Windows 11 Assisted Setup Now Offers Optional Third-Party App Installations
- Microsoft is testing a new Assisted Setup flow for Windows 11 that automatically installs third-party applications such as TikTok, Netflix, and Spotify on fresh PC installations.
- The new setup sequence concludes with a final screen titled Your PC is ready, which presents users with two distinct choices.
- By enabling automatic installation of verified software, the feature can help protect inexperienced users from visiting lookalike websites and downloading malicious installers.
Microsoft is testing a new Assisted Setup flow for Windows 11 that automatically installs third-party applications such as TikTok, Netflix, and Spotify on fresh PC installations. Rolling out gradually since September 8, 2026, to Insiders in the Experimental channel with Build 26340.9354, the optional onboarding experience changes how users interact with their new computers right after completing the out-of-box experience.
How Assisted Setup and the Get Started App Work
The new setup sequence concludes with a final screen titled Your PC is ready, which presents users with two distinct choices. Selecting Show optional setup initiates an automated process that installs applications and pins specific websites to the taskbar. Alternatively, choosing Go to desktop skips the sequence entirely while noting that the steps remain accessible later. When users opt for the assisted route, Windows 11 opens the refreshed Get Started app automatically upon reaching the desktop. The application greets the user by name and presents a page titled Add popular apps to your device. According to testing reported by Windows Latest, selecting apps like TikTok, Netflix, and Spotify downloads them directly inside the Get Started app without requiring the user to open the Microsoft Store. Beyond software installation, the onboarding flow offers a page dedicated to pinning ten websites to the taskbar. The provided list adapts dynamically based on regional settings. For a test PC configured in the United Kingdom, the options included the BBC, Amazon UK, eBay UK, and the Daily Mail, alongside global platforms like YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Wikipedia.
Balancing Convenience and User Experience
By enabling automatic installation of verified software, the feature can help protect inexperienced users from visiting lookalike websites and downloading malicious installers. The refreshed Get Started app also guides users through system personalization and updates. A Change your look page directs users to light and dark modes and accent colors via the Personalization settings page. Another page prompts users to check for pending system updates before continuing use, creating an interesting contrast with Microsoft’s earlier updates in April that allowed users to skip updates during setup for faster access to the desktop.