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UnattendedWinstall

Introduction

UnattendedWinstall leverages Microsoft's Answer Files (or Unattend files) to automate and customize Windows installations. It enables modifications to Windows Settings and Packages directly in the Windows ISO during setup.

Why Use an Answer File?

Security

  • Provides transparency by allowing inspection of all changes in the answer file.
  • Runs directly on official Windows ISOs from Microsoft, eliminating the need for unofficial sources.
  • Utilizes a Microsoft-supported feature designed for streamlined mass deployment of Windows installations.

Automation

  • Enables automated configuration across multiple devices, saving time and effort by eliminating repetitive manual setups.

Note

UnattendedWinstall has been tested and optimized for personal use. For those interested in customizing further, create your own answer file following this video guide.

Versions

Version 2 Release (Latest) Version 1 Release

Support the Project

If UnattendedWinstall has been useful to you, consider supporting the project, it really does help!

Support via PayPal

Feedback and Community

If you have feedback, suggestions, or need help with UnattendedWinstall, please feel free to join the discussion on GitHub or our Discord community:

Join the Discussion Join Discord Community

Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11
    • (Tested on Windows 10 22H2 & Windows 11 24H2)
    • (32-bit, 64-bit and arm64 is supported)

What Does UnattendedWinstall Do?

The UnattendedWinstall answer file come with detailed descriptions for nearly all configurations and registry tweaks, which are available for inspection here on GitHub. For customization, download the answer file and open it in editors like Cursor or VSCode.

Sources and Contributions

Click to Show

Key Features

  • Windows 10/11 Pro is installed by default
  • Bypasses Windows 11 system requirements
  • Disables Windows Defender services by default
    • prompted to enable after Windows installation
  • Disables User Account Control by default
    • prompted to enable after Windows installation
  • Allows execution of PowerShell scripts by default
  • Skips forced Microsoft account creation during Windows setup
  • Removes preinstalled bloatware apps except Microsoft Edge, Notepad and Calculator
    • Copilot and Recall is Disabled.
  • Sets privacy-related registry keys to disable telemetry
  • Limits Windows Update to install only security updates for one year
  • Optimizes registry with various optimization and customization-related keys
    • See the "Set-RecommendedHKLMRegistry" and "Set-RecommendedHKCURegistry" functions for more information
  • Disables unnecessary scheduled tasks
  • Configures Windows services for optimal performance
  • Enables the Ultimate Performance power plan

Note

Use the UWScript.ps1 file once Windows is installed to reapply or revert settings in case Windows Update resets some of the settings or if you encounter any issues.
It can also be used to achieve a similar experience to UnattendedWinstall on an existing Windows installation without reinstalling Windows.

Before Running the Script

Ensure you open PowerShell as an administrator. Additionally, set the execution policy to allow script execution by running the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

Running PowerShell with elevated permissions and enabling script execution will ensure that UWScript.ps1 can apply the necessary system changes.

Usage Instructions

To use an answer file, include autounattend.xml at the root of your Windows Installation Media to be executed during Windows setup.

Note

Ensure the answer file is named autounattend.xml; otherwise, it won’t be recognized by the installer.

Note

You can back up your drivers prior to installation to ensure they’re readily available:

Click to Show Instructions

  1. Create a folder named Drivers on your C: drive.

  2. Backup your current Windows drivers to the C: drive by running the following command in Command Prompt as Administrator:

    dism /online /export-driver /destination:C:\Drivers

  3. Plug your USB drive/installation media into your computer.

  4. Create a folder named $WinpeDriver$ on your USB drive.

  5. Copy the drivers you want to install automatically from C:\Drivers to D:\$WinpeDriver$ assuming D: is your USB drive.

Method 1: Create a Bootable Windows Installation USB

Click to Show Instructions

  1. Download the autounattend.xml file and save it on your computer.

  2. Create a Windows 10 or Windows 11 Bootable Installation USB drive with Rufus or the Media Creation Tool.

    Important

    • Some users have reported issues with the Media Creation Tool when creating the Windows Installation USB. Use it at your own discretion.
    • When using Rufus, don’t select any of the checkboxes in “Customize Your Windows Experience,” as it creates another autounattend.xml file that might overwrite settings in the UnattendedWinstall file.

  3. Copy the autounattend.xml file you downloaded in Step 1 to the root of the Bootable Windows Installation USB you created in Step 2.

  4. Boot from the Windows Installation USB, do a clean install of Windows as normal, and the scripts will run automatically.

Method 2: Create a Custom ISO File

Click to Show Instructions
  1. Download the autounattend.xml file and save it on your computer.
  2. Download the Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO file depending on the version you want.
  3. Download and install AnyBurn
    • In AnyBurn, select the “Edit Image File” option.
    • Navigate to and select the Official Windows ISO file you downloaded in Step 2.
    • Click on “Add” and select the autounattend.xml file you downloaded in Step 1, or just click and drag the autounattend.xml into the AnyBurn window.
    • Click on “Next,” then on “Create Now.” You should be prompted to overwrite the ISO file; click on “Yes.”
    • Once the process is complete, close AnyBurn.
  4. Use the ISO file to install Windows on a Virtual Machine OR use a program like Rufus or Ventoy to create a bootable USB flash drive with the edited Windows ISO file.

