Winwise 1.7.1

Light mode now has real color, and the backup page asks what you're looking for. Winwise 1.7.1 gives light mode stronger borders and labels, and makes the first choice on the backup page clearer, with a short explanation of each tool.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.7.1

Stronger light mode

Light mode was almost all white. Now:

• The page background is a little darker, so the white cards stand out.
• Borders and secondary text are darker and easier to see.
• The green Backup options and amber Repair options borders, the menu highlights, and the green, amber, purple, blue and red labels use stronger colors.

All text keeps at least 4.5:1 contrast against its background. Dark mode is unchanged.

What are you looking for?

The backup page now starts with What are you looking for? and two choices:

• Back up only my personal files
• Back up the whole drive

Polish and Swedish use the same wording: Czego szukasz? and Vad letar du efter?

Links that explain the tool

The links to Windows Backup and OneDrive, File History and Disk image with Rescuezilla are larger, and each has a one-line explanation:

• Windows Backup and OneDrive: built into Windows. It syncs the folders you choose to OneDrive and saves your settings and apps list to your Microsoft account.
• File History: built into Windows. It copies your files to an external drive and keeps earlier versions.
• Rescuezilla: free, open-source software that runs from a USB stick. It saves the whole drive as an image on another drive.

On phones, the arrow now follows the link text when a long link wraps onto two lines.

Upgrading from 1.7

• Your scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.7.1; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Your language choice is kept. A language you picked in 1.7 is still used.
• Links to #backup and #repair keep working.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq '65d50effa33d30d78dd6082280537b002e3bee8018edee2f900f776c7fb2c464'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Content: apart from the new heading, choice titles and tool explanations, the page text is unchanged. Service entries were not changed.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs passed for all 157 entries, the 28 script choices and the 129 services excluded from scripts. tools/test-i18n.mjs passed with complete Polish and Swedish text that keeps every link and tag of the English page. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 passed all 12 scenarios under both PowerShell 7.6.9 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 in GitHub Actions.
• Browser: checks passed in English, Polish and Swedish, in light and dark mode, at 1,024 and 375 pixels wide, with no horizontal scrolling on a phone-sized screen, working jump links and no page errors.
• Site: the footer shows v1.7.1, and the guide's update date stays November 3, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.7.0...v1.7.1

Winwise 1.7

Winwise now speaks Polish and Swedish, and the backup guide is two pages: one for backups, one for repairs. Winwise 1.7 also adds a full disk image with Rescuezilla and gives each page its own color.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.7

English, Polski, Svenska

The whole site is available in English, Polish and Swedish: the service directory, the script builder, dialogs, messages, copied text, accessibility labels, the page title and the backup and repair pages. Pick a language with the English / Polski / Svenska switcher in the header.

• First visit: Winwise uses the first supported language in your browser's language list. Regional variants count, so pl-PL opens Polish and sv-SE opens Swedish. Anything else opens English.
• Your choice is remembered: a language you pick yourself is saved in your browser and wins on your next visit. A detected language is never saved. If your browser blocks storage, switching still works until you reload the page.
• No location tracking: Winwise doesn't use your location or IP address.
• Windows labels match your Windows: menu paths use the labels of Polish and Swedish Windows, checked against Microsoft's localized support pages. Where no localized page shows a label, the English label follows in parentheses. Service names, product names, commands and links stay unchanged.

Backup options and Repair options

The old How to back up your OS page is now two pages:

• Windows 11 backup options (#backup): copies of your files and your whole PC. It starts with Which option do I need? and a table that compares Windows Backup and OneDrive, File History, and a disk image.
• Windows 11 repair options (#repair): what to do when Windows doesn't work. It starts with two tables, Windows starts and Windows doesn't start, each ordered from the option that changes the least.

Every option uses the same layout: What it does, What you need, Watch out, and Steps. Warnings about data loss come before the steps. Startup Repair and Uninstall Updates have their own sections, and the Recovery Drive is a full section again.

A color for each page

Backup options is green and Repair options is amber. The color appears on the section borders, the key word in the page title and the word in the menu, so you can see at a glance which page you're on.

Disk image with Rescuezilla

A new section shows how to make and restore a full disk image with Rescuezilla 2.6.2 or newer, written to a USB stick with balenaEtcher, and how to check the image with Verify Image and Image Explorer.

Removed

Backup and Restore (Windows 7) and the old full system image section. For a backup of the whole PC, use the Rescuezilla disk image.

