Windows 10 Now Lets You Uninstall More of the Pre-Installed Apps

With Windows 10, Microsoft’s strategy with apps changed significantly. The company not only changed how it charges users for Windows updates, but it also revamped the way it makes money out of Windows 10. And one of that includes promoting third-party apps and games through the Start Menu, including things like pre-installing stupid Candy Crush games with your new device.

The company is now working to fix some of these “problems” in Windows 10, starting with some of its own apps. Although you can already uninstall pre-installed, third-party apps and games like Candy Crush, some of Microsoft’s own apps like 3D Viewer, Groove Music couldn’t be uninstalled. That’s really quite annoying as most Windows 10 users likely don’t even use 3D Viewer, and Groove Music is now literally a music player now that Microsoft doesn’t have a music streaming service. The same can be said about other apps like Paint 3D.

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That’s changing soon with the next major Windows 10 update, codenamed 19H1. Microsoft today released build 18262 of Windows 10 19H1 to Insiders in the Fast Ring and Skip Ahead with the ability to uninstall more of the pre-installed apps in Windows 10, including 3D Viewer, Calculator, Calendar, Groove Music, Mail, Movies & TV, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketch, Sticky Notes, and Voice Recorder. If you don’t use any of these apps on your machine, the ability to uninstall them will now help you clean up your Start Menu.

The new build of Windows 10 also lets users identify which of their running apps are DPI Aware through the Task Manager, and brings improvements for the built-in troubleshooter in Windows 10 and Narrator.

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  • spacein_vader

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 1:43 pm

    <p>Finally! I think the only one of those apps that'll survive the cull for me will be Calculator. That said, I've no idea what snip and sketch is, something to do with the clipboard?</p><p><br></p><p>It should also stop Windows from "helpfully" suggesting I change my default application back to one of those listed rather than my preferred 3rd party solution.</p>

    • glassman1234

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2018 - 3:00 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354251">In reply to spacein_vader:</a></em></blockquote><p>Snip and Sketch is the replacement for the old "Snip It" which is being deprecated.</p>

      • spacein_vader

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 3:17 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354318">In reply to Glassman1234:</a></em></blockquote><p>What was snip it?</p>

        • warren

          17 October, 2018 - 7:18 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#354322">In reply to spacein_vader:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Snipping Tool, it's been in Windows for 12 years, where've you been.</p>

          • spacein_vader

            Premium Member
            18 October, 2018 - 5:12 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#354379">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>Just googled what that means. Can't say I've ever had reason to use it, hence my ignorance of it. Given I've survived this long without it I suspect I'll manage without it in future too.</p>

          • bytemyascii

            22 October, 2018 - 12:26 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#354379">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>Snipping tool I have used regularly, but I will not use Snip and Sketch.</p><p>I have had no need that I can recall to draw on my pictures as of yet, and I lack a touch interface. The mouse isn't very good for that sort of input.</p><p>Plus it is losing Window Capture, something I do use a lot.</p><p><br></p><p>So I will be using Greenshot for that, unless I can find another 3rd party application which does what I want.</p>

  • Illusive_Man

    17 October, 2018 - 1:52 pm

    <p>I wish I could uninstall/remove/disable/throw away the horrible start menu and the stupid tiles.</p>

    • PeteB

      17 October, 2018 - 2:11 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354262">In reply to Illusive_Man:</a></em></blockquote><p>ClassicShell or Startisback to get rid of the Fischer-Price tile nightmare.</p>

      • akcanuck

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 3:55 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354280">In reply to PeteB:</a></em></blockquote><p>It hasn't looked like Fisher-Price since XP.</p>

    • FalseAgent

      18 October, 2018 - 5:06 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354262">In reply to Illusive_Man:</a></em></blockquote><p>if you unpin all the tiles the start menu just becomes the All Apps list. What's the problem with tiles anyway? It's just interactive icons…</p>

      • Illusive_Man

        18 October, 2018 - 8:26 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354442">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p>They're hideous. </p>

        • FalseAgent

          18 October, 2018 - 10:50 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#354456">In reply to Illusive_Man:</a></em></blockquote><p>subjective.</p>

