # Configuration files
├── media/ # Assets (backgrounds, icons, fonts)
└── preinstall_components/ # Pre-installation checks
- ChrisTitusTech WinUtil - Comprehensive Windows optimization
- Raphi Win11Debloat - Additional debloating and customization
- Custom Scripts - Edge removal and Office Online cleanup
- Network Tweaks: Disables Windows Delivery Optimization, tunes TCP/IP stack, disables NetBIOS, and optimizes network adapter settings for better speed and lower background usage.
- Telemetry & Tracking Blocker: Updates the Windows hosts file to block a curated list of Microsoft telemetry and ad servers, reducing unwanted data collection.
- SSD & Hardware-Specific Optimizations: Detects SSDs, enables TRIM, disables scheduled defrag, disables Superfetch, and applies other hardware-specific performance tweaks.
- Start Menu Tweaks: Disables "Show recently added apps" and "Show recommended files" for a cleaner, more private Start Menu experience.
- Accent Color Tweaks: Enables accent color on Start, taskbar, title bars, and window borders, and sets the accent color to the darkest possible value (black) for a sleek look.
- Taskbar alignment (left-aligned)
- Dark theme enforcement
- Game DVR disable
- Menu animation optimizations
- File extension visibility
- UI hover time adjustments
- Start Menu
- Accent Color
- Restore Point - Basilisk creates a system restore point before any changes
- Comprehensive Debloat - Uses multiple tools for thorough optimization
- UWP App Removal - Directly removes pre-installed UWP apps
- Temp File Cleanup - Cleans up temporary files and system cache after completion
Basilisk provides comprehensive logging for troubleshooting:
- File Location:
%TEMP%\basilisk\directory - Log Levels: DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR
- Content: Step-by-step execution details and error information
We welcome contributions from the community! Here's how you can help:
- Clone the repository
- Install dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt - Run in development mode:
python basilisk.py --developer-mode
- Modular Design - Each component is self-contained
- Error Handling - Comprehensive exception management
- Type Hints - Python type annotations for better code quality
- Documentation - Inline comments and docstrings
The project would never have been possible without the extensive research and work done by these developers of windows optimization software which serves as the core of basilisk.
- Talon by Raven Development Team
- ChrisTitusTech - CTT WinUtil
- Raphire - Win11Debloat
- Massgrave Activation Script
Anyone and everyone is free to use or modify the project as long as there is no monetary benefits from it.
This tool modifies system settings and registry values. While designed to be safe, it's recommended to:
- Use on fresh Windows 11 installations
- Basilisk automatically creates a system restore point before use
- Test in a virtual environment first
- Understand that some modifications may affect system functionality
The developers are not responsible for any data loss or system issues that may occur from using this tool.
Made with ❤️ by ctrlcat0x