You unbox a shiny new laptop, sign in, and open the Start menu. It’s packed with apps you never asked for, an antivirus trial is already nagging you about renewal, and there’s a game you’ve never heard of pinned front and center. Fun! The good news is that you can remove bloatware in Windows 11 yourself, and you don’t need to reinstall Windows to do it.
Start with the safest method first. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click the More (…) button next to the app, and choose Uninstall. That handles most consumer apps and trialware, though some manufacturer desktop programs and protected Windows components need a different route. This guide then moves through the riskier options in order (Control Panel, PowerShell, then bulk-removal tools) so you always know how careful you need to be at each step.
Quick Reference: Which Removal Method Should You Use?
| Method | Best For | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Settings > Apps > Installed apps | Most Store apps and trialware | Lowest |
| Start menu > right-click > Uninstall | Quick one-off removals | Lowest |
| Control Panel > Programs and Features | Older manufacturer (OEM) utilities | Low |
| Vendor’s own removal tool | Antivirus trials like McAfee that leave leftovers | Low to medium |
| PowerShell (Get-AppxPackage / Remove-AppxPackage) | Store apps with no Uninstall button | Medium |
| Win11Debloat or Winhance | Removing lots of apps at once | Higher (review the list first!) |
| Reset this PC | Starting over completely | Drastic, removes your installed apps too |
What Is Bloatware?
Bloatware is software that comes pre-installed on your PC that you didn’t choose and probably don’t need. Think of it like the pile of flyers that comes with a new appliance: some of it is useful, most of it goes straight in the recycling.
On Windows 11, bloatware usually falls into a few groups:
- Microsoft Store apps: Things like Clipchamp, Microsoft To Do, or the Xbox app.
- Manufacturer trialware: Antivirus trials (McAfee is a common one) and other “free for 30 days” software.
- OEM utilities: Support and update tools from your PC’s maker (some of these are actually worth keeping).
- Sponsored shortcuts: Promotional icons pinned to the Start menu or taskbar.
Clearing this out is most helpful for new PC owners, people setting up a hand-me-down computer, or anyone tired of trial-expiration pop-ups.
Before You Begin
- A Windows 11 PC running version 24H2, 25H2, or 26H2 (check under Settings > System > About). Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro editions reached end of updates on October 13, 2026, so if you’re still on 24H2, install the latest feature update from Windows Update first.
- An administrator account, or someone who knows the admin password
- A personal PC, not a work or school device (more on that below)
- A restore point or backup (copying important files to an external SSD or external hard drive is never a bad idea)
- About 20–30 minutes
A quick note on work and school laptops: If your employer or school manages your PC, its IT department controls which apps you can remove through tools like Group Policy or Intune. Some removals will be blocked, and that’s by design. Contact your IT support instead of trying to force it. This guide is for personally owned PCs.
You can find Microsoft’s version reference on the Windows 11 release information page.
One note on versions: Windows 11 26H1 is a separate release that Microsoft scoped to support new devices, and it isn’t offered as an in-place update from 24H2 or 25H2. This guide focuses on 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, which is what most existing PCs will be running.
How to Remove Bloatware in Windows 11 Step by Step
Step 1: Create a Restore Point
A restore point is like a save point in a video game. If something goes wrong, you can jump back to it.
- Click Start and type Create a restore point, then open the result.
- On the System Protection tab, click Create.
- Type a name like “Before bloatware cleanup” and click Create.
Expected result: You’ll see a message saying the restore point was created successfully.
Keep in mind that a restore point isn’t a backup of your personal files, and it may not undo every app or package change. Copy anything important somewhere safe as well.
Tip: If the Create button is grayed out, select your main drive (usually C:), click Configure, and turn on Turn on system protection first.
Step 2: Find Unused Apps With Cleanup Recommendations
Not sure what to remove? Let Windows point out the apps you never open.
- Press
Win + Ito open Settings. - Go to System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations.
- Expand the Unused apps section.
Expected result: You’ll see a list of apps you haven’t used recently. You can remove them right here, or just note the names for the next step.
Step 3: Uninstall Apps From Settings (Safest Method)
This is the official, lowest-risk way to remove most consumer apps and trialware, according to Microsoft’s uninstall guide.
- Open Settings (
Win + I). - Click Apps > Installed apps.
- Type the app’s name in the search box, or scroll to find it.
- Click the More (…) button next to the app and choose Uninstall.
- Click Uninstall again to confirm, and follow any on-screen prompts.
