Technology

How To Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps

February 9, 2017

Windows 10 has a variety of different apps, that you may find useful, and a few you will probably never need such as Money, Maps and People.

You might find some apps that take up very little space on your device. But, if you want to uninstall them, Windows 10 doesn’t want you to uninstall.

Some apps allow you to uninstall them in the normal way. Just right-click on a selected app in the Start menu and select “Uninstall”. This trick appears to work for the included Get Office, Get Skype, Get Started, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Money, News, Phone Companion, and Sports apps.

You can watch it or read the details below. (Don’t forget to subscribe and share this video.) 

You can also uninstall bloatware apps your PC manufacturer has installed using this trick. However, Microsoft’s other included Windows 10 apps can’t be removed in this way.

How to Uninstall Windows 10’s Built-in Apps

Before you uninstall or restore apps, make sure no other programs are running aside from Windows PowerShell.

1. Open the Start menu, search for “PowerShell,” right-click the PowerShell shortcut, and select “Run as administrator.” Agree to the UAC prompt. 2.  Enter a command from the below list for the program you wish to uninstall. Copy and paste one or more of the following commands into the PowerShell prompt, pressing Enter after each one to remove the apps you don’t want on your Windows 10 system:
Uninstall 3D Builder:

Get-AppxPackage *3dbuilder* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Alarms and Clock:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsalarms* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Calculator:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscalculator* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Calendar and Mail:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Camera:

Get-AppxPackage *windowscamera* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Contact Support:

This app can’t be removed.

Uninstall Cortana:

This app can’t be removed.

Uninstall Get Office:

Get-AppxPackage *officehub* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Get Skype:

Get-AppxPackage *skypeapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Get Started:

Get-AppxPackage *getstarted* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Groove Music:

Get-AppxPackage *zunemusic* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Maps:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsmaps* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Microsoft Edge:

This app can’t be removed.

Uninstall Microsoft Solitaire Collection:

Get-AppxPackage *solitairecollection* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Money:

Get-AppxPackage *bingfinance* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Movies & TV:

Get-AppxPackage *zunevideo* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall News:

Get-AppxPackage *bingnews* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall OneNote:

Get-AppxPackage *OneNote* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall People:

Get-AppxPackage *people* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Phone Companion:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsphone* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Photos:

Get-AppxPackage *photos* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Store:

Get-AppxPackage *windowsstore* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Sports:

Get-AppxPackage *bingsports* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Voice Recorder:

Get-AppxPackage *soundrecorder* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Weather:

Get-AppxPackage *bingweather* | Remove-AppxPackage

Uninstall Windows Feedback:

This app can’t be removed.

Uninstall Xbox:

Get-AppxPackage *xboxapp* | Remove-AppxPackage

How to Restore Windows 10’s Built-in Apps

If you want to restore the preinstalled apps, you can get them back with a single line of PowerShell code. Again, we need to open a PowerShell window as an Administrator. Copy and paste the following line into the PowerShell window and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

By this command, all previously default apps will be restored.

Permanently Deleting the Apps

If you want to remove everything from your computer using the PowerShell, we’ll be going to use the DISM command. DISM stands for Deployment Imaging Service and Management,  is relatively powerful and can be used to service a Windows system in many different ways. In this case, we’ll use it to remove the additional apps from your system.

First, we’ll check to see the entire bloatware spectrum by using this command:

"DISM /Online /Get-ProvisionedAppxPackages | select-string Packagename"

You should see the complete list of installed apps. We are going to use the package names in the list to begin removing them. To remove them, use the following code:  

"DISM /Online /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:PACKAGENAME"

Where PACKAGE NAME is taken from the previous list generated. See sample below image, I’ve chosen to remove the 3dBuilder package. Once, you go over with your chosen apps to be removed successfully, you’ll need to restart your computer for the command to take full effect.

 

Clutter or De-clutter, that Is the Question?

In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference. If you are a Windows fanatic, then you go with all the preinstalled apps and have a good time. But if not, don’t stop yourself on what you should or should not have on your PC.

It’s your choice.

What is your choice and why? 

Let me know in the comment below.
xoxo

Tags: Hands-on, HowTo, Monthly Challenges, Tutorials