Upgrading from 1.6.2

• Your scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.7; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Scripts are the same whichever language you use. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.
• Links to #backup keep working. Repair steps such as System Restore and Reset this PC are now on #repair, and the backup page links to them.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq '395fd52104db1cedcd19aa8249971bad8cfb0b00d5f1125ae19210550995422d'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Directory: still 157 entries, now with Polish and Swedish text for every entry.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs passed for all 157 entries, the 28 script choices and the 129 services excluded from scripts. The new tools/test-i18n.mjs checks language detection, storage fallback, plural forms, complete Polish and Swedish dictionaries, search in each language, and that translated pages keep every link and tag of the English page. GitHub Actions runs it. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 passed all 12 scenarios under both PowerShell 7.6.9 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 in GitHub Actions.
• Browser: checks passed in English, Polish and Swedish at 1,440 and 375 pixels wide, with no horizontal scrolling on a phone-sized screen, working links between the backup and repair pages, and no page errors. Light mode was checked too.
• Windows: the steps follow Microsoft's documentation. They were not tested on a Windows PC, or on Polish or Swedish Windows, for this release.
• Site: the footer shows v1.7, and the guide's update date is November 3, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.6.2...v1.7.0

Winwise 1.6.2

The backup page is now wider and easier to read on a PC, with less scrolling. Winwise 1.6.2 shows each section as its own card and, on wide screens, puts each option's summary beside its steps.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.6.2

Separate cards

Every section of How to back up your OS is now its own card, with the page background showing between them. The Back up my files and Recover Windows labels sit between the cards, so it's easier to see where one topic ends and the next begins.

A wider page with two columns

The page is now up to 1,320 pixels wide, wider than the cards on Useful tools. On screens wider than 1,100 pixels, each section uses two columns:

• Left: the introduction, the summary of what the option protects, where it's stored, what happens to your files and when it's useful, plus the Microsoft sources.
• Right: the steps.

This keeps lines at a comfortable length while cutting scrolling. In a 1,440-pixel window, the page is about a fifth shorter than in 1.6.1. Tablets and phones keep a single column.

The overview in one row

Back up my files, Recover Windows and A practical combination now sit side by side at the top of the page.

Clean install

The clean install no longer asks you to link your digital license to a Microsoft account, or to have a product key, before you start. The page still notes that a PC that was activated before normally reactivates after you reinstall the same edition.

Upgrading from 1.6.1

• Your scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.6.2; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.
• Links to #backup and its sections keep working.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq '8787f33b28d0f3634f69d98fb5bd4dff84db037aff411d3a5f71383b2ad8e13d'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Content: apart from the removed clean-install sentence, the backup guide's text is unchanged. It was last checked against Microsoft's documentation on October 29, 2026.
• Directory: still 157 entries. Service entries were not changed in this release.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs passed for all 157 entries, the 28 script choices and the 129 services excluded from scripts. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 passed all 12 scenarios under both PowerShell 7.6.9 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 in GitHub Actions.
• Browser: checks passed in dark and light mode at 1,440, 1,024 and 375 pixels wide, with no horizontal scrolling, all 10 in-page links working, and no page errors.
• Windows: the steps follow Microsoft's documentation. They were not tested on a Windows PC for this release.
• Site: the footer shows v1.6.2, and the guide's update date is October 30, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.6.1...v1.6.2

Winwise 1.6.1

Winwise 1.6.1 corrects the backup page after a review against Microsoft's documentation. The clean install now has Microsoft's safety steps, the Recovery Drive warning is back, and several instructions now match Microsoft's wording more closely.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's fixed in 1.6.1

A safer clean install

Before you start, the guide now asks you to check that your PC's digital license is linked to your Microsoft account, or to have your product key. Microsoft says not to continue without one of them. It then tells you to choose the edition that matches your license and to delete partitions only on Disk 0. A separate warning says not to change partitions on any other disk, because on a PC with more than one drive that can erase a data drive. The clean install now has its own full-width card, so these steps are easier to read.

The Recovery Drive is back as a real option

The Recovery Drive has short creation steps again, with the warning that creating a Recovery Drive erases existing data on the selected USB drive. Microsoft recommends making one while your PC works, so the practical checklist now suggests an installation USB or a Recovery Drive. It also mentions that your PC's manufacturer may offer recovery media with its own drivers.