Expected result: The app disappears from the list. If Windows asks for permission (a User Account Control prompt), click Yes.
Why doesn’t every app have an Uninstall button? Microsoft says some built-in apps currently can’t be uninstalled from Settings. If Uninstall is grayed out or missing, that app is either a traditional program (see Step 5) or a protected Windows app (see Step 7).
Step 4: Remove Apps From the Start Menu
This is handy for those sponsored shortcuts staring at you every time you click Start.
- Click Start.
- Open the full app list. Depending on your Windows 11 version, click All apps or All, or just scroll down.
- Right-click the app you want gone and choose Uninstall.
Expected result: Most Store apps are removed after a quick confirmation. For some apps, Windows opens Settings or Control Panel instead, and a few may ask you to finish the uninstaller or restart (Control Panel is covered in the next step).
Tip: If a pinned icon only offers Unpin from Start, it may just be a shortcut. Unpinning it clears it off your Start menu.
Step 5: Use Control Panel for Older Manufacturer Programs
Many OEM utilities are old-school desktop programs that live in Control Panel.
- Click the search box on the taskbar, type Control Panel, and open it.
- Click Programs > Programs and Features.
- Right-click the program and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
- Follow the program’s own uninstall wizard.
Expected result: The uninstaller runs and the program vanishes from the list. Some ask you to restart (and you know how well restarting works on Windows PCs!).
Warning: Not every manufacturer app is junk. Leave driver, audio, touchpad, graphics, and firmware/BIOS update tools alone unless you know exactly what they do.
Step 6: Use the Vendor’s Removal Tool for Stubborn Trialware
Uninstalled your McAfee trial but it still pops up? That’s common. Antivirus trials often install background services and files that Windows’ standard uninstaller doesn’t fully clean up.
- Uninstall the antivirus normally first (Step 3 or Step 5).
- Go to the antivirus maker’s official support website and search for its removal tool (McAfee offers one, for example).
- Download it only from the vendor’s own site, run it, and follow the prompts.
- Restart your PC.
Expected result: The leftover notifications stop. Windows Security usually re-enables Microsoft Defender Antivirus once the third-party antivirus is fully gone, but the outcome can depend on the product, how cleanly it uninstalled, and any policies set on your device.
Don’t just take that for granted, though. After restarting, open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection and confirm that Microsoft Defender Antivirus and the other protections show as turned on. If something is still off or missing, turn it on manually or check the vendor’s removal tool documentation for leftover settings.
Step 7: Remove Stubborn Store Apps With PowerShell
PowerShell is a text-based tool where you type commands instead of clicking. Is it safe? It’s lower risk when you remove apps one at a time by their exact name, though removing a package can still break something that depends on it, and some apps are harder to get back outside the Microsoft Store. Never paste long command lists from random websites.
Open PowerShell as administrator:
- Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin).
- Click Yes on the permission prompt.
Stick with the default Windows PowerShell tab rather than PowerShell 7, since that’s what these app commands are commonly run in.
Find the exact package name:
Get-AppxPackage | Select-Object Name, PackageFullNameTo narrow things down, search with part of the name. The asterisks here are only for searching, never for removing:
Get-AppxPackage *clipchamp*Expected result: You’ll see details for the app, including a Name line such as Clipchamp.Clipchamp. Package names can change between Windows releases, so always copy the name exactly as it appears on your PC.
Remove the app:
Get-AppxPackage -Name "Clipchamp.Clipchamp" | Remove-AppxPackageExpected result: A progress bar flashes by and you return to the prompt with no red error text. Because Get-AppxPackage without -AllUsers only looks at the current user’s apps, the app is removed from your account only, not from other accounts on this PC.
Stop it from coming back for new users (optional): Windows keeps a “provisioned” copy of many apps, which is like a template it uses to set up new user accounts. To see those exact names:
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Select-Object DisplayName, PackageNameThen remove the one you want using its exact PackageName:
Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName "PASTE_EXACT_PACKAGENAME_HERE"This command only affects accounts created after you run it. According to Microsoft’s documentation, it doesn’t remove the app from your current account or from any other existing accounts on this PC. For those accounts, sign in to each one and repeat the Remove-AppxPackage command from earlier in this step.
Warning: If you see anything with names like VCLibs, UI.Xaml, NET.Native, or “Framework,” leave it alone. These are support pieces that other apps need to run.