          • BoItmanLives

            18 October, 2018 - 11:29 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#354488">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Objectively awful. The ghost of Windows Mobile says hi.</p><p> </p><p>The tiles repelled consumers, sorry sparky.</p>

            • FalseAgent

              19 October, 2018 - 3:23 am

              <blockquote><em><a href="#354500">In reply to BoItmanLives:</a></em></blockquote><p>lol. Windows Mobile failed for many reasons, but it actually won awards for its UI and even praise from Steve Wozniak.</p><p><br></p><p>Like I said, subjective. Sparky.</p>

  • PeteB

    17 October, 2018 - 2:10 pm

    <p>I just remove the all the bloat right from the iso with MSMG toolkit. Cortana, gone. Store and all the crApps, gone. Candy crush bubble witch bullshit, gone. Telemetry and Xbox gamebar bullshit, gone. Start menu replacement like ClassicShell and I'm good to go.</p>

    • FalseAgent

      18 October, 2018 - 5:09 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354279">In reply to PeteB:</a></em></blockquote><p>people like you should just use linux</p>

    • lkflsnk

      18 October, 2018 - 10:52 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354279">In reply to PeteB:</a></em></blockquote><p>lol, you are being downvoted by MS employees and Windows Central fanboys!</p>

  • evox81

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 2:26 pm

    <p>Being able to remove Mail and Calendar is a welcome improvement for an "unmanaged" business environment. Despite pinning Outlook 2016 to the taskbar and showing employees how to use it, I've been consistently confused by the number of people who will scroll all of the way through the start menu, click on Mail and call me over because their "email isn't working". </p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2018 - 8:58 pm

      <p><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/189003/windows-10-now-lets-you-uninstall-more-of-the-pre-installed-apps#354283&quot; target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em>In reply to evox81:</em></a></p><p>I've spent too much of my adult life dealing with what users can, er, accomplish when left on their own.</p><p>Narrowing options and assigning charges against departments which could reduce bonuses are the only effective counters to the typical user.</p>

    • gregsedwards

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2018 - 10:01 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354283">In reply to evox81:</a></em></blockquote><p>Or…you could show them how to configure it. I have Outlook on my work machine, but I use Mail and Calendar, To Do, and People as my daily PIM drivers. They're a welcome improvement over Outlook, which is ridiculously bloated with features that most users don't really need. Sure, I'll pop into Outlook if I need to do something complicated, but that doesn't happen a lot. By and large, I've found the modern apps to be surprisingly easy to use and sufficient for most tasks.</p>

      • IanYates82

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 10:15 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354402">In reply to gregsedwards:</a></em></blockquote><p>I agree with you – I tend to have both Outlook and Mail configured. Mail gives notifications when it's closed, unlike Outlook.</p><p><br></p><p>But I also know I could never get another user to work this way, and they'd never understand why it's a good idea (hint: probably cause it's not for 99% of people) :)</p>

      • VancouverNinja

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 10:31 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354402">In reply to gregsedwards:</a></em></blockquote><p>I love the power of Outlook however I agree that having much of that power available on the Ribbon all of the time is not logical. I have turned on the Coming Soon option and I like what they have done with the interface. Check it out if you have not seen it yet.</p>

  • Daekar

    17 October, 2018 - 2:29 pm

    <p>Let's say you accidentally remove Mail and Calendar. Are all of these apps available in the Store to re-download if you want them?</p>

    • Kevin Costa

      17 October, 2018 - 2:55 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354286">In reply to Daekar:</a></em></blockquote><p>yes, or via powershell command</p>

      • gregsedwards

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 10:05 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354317">In reply to Kevin_Costa:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's good news. It might also make "troubleshooting" some of these apps a little easier if they go sideways. I know you can reset them, but often you have to completely un/reinstall them to get them working again.</p>

