Optimizer Documentation

Please forgive the lack of content, but more will be coming soon.  I will be adding topics for the most asked questions and what may be critical to explain in the beginning, but will hopefully evolve into a full explanation of features.

Usage:  Slider toggle switches, Undo, and Failures

The Windows 11 Optimizer adopts a “modern UI/UX” approach using slider toggle switches, much like the Windows 11 Settings app which the Optimizer mimics in this regard.

The slider toggle switch both performs the action AND indicates the current state of the action, where the left position (black) is off, and the right position (green) is on, or optimized.  The Windows 11 sliders work in the same way, indicating current status, but also the action is enabled or disabled in real time when you click the slider.  Therefore:

• When a slider is in the left position (black) it is indicating the optimization has not been done.
• When a slider is in the right position (green) it is indicating the optimization is already done.
• Clicking the slider from either state performs the action in real time, so clicking it while it is not optimized (left position, black) moves it to the right position, and optimizes in real time.
  • There is NO need to click a button (e.g. Optimize All) after changing the slider toggle, as the optimization occurs in real time.
  • Note the toggle state changes after the optimization has taken place, not immediately.
  • Current versions flash a status window with a message that it is performing the optimization, as some of these will takes several seconds or more to apply in the background.  The new status message exists so you don’t think the slider toggle isn’t working if it doesn’t change immediately.  This feature was not found in the original version Carey had on his introduction show, and at one point he didn’t think it worked until 3-5 seconds later when the toggle changed.

This all works entirely differently than the Windows 10 Optimizer, where check boxes allowed you to select the desired optimization and the Apply button applied those selections.  In the Windows 11 Optimizer, changing the slider toggle switches does NOT select or queue the action to be taken when clicking the “Optimize All” button, instead changing the toggles performs the optimization or undo in real time.  Clicking the “Optimize All” button simply applies all optimizations, saving you from changing any of the sliders individually.

The Undo feature

Just like initially applying an optimization, clicking the slider toggle switch while already in the optimized state (right position, green) moves it back to the left position (black) and this will undo the optimization in real time.

Failure

If you have ever noticed a setting fails to change in the Windows Settings app, the slider doesn’t change, or it may briefly then toggle back to the original state (something I have in fact experienced.)  This is another aspect of the modern UI/UX design and the slider toggle switch, where again the state of the slider should not only perform the action, but also indicate the state of the setting/optimization.

The Optimizer works much the same way here, so if there is a failure, the toggle remains in the original state and fails to change.  After performing any optimization, it double-checks to make sure all went as planned, and only alters the state/appearance of the slider toggle on success.  Should there be a failure to optimize (or undo), current versions will report this with a message prompt after the attempt, so you don’t think clicking the slider toggle did nothing (well, it tried!)

Usage:  “Optimize Some” vs. “Optimize All”

It may be self-explanatory that the “Optimize All” button applies the optimizations corresponding to every slider toggle switch, however you may want to optimize only some of these.

In order to “Optimize Some” you would simply click the slider toggle to the right position (green) state for each optimization you wish to apply, rather than clicking the “Optimize All” button.  As explained above, the slider applies the optimization in real time, so there is no need to click a button after changing the slider toggle to the right position (green) state.  When you click it and it turns green, it is now optimized.

Caveats and Exceptions

• Uncle Carey’s Windows 11 Optimizer is designed for and tested on Windows 11 only, and will not function on earlier versions of Windows.  For use on Windows 10, you should use Uncle Carey’s Windows 10 Optimizer only.  If you do not have it already, it is available for purchase here.  Note that these are separate tools, so purchasing one tool does not give you access to both.
• There are two cases where an option is not recommended and may not be performed by the Optimize All button, clicking on these individually should give a message as to why the optimization was not performed.  These two are:
  • Carey would not select the first option “Disable Startup App Delay” when the PC does not have an SSD as it’s primary OS drive.
  • We would also not select “Disable Standby/Sleep” and “Disable Hibernation” on a laptop.

More to come…