Step 8: Review, Then Run a Bulk Tool (Win11Debloat or Winhance)
If you’d rather not remove 15 apps one by one, open-source community tools can do it in one pass. Win11Debloat is a script-based tool, and Winhance is a point-and-click app. Both are designed to let you review and choose which pre-installed apps to remove, though their exact menus and options can change between versions.
Are they safe? They’re popular, but they’re not risk-free. Their default lists can be aggressive, and their features change between versions.
- Download the tool only from its official project page on GitHub (the links above). On that page, check the date of the latest release under Releases and read the instructions before you run anything.
- Launch it and look for the app-selection screen.
- Read every item on the list. Uncheck anything you still use (your email app, Photos, Calculator, and so on) and anything from the do-not-remove list below.
- Only then confirm the removal.
Expected result: The tool removes the apps you left checked. Depending on the tool, its mode, and the options you picked, it may also change settings or remove provisioned copies, so review its summary and restart afterward.
Warning: Skip any tool option that offers registry hacks or “forced” removal of protected Windows parts. That’s how a cleanup turns into a repair job.
Step 9: Check Your Results
Open Start and compare it to how it looked before. It should feel a lot less cluttered.
Configuration: Settings Worth Knowing
- Settings > Apps > Installed apps: Your main app list. Use the Sort by menu to sort by size and find the biggest space hogs.
- Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations > Unused apps: Shows apps you haven’t touched recently. Check back every few months.
- Advanced options > Repair / Reset: In Installed apps, click More (…) > Advanced options. Repair tries to fix an app without touching its data. Reset wipes the app’s data and starts it fresh. Use these when an app is broken but you still want it.
Which Pre-Installed Apps Should You Never Remove?
Microsoft doesn’t publish one complete official list. These are generally understood to be core to Windows or to other apps, so leave them alone:
- Microsoft Store: Keeps your Store apps updated and lets you reinstall them if you remove one by mistake.
- App Installer: Handles installing app packages behind the scenes.
- Windows Security: Your built-in antivirus and firewall.
- Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime: Many apps use it to display content, even if you use a different browser.
- Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables and .NET runtimes: Shared code that lots of programs depend on.
- Framework packages: Anything named like VCLibs, UI.Xaml, or NET.Native.
- Drivers and hardware tools: Audio, graphics, Wi-Fi, touchpad, and firmware update software from your PC’s maker.
If you’re unsure about something, leave it. A few unused icons cost you almost nothing.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Problem: The Uninstall button is grayed out
- Check Control Panel > Programs and Features for the program.
- If it’s a Store app, use the PowerShell method in Step 7.
- If it’s protected by Windows, leave it.
Problem: Windows keeps asking for administrator approval
- Click Yes on the prompt, or enter the admin password.
- On a standard account, ask whoever has the admin account. Removing software requires admin permission by design.
Problem: An app won’t uninstall cleanly
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click More (…) > Advanced options, and try Repair, then Reset.
- Try uninstalling again.
- If it’s still stuck, see Microsoft’s guide to fixing problems that block programs from being installed or removed.
Problem: A removed app came back on a new user account
- You removed the installed copy but not the provisioned one.
- Follow the provisioned package steps at the end of Step 7.
Problem: A bulk tool removed something you needed
- Reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store.
- If things feel broken, roll back with the restore point from Step 1 (search Create a restore point > System Restore).
Pro tips:
- One at a Time Wins: Removing apps individually takes longer but makes mistakes easy to spot.
- Make a Recovery Drive: A USB flash drive set up with Windows’ Recovery Drive tool is cheap insurance before any big cleanup.
- Reset Is the Nuclear Option: Reset this PC removes most third-party apps at once, but it also removes software you installed yourself. It’s overkill for removing a handful of apps.
Wrapping Up
Bloatware is probably the most annoying part of buying a new PC, but you don’t have to live with it! Start with Settings, use Control Panel and vendor tools for trialware, and save PowerShell and bulk tools for the stubborn stuff.
My honest take: for most people, Settings and Control Panel get you about 90% of the way there. Only reach for Win11Debloat or Winhance if you’re comfortable reading every line of the checklist before clicking go.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create a restore point | Everyone |
| 2–4 | Uninstall via Settings or Start menu | Most Store apps and trialware |
| 5 | Control Panel > Programs and Features | Older OEM programs |
| 6 | Vendor removal tool | Antivirus trials like McAfee |
| 7 | PowerShell, exact names only | Store apps with no Uninstall button |
| 8 | Review, then run Win11Debloat/Winhance | Bulk cleanups |
Resources
Sources retrieved November 3, 2026.