Windows 11 Configuration - New User settings.
- David Jacques
WINDOWS CONTROL PANEL
To access Windows 11 Control Panel, please type "control panel" in Windows Search box (next to Start button)
You can right click on the control panel icon from the search result and pin it to the Start menu or Taskbar.
For ease of use, it is recommended to set the Control Panel to Small Icons.
Disable Windows User Account Control (UAC)
User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings > set it to Never notify. > OK.
File Explorer Options
View tab :
Hidden files and folders : set it to Show hidden files, folders or drives
Hide empty drives : disable
Hide extensions for known file types : disable
Leave Hide protected operating system files (recommended) active
WINDOWS SETTINGS
Settings page can be accessed through Windows Start > Settings icon (and 
+ i)
System
Display > Graphics
- Change default graphics settings. Merging recommends to enable the Hardware accelerated GPU Scheduling feature if available on your system (depends on the graphic card capabilities - graphic card driver must be installed).
- Custom Options for Apps. Graphic Power Management features can be set per applications.
Select "Desktop App" and browse to C:/Program Files/Merging Technologies.
Add Pyramix.exe - Ovation.exe - VCube.exe - Aneman.exe depending on your configuration.
Then select the application(s) and click on Options, set the graphics preference to High Performance.
If you use Microsoft Edge, please also set it to High Performance.
If you use Google Chrome, browse to C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application, and set it to High Performance.
This setting is important, especially for laptops with dual graphic cards.
About > Advanced System Settings
Please click on Advanced System Settings under Device Specifications.
Advanced tab
Click on the Settings button in the Performance section.
Visual Effects tab
Those settings have to be disabled to prevent system peaks:
Animate Windows when minimizing and maximizing : disable
Animations in the taskbar and Start Menu : disable
Enable Peek : disable
Fade or slide menus / ToolTips into view : disable
Save taskbar thumbnail previews : disable
Show translucent selection rectangle: disable
Show window content while dragging: disable
Slide open Combo boxes: disable
A dedicated graphic card is highly recommended for advanced display configuration, including video or Mixer window in Pyramix, Ovation or VCube.
Personalization
Windows transparency can cause issues, especially on systems with low graphic resources.
In Personalization > Colors, set Transparency effects to Off.
In TaskBar, Merging recommends you disable the Taskbar Items > Widgets, especially on systems with low graphic resources. Using Widgets during real-time operations (e.g. recording) is not recommended.
In Device Usage, Merging recommends you disable all options (to prevent Windows downloading apps without notifications).
Apps
In Apps and features, uninstall all unnecessary applications, by clicking on the 3 dots next to the application.
Some applications cannot be uninstalled (Alarms & Clock for example), uninstall button will be disabled.
Bonjour is required for Merging products, do not uninstall it.
Merging recommends you uninstall Microsoft News, Weather, Xbox & Xbox Live.
You may also remove Feedback Hub, Mail and Calendar, Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Office (trial), Power Automate, Skype.
Computers with low CPU resources should also disable background running applications.- Default Apps
In Windows 11, you can’t simply change your default browser with a single click — you have to change the assigned browser for every specific file type.
To set Google Chrome as your default browser, under Set defaults for applications, scroll down to Google Chrome and click on the app.
For .htm, .html, HTTP, HTTPS, please click on it and select Google Chrome (you may get a “Before you switch” pop-up - go ahead and click on “Switch anyway.”) - Startup
Please do not disable RTX64Bootcheck (RTX64 System Tray can be disabled).
Please do not disable Microsoft Edge, it can cause issues (or introduce graphic latencies) inside Windows.
Privacy & Security
Windows Permissions
In General, Merging recommends you turn off "Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID" and."Show me suggested content in the Settings app".
In Diagnostic & Feedback, Merging recommends you only send the Basic diagnostic data ; Send optional diagnostic data, Improve inking and typing, Tailored experience and View diagnostic data can all be turned off.
In Activity History : "Send my activity history to Microsoft" should be turned off, to reduce the OS internet traffic.
In Searching Windows, Respect Power Settings when indexing, and Find my files - Enhanced mode should be turned Off, as both will increase CPU consumption.
Gaming
Turn off all options in Xbox Game Bar, Captures and Game Mode.
Additional Configurations
OneDrive
If you use OneDrive, you should configure it to not interfere in the network traffic.
Right click on the OneDrive icon 
in the notification area and select Settings.
In the General section, remove "Start OneDrive Automatically when I sign to Windows".
In the Network tab, set both Upload and Download rates to Limit to : 125 KB/s (or lower).
If you don't use OneDrive, you may uninstall it in Windows Settings > Apps > Apps and features.
System Configuration & Startup
Many installed programs have associated background services, which uses memory and CPU power, so you should only run useful programs.
!!!Be careful, if you remove an essential program or service, Windows may not start anymore !!!
Go to Go in Windows Start menu > All apps > Windows Tools > System Configuration
- Services
Check the box Hide all Microsoft services, those are critical for Windows and should not be disabled.
Service Bonjour is critical for RAVENNA networks and Virtual Transport, do not disable it.
Do not disable your graphic card and ASIO card driver or service.
Common services that can be disabled are: printer services, Skype, QuickTime updaters ...
- Startup
Open the link to Task Manager to access the list.
Do not disable Microsoft Windows Operating System or any other critical driver – program for your system.
Common programs that can be disabled are Adobe Reader, Java updater, Skype, QuickTime...
Those programs will be still be installed and accessible, but will not be loaded during Windows startup.
Cortana should be left disabled.