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Add or Remove Optional Windows Features

Optional Features lets you install additional Windows components that aren't part of the default setup, such as OpenSSH Client, additional language handwriting packs, or legacy tools like Windows Media Player. It's a separate list from Windows Features (the older 'Turn Windows features on or off' dialog), which handles larger platform components like Hyper-V or .NET Framework 3.5.

How to open Optional Features

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Optional features.
  2. Click 'View features' or 'Add a feature'.
  3. Search for or select the feature you want to install.
  4. Click Next and Install, then restart if prompted.

What you should know

  • Click 'View features' or 'Add a feature' to browse available optional components.
  • Search by name if you know the specific feature you need, like 'SSH' or 'Notepad'.
  • Some features require a restart after installing or removing them.
  • 'More Windows features' at the bottom links to the older Control Panel-style dialog for deeper platform components.

Removing an optional feature that another installed app depends on can break that app until you reinstall the feature, so confirm nothing relies on a component before removing it.

Why it matters

Optional Features is where you find developer and power-user tools Windows doesn't install by default, like the OpenSSH client for command-line remote connections, without needing a third-party download. It's also how you remove components you'll never use, like legacy apps that shipped with Windows years ago, to slightly reduce clutter and attack surface. Because some apps and scripts silently depend on a specific optional feature being present, this page is a common troubleshooting stop when a command-line tool or protocol suddenly stops working.

Best practices

  • Search for the exact feature name before assuming it's not available — the list is long and not alphabetically obvious at a glance.
  • Install the OpenSSH Client if you regularly connect to Linux servers or other machines via SSH from Command Prompt or PowerShell.
  • Restart promptly after installing a feature that requests it, since some features don't fully register until the next boot.
  • Leave features you don't recognize alone rather than removing them speculatively, since some support other installed software indirectly.

Common problems and fixes

An 'ssh' command isn't recognized in PowerShell or Command Prompt.
Install 'OpenSSH Client' from Optional Features, since it isn't included by default on most Windows installations.
A feature shows as installed but doesn't seem to work.
Restart your PC — many optional features, especially ones touching system services, don't fully activate until after a reboot.
Can't find a feature like Hyper-V or .NET Framework 3.5 in this list.
Larger platform components live under 'More Windows features' (the classic Control Panel dialog) linked at the bottom of the Optional Features page, not in the main list itself.

Tips and tricks

  • Install 'Notepad' explicitly here if a clean install removed the classic version you expected and you want the traditional experience back.
  • Check 'Add a feature' periodically after major Windows updates, since Microsoft occasionally adds new optional components worth knowing about.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Optional Features and 'Turn Windows features on or off'?

Optional Features covers smaller add-ons like language tools and OpenSSH, while the older 'Turn Windows features on or off' dialog (reachable via 'More Windows features') handles larger platform subsystems like Hyper-V, WSL, and .NET Framework 3.5.

Do I need an internet connection to add an optional feature?

Usually yes, since most optional features are downloaded from Windows Update on demand rather than stored locally on the installation media.

Will removing an optional feature free up much disk space?

Generally not much for individual small features, though removing several unused language packs or legacy apps together can add up to a noticeable amount.

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