Windows Features - Turn On or Off

How to Turn Windows 7 Features On or Off​

   Information

Some programs and features included with Windows 7 must be turned on before you can use them. Certain other features are turned on by default. This will show you how to turn the features you select on or off.

   Note

New Windows Features to Turn On or Off in Windows 7:

• Games - Internet Games
• Internet Explorer 9
• Internet Information Services - FTP Server
• Internet Information Services Hostable Web Core
• Media Features
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.51
• Services for NFS (Network File System)
• Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
• TIFF IFilter
• Windows Gadget Platform
• Windows Search
• XPS Services
• XPS Viewer

   Tip

• A blue box indicates that you have the main feature selected and turned on, but not all of the subfeatures under the expanded main feature are checked.
• If the box is checked for the main feature, then it means that all of the subfeatures under the expanded main feature are checked and turned on as well.

If Windows Features is empty, then see:

The "Windows Features" dialog box is empty in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, or you receive an error message that includes the following code when you try to use Windows Update: "0x80073712"

   Warning

Turning off a feature does not uninstall the feature, and it does not reduce the amount of hard disk space used by the Windows 7 feature. The features remain stored on your hard disk so you can turn them back on if you want to later.

Here's How:
1. Do step 2 or 3 below.

2. Open the Start Menu, type Windows Features in the search box, and press Enter.
A) Go to step 4.
OR

3. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Programs and Features icon.
A) In the left pane, click on the Turn Windows features on or off link. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 4.
4. If prompted by UAC, click on Yes to approve.

5. If open, you can close the Programs and Features window now. (See screenshot above)

6. To Turn On a Windows Feature
A) Check the selected feature. (See screenshots below step 8)
NOTE: Some Windows features are grouped together in folders, and some folders contain subfolders with additional features. If a check box is partially checked or is dimmed, then some of the items inside the folder are turned on and some are turned off. To expand and view the contents of a folder, double-click it. Hovering the mouse pointer over a folder will give you a pop-up desciption of the feature.
7. To Turn Off a Windows Feature
A) Uncheck the selected feature. (See screenshots below step 8)
8. When done, click on OK. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: These are the default settings in Windows Features.

9. After turning on or off a feature, you may be prompted to restart the computer.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable or Disable "Windows Features" in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows Features Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Turn Windows 7 Search On or Off
• How to Turn Windows Defender On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Uninstall a Windows Update in Windows 7
• How to Uninstall or Change a Program in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Problem Steps Recorder in Windows 7
• How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 9
• How to Install or Uninstall Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) in Windows 7
• How to Uninstall IE11 in Windows 7 to Restore Previous Version of Internet Explorer

 

[Brink]

Brink

Indexing Service.
Do you know if it is to be checked or unchecked?
Mine is unchecked always has been as far as I know but I'm unsure what it does. Something to do with Windows Explorer I'm guessing?
Couldn't find any info here on the forum though it may be here.

If your not sure that is okay.
I'll do some looking around MS tomorrow.

Mike

Hello Mike,

The Indexing Service in Windows Features is not for the same Index that is used in Windows 7. Instead it's for backwards compatibility. Here's some more information on it:

The Indexing Service (Cisvc.exe) used in previous Windows platforms is still available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista as an optional feature that administrators can turn on in Windows Features if needed.

The main reason enterprises might need to enable the previous Indexing Service would be for application compatibility reasons. For example, if enterprises develop applications that depend on Cisvc.exe, they can enable this service to support those applications. The Microsoft Office Visio shape-finding process also uses Cisvc.exe to index shapes. Therefore, if you need to search for shapes quickly in Office or Office Visio on some computers, you can enable Cisvc.exe on those computers.

Note Microsoft does not recommend running the older Indexing Service on computers running Windows 7 unless you have a compelling need to do so. The Indexing Service will likely be removed in a future version of Windows.

 

[Hopalong X]

Thanks Brink.

I'll leave it unchecked.

Mike

Someone was having a problem in the last couple of weeks matching search between W7 and XP on two PC's. I don't think they ever found a solution.

I know where it is for next time.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Mike.

 

[Spiral Pasta]

Thank You

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Spiral Pasta.

 

[Umut]

I wanna ask you guys something cause i looked and couldn't find. I like to know everything in my computer so i opened an account for that. But i couldn't find anything in the forum explains the detailed version of what these windows features to exactly. If anyone knows can you please give me the link please?

 

[Brink]

Hello Umut, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can get a brief general description of a listed Windows Feature by hovering the mouse pointer on it. For a more detailed description, you would unfortunately need to Google it or create a post here asking about a specific item.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[Umut]

Hello Umut, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You can get a brief general description of a listed Windows Feature by hovering the mouse pointer on it. For a more detailed description, you would unfortunately need to Google it or create a post here asking aboout a specific item.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

As my english isn't being very good i couldn't understand much from the explanation. But thanks for your help i'll try my chance in google

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Just let us know if you have a question about a specific one. It's just to much info to post for all of them

 

[emh9]

Thanks

Hi Brink - I'm a newbie so apologies for any faux pas; couldn't find "mark this thread as solved" but need to acknowledge your solution which is brilliant and so easy. Oceans of...

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome emh, and welcome to Seven Forums. I'm glad that it was able to help.

Tutorials do not have the "Mark this thread as solved" button like the other forum areas.

 

[GabbTykpeeMen]

Thank You...

 

[kmetek]

i unchecked games and tablet pc components.

 

[malhajri2006]

very helpful

Thanks

 

[Ladyfrances]

Awesome Solution Shawn!!!

I have spent like 3 hours trying all the solution posted online and shawn's post is the only one that got my aero feature back!!!
thanks a million!!

You rock!!

 

[Brink]

Glad it could help Ladyfrances, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[ernaldo]

I click on the "turn windows features on/off" and it launches WMC! Any other ideas?

 

[Brink]

I click on the "turn windows features on/off" and it launches WMC! Any other ideas?

Hello Ernaldo,

That's an odd one. You might see if you may be able to open Windows Features using the shortcut below instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24546-windows-features-create-shortcut.html

 

[GokAy]

Shawn, do you know if there is a special way of selecting all sub-features simultaneously? I miss the old triple option check boxes

 

[Brink]

Hey Gokhan,

Usually checking the box of the main folder will also check all of its subfolders. There are a few that will only let you dot each one though.