The Ultimate Windows Utility
The One Command I Run Before Anything Else on a New Windows Install
Welcome to AravindInsights! I'm Aravind Kumar Yedida, a recently graduated Master's in Computer Science and an aspiring data analyst. Here, I dive into the exciting world of data analytics, business intelligence, and cutting-edge AI, always with a strong focus on responsible AI and digital privacy. Expect actionable insights, deep dives into ethical tech, and explorations of how technology can genuinely improve lives."
Last month I set up a new laptop and caught myself doing the same dance I've done a dozen times before: seventeen browser tabs open, each one a different program to install — Chrome, a zip file tool, Discord, printer drivers — clicking "Next, Next, Next, Finish" over and over, then digging through Settings to turn off stuff Windows turns on by default. Two hours in, I still hadn't opened a single thing I actually wanted to use.
That's the last time I did it that way. Now I open one program on Windows and run one line of text, and it does most of that for me.
Here's what I mean, in plain terms:
PowerShell is just a built-in Windows program that lets you type commands instead of clicking buttons. You don't need to know how to use it — you just need to open it correctly once. Here's how:
Click the Start button (or press the Windows key)
Type "PowerShell"
Right-click it and choose "Run as administrator" — this just means "let this program make changes to the computer," which it needs to do its job
Click "Yes" if Windows asks for permission
A black window will pop up. Paste this in and press Enter:
irm "https://christitus.com/win" | iex
That's it. That one line downloads and opens WinUtil, a free tool made by a guy named Chris Titus Tech. Instead of a black window full of scary text, a normal-looking window pops up with checkboxes — like a menu you can click through. You check what you want, hit go, and let it run while you make coffee.
What it actually does
Think of WinUtil as one screen that replaces a bunch of separate, annoying jobs:
Installs your apps — instead of Googling "download Chrome," "download Discord," etc. one at a time, you check boxes for everything you want and it installs them all in one go
Cleans up Windows settings — the tool has a list of common privacy and performance settings, sorted into "Essential" (safe, good for everyone) and "Advanced" (more technical, only touch if you know what you're changing)
Fixes common Windows problems — things like "my internet feels broken" or "Windows Update is stuck" normally mean hunting for the right fix online. WinUtil has one-click buttons for the most common ones
Builds a custom Windows installer — a more advanced feature for making your own version of the Windows setup file with junk removed. Most people won't need this one
Remembers your setup — you can save your list of apps and settings so next time you get a new computer, you don't start from zero
The first time I used it, I only touched two things: the app installer and the "Essential" settings list. That's genuinely most of what a normal person needs. It installed my whole list of apps faster than it would've taken me to find the first download link myself.
The one rule that actually matters
This tool is allowed to change real settings on your computer, so it's not something to click through carelessly — but for a normal user, the safety rule is simple:
Only check boxes in the "Essential" list. Skip "Advanced" until you know more.
That one rule covers 95% of what could go wrong. The "Advanced" section is for people who already understand what each setting does. If a box's name doesn't mean anything to you, just leave it unchecked — nothing bad happens from skipping something, but unchecking things later is more annoying than not checking them in the first place.
One more good habit: before you use it the first time, create a restore point — it's a free built-in Windows safety net that lets you undo system changes if something feels off afterward. You can find it by typing "Create a restore point" into the Start menu search, clicking "Create," and giving it a name like "before winutil." Takes 30 seconds, and you'll probably never need it — but it's there if you do.
Should you use it?
If you've ever set up a new computer and spent an afternoon downloading the same handful of programs and turning off the same handful of settings — yes, this saves you that afternoon. Run the command, check the boxes for apps you actually use, check "Essential" settings, click go, get a coffee.
One thing worth knowing: this tool won't make a slow computer fast. It doesn't upgrade your hardware, and it can't fix a weak internet connection or an old graphics card. What it does is skip the boring, repetitive part of setting up a computer — the part everyone hates and nobody actually enjoys doing by hand.
For me, it's the first thing I run on a new computer now. Not because it's flashy — because it turned a two-hour chore into fifteen minutes, and I got my coffee back.