Instructions that match Microsoft's

• Reinstall and keep everything: select Change what to keep, then Keep personal files and apps, and use media for the same edition as your installed Windows.
• System Image Recovery: the guide no longer gives an exact menu path. It may appear only after See more recovery options, and Microsoft's own pages disagree on whether the tool is available outside Windows Server, so check that you can find it before you rely on an image.
• Reset this PC: don't restart the PC during a reset, even if the screen stays black for more than 15 minutes. Turn on Clean data before giving a PC away.
• Fix problems using Windows Update: needs Windows 11, version 22H2 or later with the February 2024 optional update or a later update.
• Windows on Arm: links to Microsoft's Windows 11 Arm64 download, which may need drivers from your PC's manufacturer.
• Startup Repair is no longer described as keeping your files and apps. Microsoft says that about Uninstall Updates only.
• BitLocker recovery key: check now that you can open it from another device, and keep any copy private and secure.

Easier to compare and navigate

• Option summaries show what each option protects, where it's stored and when it's useful, where those apply.
• Sections under Back up my files and Recover Windows now sit one heading level below them, so screen readers show the page's structure correctly.
• The personal-files table has explicit table roles, so it stays a table for screen readers in the phone layout.

Upgrading from 1.6

• Your scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.6.1; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.
• Links to #backup and its sections keep working.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq 'efc64d31844e33dd37b70ec0e9444e974b2e414a390b805032500ad466de4054'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Sources: the corrected sections were checked on October 29, 2026 against Microsoft's pages on Reset this PC, installation media, reinstalling with installation media, the Windows 11 download pages, the Recovery Drive, recovery options and Device Encryption. The System Image Recovery note is based on Microsoft's support and technical pages plus Windows 11 user reports, because Microsoft doesn't document the exact menu path.
• Directory: still 157 entries. Service entries were not changed in this release.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs passed for all 157 entries, the 28 script choices and the 129 services excluded from scripts. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 passed all 12 scenarios under both PowerShell 7.6.9 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 in GitHub Actions. The build check confirms that index.html matches src/.
• Browser: checks passed in dark and light mode at phone and desktop widths, covering all 10 in-page links, keyboard focus on the new heading levels, the expandable sections and the table roles.
• Windows: the steps follow Microsoft's documentation. They were not tested on a Windows PC for this release.
• Site: the footer shows v1.6.1, and the guide's update date is October 29, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.6.0...v1.6.1

Winwise 1.6

The backup page now starts from the question you're likely asking: back up my files, or get Windows working again. Winwise 1.6 adds a table of what each recovery option does to your personal files, gives Fix problems using Windows Update and Reset this PC their own sections, and adds a guide to the Windows 11 installation USB.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.6

Two ways in

How to back up your OS now covers Windows 11 only and opens with two choices. Back up my files leads to File History and Windows Backup with OneDrive. Recover Windows leads to the recovery options, starting with the one that changes the least.

Which options keep your personal files?

A new table lists every option side by side: what happens to your personal files, what happens to your apps and settings, and whether Windows has to start first. It also explains why Point-in-time restore and a system image roll your files back, while Reset this PC and the reinstall options keep them.

Fix problems using Windows Update and Reset this PC

Both now have their own sections instead of sitting in a collapsed list.

• Fix problems using Windows Update reinstalls the current version of Windows and keeps your files, apps and settings. It's a good first step when Windows still starts.
• Reset this PC explains Keep my files versus Remove everything, how to start it from Settings or from Windows Recovery Environment, and that Cloud download downloads Windows, not a backup of your files.

The Windows 11 installation USB

A new section shows how to make the USB with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool (8 GB or larger; it erases the drive) and three ways to use it:

• Repair my PC opens the recovery tools without reinstalling.
• Reinstall from inside Windows with Keep personal files and apps.
• Clean install for a fresh start, with the removal warning right beside it.

The Recovery Drive becomes a shorter optional note.

Shorter, clearer recovery sections

• System Restore and Point-in-time restore now include their Windows RE restore steps.
• Full system images are shorter. The Backup and Restore (Windows 7) steps move into a collapsed legacy section, which explains that deprecated doesn't mean removed.
• The OneDrive warning mentions its Recycle bin and Version history.
• The BitLocker note also covers Device Encryption on Windows 11 Home.

