Harden your Windows
Windows 11 includes useful security controls, but a hardening checklist can cause lockouts or break older devices if it is applied as a single blind script. The right settings depend on whether the PC is standalone, managed by an organization, used for Remote Desktop, or still needs legacy network equipment. Run administrative commands from an elevated PowerShell window and keep a tested recovery administrator account available. Quick answer Start with a current backup, Windows Update, standard user accounts for daily work, Microsoft Defender Firewall enabled, and Windows Security protections enabled. Disable unused Guest access and SMBv1, turn off LLMNR where your network supports it, require NLA if RDP is enabled, and audit Defender ASR rules before enforcing them. Hiding an account tile is cosmetic, and setting PowerShell’s language mode from a script is not a security boundary. ...