Windows 11 Setup Is Testing TikTok and Netflix Picks - Here Is How to Skip Them

Microsoft is testing a new last step in Windows 11 setup that suggests apps like TikTok and Netflix - but it is optional, and one click skips it.

Opened cardboard PC shipping box with a worn CODECS stencil on its side and a bundle of glossy app leaflets tucked on top, under the title WINDOWS SETUP PICKS YOUR APPS

The feature is called Assisted Setup, and right now only some Windows Insiders see it.

It is not part of the Windows 11 26H2 update, and Microsoft has not given it a release date.

Here is what it does, and how to get past it if it reaches your PC.

What Assisted Setup Shows You

It appeared in Insider Experimental build 26340.9354 on 8 September 2026, rolling out to a small group of testers first. When setup finishes, the 'Your PC is ready' screen now offers two buttons: Show optional setup or Go to desktop.

Pick the optional setup and the Get Started app walks you through four things:

Popular apps. Testers saw WhatsApp, Duolingo, TikTok, Netflix, LinkedIn and Spotify, with a link to the Microsoft Store for more.
Websites to pin. A fixed list of popular sites, with no way to type in your own.
Personalisation. Themes, colours and similar settings.
Windows Update. A check for the latest updates.

Microsoft's own release notes do not name any apps. They call the experience 'entirely optional' and say 'you can skip it to go directly to the desktop'.

What did ship this month:

The September 22 preview update, KB5124010, adds a Tips widget for the Widgets board and lock screen. It stays hidden until you add it yourself, and it does not install any apps.

How to Skip It

Click Go to desktop on the last setup screen. Nothing gets installed, and you can still open Get Started later if you change your mind.

If your new PC already came loaded with apps you never asked for, our guide to debloating Windows 11 with FlyOOBE removes them in a few clicks. Setup has other slow spots too - we covered the update wait and the Microsoft account screen earlier this month.

The App Your New PC Actually Needs

Netflix and Spotify are fine for streaming. But none of the suggested apps is a video player for your own files, and Windows' built-in Media Player still needs an extra extension for some formats, such as HEVC video from phones.

A free player fixes that on day one. VLC opens almost anything with no extra codecs, and PotPlayer is the smoother pick for 4K on Windows.

Quick questions

Does Windows 11 setup install TikTok automatically?

No. Assisted Setup only suggests apps, and only if you choose Show optional setup. Choosing Go to desktop skips it entirely.

Is Assisted Setup in Windows 11 26H2?

No. It is being tested with Windows Insiders only. Microsoft has not said when, or whether, it will reach regular PCs.

Can I remove apps that came preinstalled on my PC?

Yes. Most can be uninstalled from Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps, and FlyOOBE can remove many at once.

What video player should I install on a new PC?

VLC for a player that opens nearly every format, or PotPlayer for the smoothest 4K playback on Windows. Both are free.

The bottom line

If Assisted Setup reaches you, Go to desktop is one click, and a real media player is a better first install than any of the picks. Seen the new screen yet? Tell us what it offered you.