This process is called a clean install, which is ironic as there's nothing particularly clean about it: Microsoft has enshittified Windows Setup.

Windows 11 is adding Baseline Security Mode to block unsigned apps, services, and drivers by default, plus new consent prompts for sensitive access and bundled installs, with exceptions when needed ...

These distros are easy to install, include the right apps, skip the bloat and ads, and automatically detect your hardware.

Windows 11 just resumed feature updates and the early 2026 changes are surprisingly useful.