Important

  • When using Rufus, don’t select any of the checkboxes in “Customize Your Windows Experience,” as it creates another autounattend.xml file that might overwrite settings in the UnattendedWinstall file.
  1. Boot from the Windows Installation USB, do a clean install of Windows as normal, and the scripts will run automatically.

Method 3: Use Ventoy Auto Install Plugin

Click to Show Instructions
  1. Download the autounattend.xml file and save it on your computer.
  2. Download the Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO file, depending on the version you want.
  3. Download and install Ventoy to your desired USB flash drive.
  4. Prepare the folder structure:
    • In your newly created Ventoy USB disk, create the following folders: ISO and Templates.
      They should be at the root of the drive.
    • Inside of the ISO folder, create a new folder called Windows.
    • Copy your Windows ISO files in the ISO\Windows folder.
    • Copy your autounattend.xml into the Templates folder.
  5. Start VentoyPlugson. Depending on your OS, the steps might differ.
    • On Windows, run the VentoyPlugson.exe file.
    • A new browser window should open up with a Ventoy web interface ready to go.
    • Select the Auto Install Plugin menu from the list.
    • Click on the Add button.
    • Select [parent] to make the whole Windows ISO folder benefit from the plugin.
    • In the Directory Path, paste in the absolute path to your Windows folder.
      example: F:\ISO\Windows (Replace F with your drive letter.)
    • In the Template Path, paste in the absolute path to your autounattend.xml file.
      example: F:\Templates\autounattend.xml (Replace F with your drive letter.)
      (PSA: If you have more autounattend.xml files, you can add them later on!)
    • Click on OK and you should see a message saying that the configuration has been saved successfully.
    • Close the VentoyPlugson browser window and stop the VentoyPlugson application.
  6. Boot from the Ventoy USB drive in the computer where you want to install windows.
    • After selecting a Windows ISO to boot from, you will be prompted to boot with the /Templates/autounattend.xml file.
    • Select that option and the autounattend.xml will be automatically executed during installation.

FAQ

How can I apply these settings to an existing Windows installation?

Can this answer file be used for an in-place upgrade?

  • No, in-place upgrades do not support answer files.

Why is Windows still updating automatically?

  • Feature updates are delayed for a year; however, security and driver updates continue as usual.

Why don't I have internet after installing Windows?

Click to Show Instructions

If you’re unable to connect to the internet after installation, it’s likely because your Wi-Fi or LAN (Ethernet) drivers are missing. Windows sometimes doesn’t include all necessary drivers for network adapters, especially if they’re specific to your device.

To resolve this, follow these steps:

  1. Download your network driver from the manufacturer’s website on another computer with internet access. Look for Wi-Fi or LAN drivers specific to your device model.
  2. Transfer the driver to your Windows installation via USB drive.
  3. Install the driver on your Windows system and restart if necessary.

After installation, you should be able to connect to the internet.

How can I install a different edition of Windows other than Pro?

Click to Show Instructions

To install an edition of Windows other than Pro, you’ll need to adjust the product key placeholders in your autounattend.xml file.

  1. Locate the three <Key> entries within the file that currently look like this: 
    <Key>VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T</Key>
  2. Replace each entry with the following generic key placeholder: 
    <Key>00000-00000-00000-00000-00000</Key>

By replacing these sections with a generic placeholder, you’ll be able to select the desired Windows edition during installation.

How can I access the previous "IoT-LTSC-Like," "Standard," and "Core" versions of the file(s)?

Note

You need to download the Source Code.zip file. Once extracted, you’ll have access to all the previous v1.0.0 files.

Why isn't Microsoft Edge Uninstalled?

Click to Show Explanation

I spent a lot of time trying to find a way to uninstall Microsoft Edge during Windows installation. However, it was challenging because of differences between Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 24H2. My goal is to use Microsoft’s supported uninstall methods, and I plan to add an easy Edge removal option in future releases.

In the meantime, if you wish to remove Edge after Windows installation, consider using this script by FR33THY. FR33THY’s Ultimate Windows Optimization Guide was a major inspiration for version 2.0.0 of this project, and I highly recommend exploring it for additional Windows optimization tips.

How can I add my own Registry Tweaks to v2.0.0 of the autounattend.xml file?

Click to Show Instructions

You can also still add your own registry entries to the v2.0.0 file, and it is actually easier if you understand where to add it. I'll give a brief explanation.

For registry entries that apply to the local machine, i.e., HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry keys, you can find the function SetRecommendedHKLMRegistry in the autounattend.xml file, see here:

UnattendedWinstall/autounattend.xml

Line 1981 in 9330519

function Set-RecommendedHKLMRegistry {

and then add whatever registry entries you want to add in .reg format, like the rest of the entries are set, and just make sure you add it before the "@ to make it part of the .reg file that will be generated, see here:

UnattendedWinstall/autounattend.xml

Line 3412 in 9330519

"@

and it will then be applied to the registry.

Similarly, if you have HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry keys, you can add those to the User Customization.ps1 file in the same way as explained above, starting here:

UnattendedWinstall/autounattend.xml

Line 3912 in 9330519

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
so below the Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 and then ending before the "@ here:

UnattendedWinstall/autounattend.xml

Line 4423 in 9330519

"@

Note
The above links might not take you to the correct lines of code once new versions of the file are released, but it does take you to the correct lines on v2.0.0.