Features

Image Management

Powerful, yet easy to use. Featuring dynamic toolbar throughout the tool, image list overview, presets, and many more details which help you be more productive while maintaining your images.
All standard image formats supported, including WIM, decrypted ESD (Electronic Software Download) and SWM (spanned, split images).
ESD to WIM, SWM to WIM (aka image joinining), WIM to SWM (aka image splitting) conversions included.
Tool can create a bootable ISO from any of them, if the normal image folder structure is present (e.g. Boot and Sources folders).
And you can edit images in all supported host combinations, for example editing Windows 10 image from a Windows 7 as a host is supported.

Note: 64 and 32-bit tool versions can edit both 64 and 32-bit images. Exception being Windows 7 Service Pack slipstream where for 64-bit version you need to run under a 64-bit host OS.

Deployed install editing (e.g. C:\Windows or a mounted VHD)

Next to editing Windows installation images, NTLite is featuring the deployed edit mode (previously known as Live editing), a unique feature allowing you to target the already installed Windows (e.g. C:\Windows or a mounted VHD) and configure it without re-installation.
Simply target the OS you want to edit as you would an image, choose what to change and reboot if necessary – instant results.

Note: ISO creation is only for offline images. Capturing an installation and creating an ISO from a host install is not available at this point.

Updates Download and Organization

With the built-in update downloader tool, get the latest Windows updates locally, ready for reuse.
Organized update cache per folder for each image version makes for simpler maintenance.
More information.

Update and Language Integration

Easily integrate updates, languages and service packs.
Update integration features smart sorting, enabling you to seamlessly add packages for integration and the tool will apply them in the appropriate order, keeping update compatibility in check.
Analysis option advises on some of the more common issues, dependencies or recommendations for certain KB updates.
Update extraction cache for faster repeat integrations and less SSD usage, making it the fastest integration or installation option for Windows images.

Registry Integration and Editing

Enables you to easily apply REG files directly to the image registry, without the need to apply during setup, making your registry changes independent of the deployment method.
HKCU entries are mapped to the Default User, propagating changes to all users before they are even created.
Also provides direct hive editing for manual changes.

Driver Integration

Integrate drivers into the image, Windows automatically installs only the detected ones on deployment.
Also features “Import host” functionality, which pulls and integrates host drivers into the image.
Then option like “Exclude unused”, which removes drivers from the integration queue which are not detected as needed for the selected hardware list.
Drivers can also be integrated to the boot image (boot.wim, Setup), so that they are available on USB/ISO boot. Making it possible to integrate and use USB3 or SATA controller drivers which would otherwise be unsupported, depending on the Windows version.

Hardware Targeting

NTLite can gather host machine hardware list and use it in all of its features.
Hardware target checklist is a particularly helpful feature, allowing you to see in advance for any missing drivers on the resulting deployment before applying changes.
This enables you to target other machines when preparing an image, while trying to reach the minimum deployment size or maximum compatibility.
You can also extract drivers from an image or an existing install.

Component Removal

Reduce Windows footprint on your RAM and storage drive memory.
Remove components of your choice, guarded by compatibility safety mechanisms, which speed up finding that sweet spot.

Note: each new component is a premium feature on its own

Tweaks

Easily change various Windows settings on your live installation or an image, like pagefile settings or various Explorer UI settings, to name a few.

Also you can pre-configure Windows Features, same as you would in Control Panel – Programs – Turn Windows features on or off, but before deployment.

Unattended Setup

Windows Unattended feature support, providing many commonly used options on a single page for easy and fully automated setup.
Multiple-choice options are presented with valid entries read from the source itself.
Includes Auto-fill option, which fills the choices with the current Host machine data, allowing for fast configuration.
Prompt for a computer name, for easier domain join and image reuse.
Add local accounts, choosing usernames and passwords in advance, autologon any of them after install.
Network join, which allows you to automatically join to a Workgroup or a Domain after installation.
Disk partitioning, which speeds up the deployment by automatically formatting and partitioning your drives.

Application Integration

Easily integrate application installers, scripts, registry tweaks or raw commands. Provide a silent switch and automatically run application installer post-setup.

Pending Changes Overview and Post-process Automation

All the pending changes and important warnings are presented on a single page for quick review before actually applying those changes.
With the ability to enable extra options or automate post-process tasks, like creating an ISO image, compressing to ESD format, splitting the image.

Extra options include “Clean update backup”, which removes obsolete updates, and “Reuse driver cache”, which relinks drivers with the driver cache, utilizing NTFS links to reduce the actual disk size by reusing duplicate files.

Native Runtime, 32 and 64-bit

NTLite does not require .NET Framework or any other addition to run under the supported operating systems. This enables it to run faster, more portable with less dependencies.

Supports the following Windows versions (x86 and x64, live C:\Windows and WIM/SWM/ESD images):

Windows 11
10.0.22000 Preview
License feature from August 3rd 2021 (with bigger changes will change)
Windows 10
21H2 10.0.19044 & 20348 ’October 2021 Update’
License feature from June 22nd 2021
2104 10.0.19043 21H1 ‘May 2021 Update’
License feature from October 27th 2020
2009 10.0.19042 20H2 ‘October 2020 Update’
License feature from December 17th 2019
2004 10.0.19041 20H1 ‘May 2020 Update’
License feature from December 17th 2019
1909 10.0.18363 19H2 ‘November 2019 Update’
License feature from April 30th 2019
1903 10.0.18362 19H1 ‘May 2019 Update’
License feature from April 30th 2019
1809 10.0.17763 Redstone 5 ‘October 2018 Update’, including LTSC 2019
License feature from September 18th 2018
1803 10.0.17134 Redstone 4 ‘April 2018 Update’
License feature from March 26th 2018, Microsoft mainstream support ended November 12, 2019
1709 10.0.16299 Redstone 3 ‘Fall Creators Update’
License feature from October 2nd 2017, Microsoft mainstream support ended April 9, 2019
1703 10.0.15063 Redstone 2 ‘Creators Update’
License feature from April 3rd 2017, Microsoft mainstream support ended October 9, 2018
1607 10.0.14393 Redstone 1 ‘Anniversary Update’, including LTSB 2016
Microsoft mainstream support ended April 10, 2018
1511 10.0.10586 Threshold 2 ‘November Update’
Microsoft mainstream support ended October 10, 2017
1507 10.0.10240 Threshold 1 RTM, including LTSB 2015
Microsoft mainstream support ended May 9, 2017
Windows 8 (8.1)
Windows 7 (SP1)
Windows Server versions of the same build as above, same applies plus excluding support for Components removal and Feature Configurations. Applies to:
Windows Server 2022 (21H2)
Windows Server 20H2
Windows Server 1909
Windows Server 2019 (1809)
Windows Server 2016 (1607)
Windows Server 2012 R2 (based on 8.1)
Windows Server 2008 R2 and SBS2011 (based on 7SP1)
Boot, Setup and WinPE images of all listed and ADK

For clarity on specific frequent questions:
ARM64 image support in alpha/preview stage
Tool itself runs on Windows 7* or newer, x86 and x64.
*For unpatched Windows 7 make sure it has at least the SHA-2 update (KB4474419).

Does not support:
Checked/Debug editions
Embedded or IoT editions (exception being the ‘Enterprise’ subset, it is supported)
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows Server 2008 and older

For Windows updating support details, continue here

For more information, check out the Documentation page.

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Intelligent solutions for Windows integration and customization

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”