Upgrading from 1.5

• Your scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.6; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.
• Links to #backup keep working. The in-page links now point to the new sections.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq '9d3856c12bc81cb88f5a03dc1cb405be4b99a79984f96a08788e34f946884d56'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Sources: the new sections link Microsoft's pages on Reset this PC, installation media, reinstalling with installation media, the Recovery Drive and Device Encryption.
• Directory: still 157 entries. Service entries were not changed in this release.
• Checks: GitHub Actions passed the build check, the service data checks, and the 12 mocked dependency scenarios under PowerShell 7 and Windows PowerShell 5.1.
• Windows: the new sections were written from Microsoft's support documentation. They were not tested on a Windows PC for this release.
• Site: the footer shows v1.6, and the guide's update date is October 28, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.5.0...v1.6.0

Winwise 1.5

The backup page is now a practical guide to the main Windows 11 backup and recovery options. Winwise 1.5 explains what each option protects, where the copy is kept and what happens to your personal files, then gives short steps for setting it up and recovering. The Volume Shadow Copy entry now explains which recovery features rely on it.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.5

One page for backup and recovery

How to back up your OS now starts with an overview of six options, so you can choose what to set up:

• File History keeps copies and earlier versions of your personal files on another drive or a network location.
• Windows Backup and OneDrive syncs selected folders and remembers supported settings and app information for a new or reinstalled PC.
• System Restore rolls back system files, registry settings and installed programs without changing your personal files.
• Point-in-time restore rolls back the whole Windows volume to an automatic restore point from the last few days.
• Recovery Drive is a USB drive that starts recovery tools and can reinstall Windows.
• Full system images keep a broader copy of Windows for restoring the PC as a whole.

Each option has its own section. It starts with a short summary of what the option protects, where it's stored, what happens to personal files, what you need and when it's useful, followed by the steps. The overview cards link to these sections, and the address stays on #backup.

Point-in-time restore, explained carefully

The new section explains that the feature is available on supported Windows 11, version 24H2 and later devices, not only on 26H2. When it's on, Windows creates a restore point about every 24 hours and keeps each one for up to 72 hours, or less when storage runs low. Restoring a point also rolls back local files on the Windows volume, so that warning sits right next to the restore steps. Microsoft turns the feature on by default only when the Windows volume is at least 200 GB in size; that's the size of the volume, not its free space.

Recovery steps you can find when you need them

The recovery section shows how to open Windows Recovery Environment and keeps the two restore paths apart: Troubleshoot → Advanced options → System Restore and Troubleshoot → Point-in-time restore. It also covers where to find your BitLocker recovery key. Other recovery options, such as Startup Repair, reinstalling Windows through Windows Update and Reset this PC, are listed with what each does to your files and apps.

A guide that stands on its own

The page no longer compares the Winwise JSON backup with a restore point, and its examples don't refer to the script builder. The builder still explains its own backup and undo features where it always has.

Volume Shadow Copy (VSS)

The entry now explains that VSS coordinates the snapshots used by System Restore and Point-in-time restore, and that copying files or syncing them to the cloud usually doesn't depend on it. The advice is unchanged: leave it available, even when it's stopped.

Upgrading from 1.4

• Your 1.4 scripts and backups keep working. The script template only changes its version label to v1.5; the preview, apply and restore code is identical. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups. Windows Search still includes Work Folders, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.
• Links to #backup keep working.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq 'd41bdd6c5890df0928728c6df73e05b1bf07effb28a2170d2a88d558ed5538c7'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Sources: each backup section links the Microsoft pages it's based on, checked on October 27, 2026. Microsoft's pages currently disagree about whether Point-in-time restore is on by default on organization-managed 26H2 devices, so the guide asks people on those devices to check the setting and follow their organization's policy. The VSS entry has a new reference to Microsoft's comparison of Point-in-time restore and System Restore.
• Directory: still 157 entries. Only the VSS entry changed; other entries were not re-reviewed for this release. Details are in SERVICE-REVIEW.md and CHANGELOG.md.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs passed for all 157 entries, the 28 script choices and the 129 services excluded from scripts. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 passed all 12 scenarios under both PowerShell 7.6.6 and Windows PowerShell 5.1 in GitHub Actions.
• Browser: checks passed in dark and light mode at phone, tablet and desktop widths, covering the jump links, keyboard focus, expandable sections, text contrast and source links.
• Windows: the setup and recovery steps follow Microsoft's documentation. They were not run on a Windows PC for this release.
• Site: the footer shows v1.5, and the guide's update date is October 27, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.4.0...v1.5.0