  • JaviAl

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 2:29 pm

    <p>Most important/needed and obligatory things to uninstall in Windows 10, that never be included, ordered by importance/relevance:</p><p><br></p><ol><li>Telemetry</li><li>Ads</li><li>Settings and restore Control Panel</li><li>Mini Start Screen and restore Start Menu</li><li>Cortana</li><li>Edge</li><li>All the rest of UWP garbage crap (this is not a phone/tablet OS and don't need limited mobile and ugly apps)</li></ol>

    • Rob_Wade

      17 October, 2018 - 2:40 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354287">In reply to JaviAl:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><em>I have no issues with telemetry. I ignore ads. What's your issue with Settings or Control Panel? I use full-screen start, always. I rely on Cortana, primarily voice control, on virtually every device. I use Edge first, IE11 second.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        17 October, 2018 - 8:30 pm

        <p><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/189003/windows-10-now-lets-you-uninstall-more-of-the-pre-installed-apps#354313&quot; target="_blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em>In reply to Rob_Wade:</em></a></p><p>On balance telemetry is a good thing . . . if MSFT really pays attention to it. Probably more so than it pays attention to the Feedback site.</p><p>Ads are an annoyance. Ignoring them is a skill most adults develop, but they're still annoying when one lapses and fails to ignore them. Wouldn't Windows be better if they could be disabled?</p><p>The rest are easily ignored even if some take up disk space which could be freed up in an ideal universe.</p>

    • prjman

      17 October, 2018 - 2:49 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#354287"><em>In reply to JaviAl:</em></a><em> Dude. Just load Windows 2000 on a Pentium and you are good. Just don't go online.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • Kevin Costa

      17 October, 2018 - 3:05 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354287">In reply to JaviAl:</a></em></blockquote><p class="inserted">Settings app is here to stay, is just a matter of time until Control Panel is removed.</p><p class="inserted">I don't see MS getting rid of W10 Start Menu and Tiles in the near future.</p><p class="inserted">MS Edge is the new IE, <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I estimate the classic </span>IE will be removed in less than 10 years.</p><p class="inserted"><br></p><p class="inserted">All of the rest is removable officially or unofficially. There are plenty of tools that do the hard work. And there are the Enterprise LTSC versions of Windows 10 that is clean of this stuff (or Server 2016/2019).</p>

      • Winner

        17 October, 2018 - 4:21 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354321">In reply to Kevin_Costa:</a></em></blockquote><p>It's a matter of a LONG TIME until Control Panel is removed.</p><p>How many years should it actually take?</p><p><br></p><p>To have to remove "unofficially" is hardly a great OS feature.</p>

      • Rickard Eriksson

        18 October, 2018 - 2:34 am

        <blockquote><a href="#354321"><em>In reply to Kevin_Costa: </em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>The day Edge can handle even half to pages IE11 can sure. There is a damn good reason why we removed in via GPOs due to how often screw up pdf view settings and other things. </em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote>The settings app still does not provide all the settings that Control Panel does and as such it will never replace it until Microsoft at a bare minimum reach parity. </blockquote><p><br></p>

    • dontbe evil

      17 October, 2018 - 5:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354287">In reply to JaviAl:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>just don't use it if you don't like it, we're perfectly fine with that.</p><p>mac os has siri, safari and ios apps</p><p>chrome os has google assistant, chrome and android apps</p><p><br></p><p>p.s.</p><p>cortana the voice assistent is disabled by default</p>

    • FalseAgent

      18 October, 2018 - 5:03 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354287">In reply to JaviAl:</a></em></blockquote><p>your comment is basically "things to uninstall in Windows 10: Windows 10", you could have saved yourself a lot of time</p>

    • scoop

      18 October, 2018 - 4:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354287">In reply to JaviAl:</a></em></blockquote><p>In the LTSB trial version I am running now:</p><p>Telemetry is set to Security (lowest level), via Group Policy.</p><p>No ads.</p><p>Since it's based on 1607, more is tweaked through Control Panel and less through Settings, compared to retail version. </p><p>Classic Shell. (Though I don't mind the Win 10 Start Menu too much.)</p><p>All the rest is not included in the OS. No need to uninstall; none of that stuff is there.</p><p>Give it a try.</p>

