TL;DR: Talon is a new open-source tool designed to easily remove unnecessary bloatware from Windows 11 in two clicks. It automates the debloating process, targeting non-tech-savvy users, and enhances system performance by reducing background processes.
It wasn't too long ago we heard about the new Windows 11 debloat tool designed to gut the operating system of any unnecessary Microsoft clutter in just two clicks. That tool is now available to download.
Those who have experienced it know exactly what it feels like to do a fresh install of Windows 11 and have to spend a considerable amount of time uninstalling Microsoft's unnecessary programs that come baked in with Windows 11. In some instances - looking at you Edge and OneDrive - simply uninstalling the program can be quite difficult. What if you could do that all that and more in just two clicks? Well, a team of developers who were frustrated with the Windows 11 bloatware built a new tool called Talon, designed to streamline the removal process.
For those who are already thinking about security concerns for your machine, firstly, good thinking. Second, Talon has been made open source, and its entire code can be viewed here. I got into contact with the development team about Talon and asked a few general questions about the software and how it can benefit both the casual Windows users and also someone who is more technically inclined. While the questions/answers below provide some great information, I do advise watching the above video for a full breakdown of the tool by the developers themselves.
Interview with Raven, developers of Talon
Q: Explain what Talon is and how the idea came about
A: The inception of Talon came when I got really fed up with having to spend so much time and effort debloating Windows every single time I reinstall it. I reinstall Windows pretty often on my laptop, and I have to do it constantly on virtual machines.
I got so fed up that I made a shitty Python script that would automate running ChrisTitusTech's WinUtil and Raphi's Win11Debloat, then set a few tweaks like my taskbar color and alignment and desktop background accordingly, and also install whatever apps I wanted. I ended up deciding that "well, if it's useful for me, I'm sure others would find this useful too," so I made some further changes and improvements to eventually get it to the point that you see in the first video I made about Talon, where I showed off an early development build. From there, it has grown into what it is now.
Q: Explain in simple terms what Talon does to a new Windows 11 install, and why a user would benefit from using the tool
A: Talon is designed to visually debloat Windows, by removing clutter and all the garbage Microsoft preinstalls and making the system feel responsive and performant. Since it would be pointless to try to reinvent the wheel and compete with other much more popular projects like CTT WinUtil or Raphi's Win11Debloat, we can instead use the beauty of open source and build upon their work, combining and automating the process, applying some of our own homemade scripts, and ending up with a clean system.
Q: What types of bloatware does your tool remove or disable?
A: Talon removes majority of the preinstalled software that comes with Windows that a large majority of users never end up touching or actually using. Notably Clipchamp, LinkedIn, Clock, Microsoft News, Microsoft To Do, even a recommended app being "PDF X: PDF Editor & PDF Reader," Recall, CoPilot, I could go on. And, for the record, the intended target audience and users of Talon are non tech savvy users.
The kind of people who simply want a system that they can turn on, pay their bills, watch YouTube, play a game or two, then get off. They don't want all this bullshit cluttering their system. Removing all the pointless crap that Microsoft shoves in our faces makes the system much easier to use and navigate, as well as more responsive.
Q: Can users customize what gets removed, or does it follow a preset script?
A: Talon is meant to be something you click, run, and done. While it lets you select what browser you want and whether or not you want additional Raven software, it does not let you customize the actual debloating process. For those who want checkboxes and granular control over the debloating process and whatever else, tools such as CTT WinUtil already exist that do that. I mention CTT WinUtil specifically because I can highly recommend it; it is even one of the scripts Talon runs for the debloating process.
Q: How does it handle Windows updates that might restore bloatware?
A: The current solution to addressing Windows updates is to set the system to only receive security updates for 365 days. This will block out any other updates that may reinstall some programs. Though, of course, after 365 days that's an issue. We know this, and are working on a solution as we speak. I believe the way we will approach this is through a scheduled task or similar.
Worth noting that our Edge removal script blocks the system and even TrustedInstaller from modifying the folders or the contents of the folders used by Edge; this way, only the user can modify those folders, meaning if the user wants to install Edge again they can, otherwise the system won't bring it back. I know many were concerned especially about Edge reinstalling itself.
Q: Have you tested performance improvements after using the tool?
A: While Talon, as I previously mentioned, is designed to debloat visually, performance improvements have been tested. I don't have any percentages or comparisons like CPU usage, though, because that largely depends on your specific hardware and results will vary from system to system, so that kind of data is irrelevant. From our testing, we have found that standard a Windows 11 Home installation has ~145 process running in the background while idle, with ~100 of those processes being system processes.
A post-Talon Windows 11 Home installation has ~124 processes running in the background while idle, with ~100 of those processes being system processes. Since the ~100 processes that stayed consistent are system processes, trying to lower that number is not really possible without modifying the Windows system in a way we don't want to do (because they're necessary). As for the background processes that are relevant (most of them being unnecessary Microsoft garbage), Talon lowers the number from ~45 to ~24.
Talon does also gut most of the telemetry and snooping, and makes a handful of tweaks to maximize visual performance. From testing and from numerous accountings by users of Talon, the system is significantly more performant and faster, visually.
Q: Is it compatible with all Windows 11 versions, including Insider Builds?
A: Our testing is done on Windows 11 Home and Pro versions. Special editions of Windows, like Insider Builds, LTSC, or even custom Windows ISOs (which I would never recommend using), are not supported nor guaranteed to work.
Q: Can users revert changes if something breaks? And what would be the steps to do this
A: If anything breaks or any issues occur, or even if the user simply wants to go back to a regular install, they can do so simply by pressing the Windows key and typing "Reset This PC," then following the instructions from there. It is worth noting that since our Edge remover blocks the system and TrustedInstaller from modifying the necessary folders, Edge remains uninstalled even after using Reset This PC. If you reinstall Windows from a USB drive, though, then it will be completely back to normal.
Q: How do you prevent unauthorized modifications or malware injection?
A: The way we prevent unauthorized modifications or malware injection is quite simple. Talon is open source, so anyone can contribute, but we need to review and authorize contributions first. Unless if it is a fuck up on our part, malicious code will never get implemented. As many concerned users have pointed out, Talon does rely on some third party utilities, notably CTT WinUtil and Raphi's Win11Debloat.
While it is possible for a supply chain attack to occur, where one of these utilities gets compromised then Talon is inherently compromised as a result, they are very popular utilities with lots of eyes on their code, and with extremely talented and trusted maintainers. The rest of Talon is done through homemade scripts that we maintain. At the end of the day, the possibility of malware injection, a supply chain attack, or whatever else, is there for any software, no matter the size of the team or the popularity of a project. We will do our best to ensure that this day never comes, though, and if it does we will address it as fast as possible to ensure minimal impact.
Q: Is the tool intended for casual users, power users, or IT professionals?
A: Talon's target audience is "normies," as some who are more tech savvy would say. As I said earlier, the kind of people who log on to pay bills, watch YouTube, play a game and that's about all. Many utilities for more tech savvy users are already out there, but there isn't an easy way for a non tech savvy user to easily debloat their system, leaving them in the dust. That is who Talon is for.
Q: Is the tool open-source? If so, where can users review the code?
A: Talon is indeed open source, and is available on GitHub here. It is worth noting that Talon has some components, such as our Edge removal script, One Drive and Outlook removal script, and others that have their own dedicated repositories. This is done for the sake of making maintaining Talon and these dependencies easier.