Winwise 1.4

Winwise now explains 157 Windows 11 services, and the script preview matches what the script will actually do. Winwise 1.4 also reviews its guidance against Windows 11 26H2 and updates the run instructions for PCs where Administrator protection opens PowerShell under a separate profile.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.4

11 more services, 157 in total

The directory adds System Monitor (Sysmon) and Windows MIDI Service (MidiSrv). Both arrived through 2026 updates, so their entries note which Windows 11 releases have them. It also adds nine Windows infrastructure services that were missing: App Readiness, Application Identity, Background Tasks Infrastructure Service, CoreMessaging, System Events Broker, Time Broker, CNG Key Isolation, Network Connection Broker and Windows Event Collector. All 11 are reference entries that advise keeping your existing setup, and none of them can be added to a generated script.

The -WhatIf preview matches the real run

In 1.3, a service you picked could be blocked by another enabled or running service. The preview still showed the service above it as ready to turn off, while the real run skipped both. Now the preview skips them too, with a warning. Applying a script was never affected, because the real run checks the live state of each service and never force-stops services that depend on it.

Updated Windows 11 guidance

• Windows Search suggests reviewing automatic indexing of frequently used folders, where your version has it, before you turn off the service.
• Connected Devices Platform User Service (CDPUserSvc) now names Network Connection Broker (NcbService) as one of its dependencies, as Microsoft documents.
• Guidance has been checked against the Windows 11 26H2 documentation. Features also delivered to earlier releases are marked as such rather than labeled 26H2-only.

Run instructions that find your script

How to run & undo now asks you to copy the script folder's full path from the File Explorer address bar and go there with Set-Location -LiteralPath "YOUR-COPIED-FOLDER-PATH". The old Downloads shortcut used $env:USERPROFILE. With Administrator protection, an elevated PowerShell window can run under a separate profile, so that shortcut could open the wrong folder. Copying the path also works for redirected or custom Downloads folders.

Upgrading from 1.3

• Your 1.3 scripts and backups keep working. The apply and restore code is unchanged. Restore with -RestoreFrom using the script that created the backup, as before.
• If you rely on the preview, build a new script with 1.4. A 1.3 preview could show more services as ready to turn off than the run would actually change.
• Script choices are unchanged: 28 choices in 12 groups. Windows Search still includes Work Folders, and the conservative preset still contains Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo.

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq 'a57fc439751c20526f72286d52c2bfbec962b7137637e7e2031be1e4f9bb064a'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Script preview: in a -WhatIf run, a service is treated as cleared only after its own dependency check passes, so a blocked service keeps blocking every selected service above it. Dependents that are disabled but still running, or that are starting or stopping, still block as before.
• Sources: new Microsoft references for built-in Sysmon, Windows MIDI Services, Windows 11 26H2, Administrator protection, Application Identity and AppLocker, CNG key isolation and Windows Event Collector. Coverage notes are in SERVICE-REVIEW.md, and release history now has its own CHANGELOG.md.
• Checks: tools/test-data.mjs verifies that all 157 services have unique IDs and that the 28 script choices match the PowerShell allowlist exactly. It also checks that the generator rejects all 129 services excluded from scripts, and that search finds every entry. tools/test-script-dependencies.ps1 runs the template's real ordering, preview and apply code against mock services in 12 dependency scenarios. GitHub Actions runs both on every push and pull request. For this release, all 12 scenarios passed under both PowerShell 7.6.6 and Windows PowerShell 5.1.
• Browser: checks passed in dark and light mode, covering search, selection, script preview, downloads and the 390-pixel layout.
• Site: the footer shows v1.4, and the guide's update date is October 10, 2026.

Full changelog: v1.3.0...v1.4.0

Winwise 1.3

Generated scripts can now turn off Windows Search. Winwise 1.3 also adds Work Folders, lightens the START animation on 4K screens, and explains the PowerShell confirmation prompt you may see before running a script.

Open it at https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/ or download winwise.html below. It works offline.

What's new in 1.3

Windows Search is no longer skipped

On PCs where Work Folders depends on Windows Search, a 1.2 script skipped Windows Search with a warning like Skipped WSearch: enabled or active dependent services: workfolderssvc. Now, choosing Windows Search also selects Work Folders, and the builder tells you before you download that Work Folders will stop syncing files with your organization's server. The script turns off Work Folders first, then Windows Search, and backs up both.