  • Rob_Wade

    17 October, 2018 - 2:41 pm

    <p>I have nothing but disdain for people who insist on going back to the old Windows 7 look and behavior (which is largely what drove Windows 10).</p>

    • lkflsnk

      17 October, 2018 - 6:24 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354315">In reply to Rob_Wade:</a></em></blockquote><p>You mean going back to an OS that was just a framework for launching programs and got out of my way?</p>

      • NT6.1

        17 October, 2018 - 11:43 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354364">In reply to lkflsnk:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>When we didn't have to fight over defaults and the OS didn't tell you what browser you should use. Good old days!</p>

      • FalseAgent

        18 October, 2018 - 5:01 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354364">In reply to lkflsnk:</a></em></blockquote><p>don't you think that was what the problem is? that your idea of "got out of my way" is what made windows and the PC market less relevant and slide into decline?</p>

    • Tony Barrett

      18 October, 2018 - 6:20 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354315">In reply to Rob_Wade:</a></em></blockquote><p>Wow. Harsh comment. You mean Windows 7 – an OS actually designed to be an OS, that just runs programs, doesn't collect telemetry, or bombard you with ads and promotions, doesn't try to push to you use services you're not interested in, allows you to install/uninstall pretty much anything you want, and is flexible, stable and reliable. You mean that Windows 7?</p>

    • scoop

      18 October, 2018 - 3:48 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354315">In reply to Rob_Wade:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's a shame. I hold no disdain for people who enjoyed Win 8/8.1 and tailor their Win 10 experience toward touch, tiles, UWP apps, etc. Enjoy. </p><p><br></p><p>My issue is the years-long wait for the promised day that folks from both camps can truly enjoy Win 10 as an improvement over any previous Windows version. Remember how 10 was supposed to merge both experiences, so folks with touchscreens who liked Win 8 could be just as content as folks with non-touch desktops and laptops for whom Win 7 Pro SP1 was (and in some ways still is) the best OS ever.</p><p><br></p><p>Looks to me like that just won't happen. I am using Win 10 Enterprise LTSB trial version on my primary home PC. It's near-perfect for me. If MSFT released a full version to the public (non-trial, non-volume licensing) I would pay for it. </p><p><br></p><p>I keep waiting for that great UWP app or new feature that blows me away and lures me from my non-touch old-time PC user mindset. I try to keep an open mind. It has not happened yet, and it's been awhile now.</p>

      • bleeman

        Premium Member
        18 October, 2018 - 9:59 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354565">In reply to scoop:</a></em></blockquote><p>And to make matters worse, for those of us who did like the Win 8/8.1 environment they really screwed it up in Windows 10 as well. Seems like both "sides" lost on this one.</p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 3:04 pm

    <p>Hopefully it will even remember what you removed so if you do another install linked to your account, you don't have to manually remove everything again.</p>

    • Daekar

      17 October, 2018 - 3:41 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354319">In reply to simont:</a></em></blockquote><p>I would be very surprised if this were the case, especially right out of the gate. As Paul discussed on a recent podcast (can't remember which…), it's actually hard to tell what information and settings Microsoft syncs, why it does some and doesn't others.</p>

  • matsan

    17 October, 2018 - 3:34 pm

    <p>Just decluttered the out-of-box Windows 10 Start-menu and I have to wonder why the 180° turn. Obviously someone at Microsoft thought it was a GREAT idea to install all the junk (including Print3D for crying out loud!). What made them see the light?!? Some C-level Microsoft-ian that actually bought a personal computer like the rest of us unwashed and was struck by all the garbage?</p>

    • hrlngrv

      Premium Member
      17 October, 2018 - 8:41 pm

      <p><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/189003/windows-10-now-lets-you-uninstall-more-of-the-pre-installed-apps#354325&quot; target="_blank"><em>In reply to matsan:</em></a></p><p>I figure MSFT is driven by telemetry, so I figure it was showing that an uncomfortably high % of Windows 10 machines no longer had apps in users start menus which could only be uninstalled using Powershell. That is, MSFT finally figured that it'd be better to let granny or great uncle Joe remove unwanted apps using an uninstall entry on right-click menus than risk them fubarring their systems using Powershell to do so. Or worse, 3rd party utilities.</p>

