Clean install using Rufus can turn a lot of "features" off from the get-go.

ShutUp10++ continues to be updated for 11 and can undo what it does in case of problems. No more Xbox pop-up ads in the OS for the office ladies. 🙄

Otherwise, look into Windows 10 alphabet soup edition. (Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC IoT) It still gets security updates for years.

Any reason not to just do windows 10 LTSC? I've been happy with that option.

Look into one of the Windows 11 debloat tools, I've had good experience with this one

https://github.com/Raphire/Win11Debloat

I mainly use it to remove default apps, telemetry, AI stuff.

Also use Rufus to create the USB install it should let you create a Windows user without a Microsoft account. Worst case during the Windows 11 install pretend you're installing for an organization with a corporate domain, that forces the Windows 11 installer to let you type a regular Windows user/password during setup.

That's usually enough to get you to a somewhat clean Windows 11 install without all the extra BS that gets crammed in there by default. But it's still Microsoft so it's quite possible you'll get a new set of BS to deal with in the next Windows update :P

EDIT: My main driver at home is Linux but the above is what I do with my test Windows VMs and work related tasks.

Here’s a good script for removing AI garbage:

https://github.com/zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI GitHub - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI: Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11

You can uninstall OneDrive afaik. You can also disable web search in the search bar. After that just block all microsoft monitoring at your router or dns (I use pi-hole) and say fuck it cause you'll be wrestling it every update.