A “feature” is a Windows program,
application, utility, or service. Some features are installed and
operational right out of the box for Windows 8, such as Internet
Explorer. Other features require that you turn them on before they are
available to use. In the past, users were forced to install features in
the same way as they did a program, which meant that they were required
to uninstall them when they didn’t need them—which few users did. So
systems grew more and more bloated over time.
To make it easier for users to turn features
on and off, Microsoft has added something called Windows Features. In
it, you can enable Internet Information Services (IIS, a personal web
server), Media Features, Network Projection, and more. Since there are
some attractive features that are not on by default, it’s a good idea to
poke around in this dialog box from time to time.
To turn Windows Features on or off
1. Press 
+W, and enter the search string features.
or
Open Search from the Charms bar, and tap the Settings function.
2. Tap or click the Turn Windows features on or off link to view the Windows Features dialog box .
The Windows Features dialog box
3. In the Administration Privileges dialog box, either supply your admin password or click OK to elevate your privileges.
4. Click a feature’s check box to either enable or disable the feature.
A feature that is dimmed or partially
checked may contain an item within it that is disabled. Double-tap or
double-click the folder to view all the contained features. Or, click
the + (plus sign) to open the folder.
5. Click OK.
Windows displays a progress bar and will post a dialog box informing you that it has completed the requested changes.
6. Tap or click either Restart Now or Don’t Restart.
Tip
Turning a feature off does not delete the feature from your system; it simply disables it.
Tip
As a general rule, features that enable
security aspects of Windows 8 will require a reboot before they are
activated; many features, such as utilities, do not need a system reboot
to function.
Tip
An alternative method for opening
Windows Features is to go to the Control Panel home page, tap or click
Programs and Features, and then click the Turn Windows features on or off link.
