VBScript has become optional component in Windows 11

One more unannounced feature in Windows 11 Build 25309 is the ability to get rid of VBScript completely. It has become an optional component that can be installed on-demand.

You may remember such transformation for Notepad and Paint. Notepad was initially planned to be serviced from the Store. These days, it frequently receives updates and new features. It is stepped far from the simple plain text editor working with a single document. Now it supports dark mode, Linux line ending, can work with huge files and has tabs. It is a Feature-on-Demand.

For the Paint app, Microsoft had a different plan. The company wanted to replace it with a modern Paint 3D, but found no support from consumers and customers. After analyzing users' feedback, Microsoft kept the classic Paint, but made Feature-on-Demand. Similar to Notepad, it receives updates from Microsoft Store. And you can uninstall any of these apps if you want with a couple of clicks.

Now, the good old VBScript engine turns into a feature on demand. Widely used by system administrators and advanced users, it allows you to automate and simplify many daily routines. Powered by the Windows Scripting Host platform, it allows you to launch processes in advanced way, create shortcuts, manage files, modify the registry, and do plenty of other tasks.

However, VBScript in Windows didn't receive major updates for decades. It is slowly superseded by PowerShell, which with help of the .NET platform allows you doing everything that VBS does and much more, in a flexible way. Besides tons of ready-made cmdlets, it allows you to use .NET assemblies and declare Windows API functions.

Perhaps the current state of VBScript has caused Microsoft to remove it from the default OS bundle. Over time, it will become not installed out of the box. It is unlikely that it will start receiving major updates from the Store. Instead, it will remain available to those who really need it. Interested users will install it manually, while others will not even notice that the component is not in the standard OS setup.

First spotted by Xeno