  • Winner

    17 October, 2018 - 4:19 pm

    <p>If they keep going at this rate, Windows 10 may approach the behavior of an actual operating system.</p>

  • MutualCore

    17 October, 2018 - 5:55 pm

    <p>This is only fair. macOS allows you to uninstall iPhoto, iMovie and other pre-installed 'lifestyle applications'.</p>

    • lkflsnk

      17 October, 2018 - 6:22 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354360">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p>Those apps haven't existed for a few years. and you can drag any app to the trash bin on MacOS.</p>

      • warren

        17 October, 2018 - 7:22 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354363">In reply to lkflsnk:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I have a brand-new Mid-2018 MBP here. It came with iMovie and Photos — they're an intrinsic, uninstallable part of the OS now, not a separately-distributed "Apple Plus! Pack for macOS".</p>

        • lkflsnk

          17 October, 2018 - 7:41 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#354380">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>My bad, you are correct.</p>

    • warren

      17 October, 2018 - 7:15 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354360">In reply to MutualCore:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>macOS doesn't let you uninstall Chess, DVD Player, Mail, Safari, Photo Booth, and other pre-installed 'lifestyle applications'. They are considered critical system files, and SIP won't let you touch 'em.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 7:42 pm

    <p>I could uninstall the Mixed Reality Portal, but I still can't uninstall the Connect app, which is <strong><em>UTTERLY USELESS</em></strong> on VMs.</p><p>Still, even if not a complete fix, improvement.</p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    17 October, 2018 - 9:56 pm

    <p>Corporate IT departments are going to loooooove this.</p>

  • VancouverNinja

    Premium Member
    18 October, 2018 - 12:12 am

    <p>Anyone else notice that Edge is freaky fast now? It was always fast but now its screen rendering is another level of fast. I don't understand how they can keep making gains like this.</p>

    • maethorechannen

      Premium Member
      18 October, 2018 - 5:20 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354414">In reply to VancouverNinja:</a></em></blockquote><p><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> I don't understand how they can keep making gains like this.</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">it was so deeply flawed to begin with?</span></p>

  • eric_rasmussen

    Premium Member
    18 October, 2018 - 1:24 am

    <p>I'm waiting for them to announce an end to S Mode. I have no issues with the store, but I do have issues with UWP and its crazy UI controls. If S Mode became some containerized installation mechanism to provide clean install and uninstall behavior without all of the UWP touch-first stuff and API limitations, I think it would be great.</p><p><br></p><p>As it exists today, it's a pain in the ass for desktop developers writing business solutions.</p>

  • FalseAgent

    18 October, 2018 - 4:58 am

    <p>the comments here are truly saddening. </p>

    • lkflsnk

      18 October, 2018 - 10:44 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354436">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p>Sometimes reality and the truth hurts. </p>

      • FalseAgent

        19 October, 2018 - 3:26 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354487">In reply to lkflsnk:</a></em></blockquote><p>the "reality" and "truth" is that none of these apps actually degrade system performance, so they aren't bloat like bundling McAfee, and unless you're staved for space, these things take up no other resources. The people getting mad over those apps are the ones who find it personally offensive, and yes, it "hurts". For them.</p>

    • BoItmanLives

      18 October, 2018 - 11:26 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#354436">In reply to FalseAgent:</a></em></blockquote><p>Why, because crappy, feature stripped phone apps – for a mobile platform they already abandoned – have no place on the destkop? </p><p><br></p><p>What's sad is the entire metro era of suck that kicked off this current nightmare.</p>

      • FalseAgent

        19 October, 2018 - 3:28 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#354499">In reply to BoItmanLives:</a></em></blockquote><p>I get it.</p><p><br></p><p>feature stripped UWP apps (e.g. Groove Music) –&gt; mobile BS lol</p><p>feature stripped Win32 apps, (e.g. Foobar) –&gt; Lightweight! Amazing!</p>

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