WinUtil, or Chris Titus Tech’s Windows Utility, is a free, open-source PowerShell script with a graphical interface. The official user guide describes five jobs: install applications, apply tweaks for performance and privacy, fix common Windows problems, manage how Windows Update behaves, and open Windows tools. It also includes a Windows 11 Creator that builds a customized Windows 11 ISO.
When to use WinUtil
- Setting up a fresh Windows 11 install: installing a batch of common apps and applying a few chosen settings in one session.
- Running built-in repair steps, such as resetting network settings or repairing system files, from one window.
When not to use it
- On Windows 10. The official user guide says “Windows 10 is not supported by Winutil.”
- To apply every tweak. The guide itself says never to “apply all tweaks without understanding them” or “disable security features unnecessarily.” Some tweaks disable BitLocker or WPBT; some Advanced tweaks remove Edge or OneDrive.
- On production or work systems without testing, in the guide’s own words.
- From any command but the official one. Cyber Security News has listed
winutil.appas a fake site impersonating WinUtil.
Requirements
From the official user guide: Windows 11, PowerShell 5.1 or later, administrator access, internet access for downloading apps and updates, and .NET Framework 4.5 or later. The script stops if PowerShell runs in a restricted language mode.
How it runs
The official command is irm https://christitus.com/win | iex in an administrator PowerShell window. It downloads the latest winutil.ps1 from the GitHub release and runs it immediately; nothing is permanently installed. A more careful route is to download winutil.ps1 from the release page, compare Get-FileHash .\winutil.ps1 with the SHA-256 below, read it, then run it.
Before applying tweaks, tick Restore Point – Create. In release 26.08.19 it is not ticked by default. Our WinUtil safety check explains how to undo changes.
Questions
Is WinUtil safe?
The official script is open source and published on GitHub. The risks are lookalike commands and aggressive tweaks. See our full safety check.
Can I undo WinUtil tweaks?
Most tweaks can be reversed with Undo Selected Tweaks. Cleanup tasks and Widgets removal cannot. A restore point covers more.
Is WinUtil available in winget?
We found no WinUtil package in the winget community repository. Use the official command or the GitHub release.
What is the development-branch command?
irm https://christitus.com/windev | iex. Use the stable command unless you want untested changes.
