Fresh Windows installs often ship with apps most people never open, and some quietly keep running in the background.You can clean up much of this using only built-in tools, with no third-party debloaters or modified ISOs.Here is how to do it safely.
Manually remove some pre-installed apps The Settings app handles most cleanup without any risk The simplest way to trim Windows is also the safest: use the Settings app.On Windows 11, open Settings, go to Apps, and select Installed apps.On Windows 10, the equivalent page is called Apps and features.
Each entry has a menu button, or an Uninstall button on Windows 10, that removes the program in a few clicks.Nothing in the process involves downloading anything from outside Microsoft.Start by sorting the list by install date or size so preloaded software surfaces quickly.
Typical candidates include Microsoft News, Clipchamp, Solitaire Collection, Tips, Get Help, Feedback Hub, and the consumer version of Microsoft Teams.Trial software added by your PC manufacturer, such as antivirus trials or branded companion utilities, belongs on that list too.Whether something counts as bloat depends on how you use the machine.
Someone who relies on Clipchamp for quick video edits has no reason to remove it, while an app that sits unopened for a year is a reasonable target.Related 4 safe ways to debloat Windows 11 without breaking anything Most debloat scripts automatically remove things as you go.These options key you in control.
Posts 7 By Nick Lewis Some apps deserve a second thought before they go.Xbox components are tied into the Game Bar and Game Pass, so removing them can break features gamers actually use.Phone Link matters only if you pair a phone, though it takes up very little space.
OneDrive can be uninstalled, but check whether your Desktop and Documents folders are backed up to it first, since the location of those files may change once the service is gone.The Start menu offers another route.Right-clicking a pinned or recommended app gives an uninstall option for most entries, and unpinning promotional tiles is a quick cosmetic win.
Core components such as Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft Store, and the Settings app itself cannot be removed this way, and that is by design.Anything you remove here can be reinstalled for free from the Microsoft Store later, which makes manual cleanup a low-risk starting point before you move on to heavier methods.Uninstall bloatware via PowerShell Built-in commands reach apps that Settings refuses to remove Close Some preinstalled apps have no uninstall option in Settings, and this is where PowerShell comes in.
It ships with Windows, so no outside software is involved.Right-click the Start button, choose Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11 or Windows PowerShell (Admin) on Windows 10, and confirm the prompt.Before changing anything, it is worth creating a restore point through the System Protection settings, so you have a way back if a removal causes trouble.
To see what is installed, run Get-AppxPackage with a Select Name, PackageFullName filter.The output lists every Store-style package on the account, many of them with unfamiliar internal names.Removing one follows a simple pattern: Get-AppxPackage with a wildcard name, piped to Remove-AppxPackage.
For example, targeting Microsoft.BingNews removes the News app.Adding the AllUsers parameter extends the removal to every account on the PC, which requires the administrator session you already opened.There is a catch.
Removing a package for the current user does not stop Windows from reinstalling it for newly created accounts, because a copy remains in the system's provisioning list.Get-AppxProvisionedPackage with the Online parameter shows that list, and Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage deletes entries from it.This step matters mostly on shared computers or on machines that will get new user profiles.
Also, keep in mind that PowerShell will happily remove things Windows depends on.Leave alone anything related to the Microsoft Store, the Windows Shell Experience Host, the Start menu, the Desktop App Installer, and runtime libraries such as VCLibs and .NET components, as other apps rely on them.If you remove something by mistake, you can usually restore it from the Microsoft Store or by running Add-AppxPackage against the package's manifest file.
The winget command is another built-in option: winget list shows installed software, and winget uninstall removes it by name or ID.Disable background apps Stopping apps from running unseen saves battery and resources Removing apps is only half the job, because the ones you keep can still consume memory, battery, and network data while closed.Windows lets you control this in a few places.
On Windows 11, open Settings, go to Apps, then Installed apps, click the menu next to a Store app, and choose Advanced options.Under Background apps permissions, you can pick Always, Power optimized, or Never.Choosing Never stops that app from running tasks, receiving notifications in the background, or syncing when you are not using it.
Windows 10 handles this differently.Under Settings, Privacy, then Background apps, you can turn off background activity globally or toggle it for individual apps.Disabling it globally is blunt, since it can also stop apps like Mail, Calendar, and Alarms from alerting you, so a selective approach usually works better.
Keep in mind that these permission controls apply only to apps from the Microsoft Store.Traditional desktop programs, such as chat clients, launchers, and updaters, manage their own background behavior and often add themselves to startup.For those, open Settings, Apps, then Startup, or the Startup apps tab in Task Manager, and turn off anything that does not need to launch at sign-in.
Task Manager also shows a startup impact rating that helps you decide what to switch off first.The effect is most noticeable on laptops and older hardware, where idle background activity adds up.Battery Saver mode also restricts background activity automatically once your charge drops below a set threshold, which is a useful safety net.
Review these settings after major Windows updates, since new apps and feature changes can bring defaults back and leave the system carrying more than you intended.Clean Windows is achievable with built-in tools Debloating Windows does not require sketchy scripts or modified ISOs.Settings, PowerShell, and background app controls cover most needs.
Work from the safest method to the most powerful, create a restore point first, and remove only what you understand.
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