Work Folders joins the directory

Work Folders (workfolderssvc) is service number 146. It syncs files between your PC and an organization's Work Folders server, and it is separate from OneDrive. If you don't use it, the new I don't use Work Folders option turns off just that service.

A lighter START animation on high-resolution screens

On 4K and other large displays, the START transition now does far less drawing work: a smaller effects canvas, fewer particles, smaller animated surfaces, and border glows that are painted once instead of on every frame. The design and the 3.8-second timing are unchanged. If START still stutters on your PC, please open an issue with your browser, screen resolution and display scaling.

Clearer steps for running and undoing a script

• How to run & undo is now a larger purple button, and the change guide shows it right next to Open the script builder.
• The instructions now cover the Execution Policy Change prompt: type Y and press Enter. The setting lasts only until you close that PowerShell window, so you can preview, apply and undo in one session.

Upgrading from 1.2

• If your 1.2 script skipped Windows Search, build a new script with 1.3 and run it. Services that are already disabled are left alone, and the run saves its own new backup. Keep your earlier backups as well.
• Your backups keep working. Restore them with -RestoreFrom using the script that created them, as before.
• All other script choices are unchanged, including the conservative preset (Remote Registry, Fax and Retail Demo).

Download and verify

1. Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. No install, server or internet connection needed.
2. To check the download, run this in PowerShell in the folder where you saved it. It prints True when the file matches this release:

(Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256).Hash -eq '2819336b2c8912507b3d6302109d701e77850aa7c3ded1d87aeac925d1fbbc5e'

The same checksum is attached as winwise.html.sha256.

Under the hood

• Script builder: 28 choices in 12 groups (previously 27 in 11). Services added automatically are labeled Included with Windows Search and stay locked until you remove Windows Search. Removing it also removes the automatic Work Folders selection, but keeps Work Folders if you picked it yourself. The PowerShell allowlist matches the builder.
• START transition: particles capped at 5,200 (previously up to 7,200), the effects canvas capped at about 3.69 million pixels (the size of a 2560 × 1440 screen), the service table clipped during the reveal so the sidebar no longer stretches down the full list, border glows animated by opacity only, and no blur on the outgoing welcome panel. Findings and test scope are in PERFORMANCE-REVIEW.md.
• Sources: new Microsoft references for Work Folders and PowerShell execution policies. Coverage notes are in SERVICE-REVIEW.md.
• Checks: all 146 services have unique IDs, the 28 script choices match the PowerShell allowlist exactly, and the generator rejects all 118 services that are excluded from scripts.

Full changelog: v1.2.0...v1.3.0

Winwise 1.2

Winwise 1.2: 145 services and new script builder choices

Services

• Expand the directory from 70 to 145 entries, including all 24
  per-user services in Microsoft's current reference.
• Give TextInputManagementService its own entry and clarify the
  TabletInputService, Defender, WMI/WMIC and print configuration
  entries.

Script builder

• 27 choices in 11 groups (previously 20 in 9).
• New scanner group (stisvc, WiaRpc) and Xbox group (XboxGipSvc,
  XblAuthManager, XblGameSave, XboxNetApiSvc).
• PrintNotify joins the printing group.
• PowerShell allowlist updated to match; conservative preset unchanged.

Search

• Per-user names copied with their session suffix find their entry,
  from services.msc (Clipboard User Service_4f9ac) or the inventory
  command (cbdhsvc_4f9ac).

Site

• Galaxy scenes and a new START panel (galaxy.js, launch-glass.js),
  navy styling and category icon colors.
• Three more useful tools: Warp, Zed and LocalSend.
• Opens in dark mode; the light-mode switch now lasts for the current
  visit only.

Docs

• README updated; SERVICE-REVIEW.md added.

Winwise 1.1

Winwise now comes as one file you can download and open. No install, no server and no internet connection needed.

• Download winwise.html below and open it in your browser. It's the same file that runs https://heliakon.github.io/winwise/
• Verify it by comparing Get-FileHash .\winwise.html -Algorithm SHA256 in PowerShell with winwise.html.sha256
• The services, script builder and generated scripts are unchanged from 1.0
• The Winwise logo now takes you back to the service directory without reloading the page

For contributors: the source now lives in src/, and node tools/build.mjs combines it into index.html. GitHub Actions checks on every push and pull request that the two match.