Microsoft makes it easier to uninstall more stock apps in Windows 11

With build 25931, People, Photos, and Remote Desktop joined the ever-growing list of easily removable inbox applications.

Weird how such a small and stupid thing took so long to implement. And just 3 apps.

On 16/08/2023 at 10:19 PM, leonsk29 said:

Weird how such a small and stupid thing took so long to implement. And just 3 apps.

Not exactly a system selling feature, but a welcome one nonetheless.

"Oh man I can't wait to buy a new Windows 11 PC; I can't wait to uninstall more of inbox apps than ever before!"

On 16/08/2023 at 10:42 PM, Ndragonawa said:

Not exactly a system selling feature, but a welcome one nonetheless.

"Oh man I can't wait to buy a new Windows 11 PC; I can't wait to uninstall more of inbox apps than ever before!"

I don't know why you can't uninstall whatever inbox app you want, to be honest. I somewhat get the logic behind Edge: they don't want normies to be left without a web browser if they remove Edge and any other browser. But the rest of the apps? Why? What's so important and critical about "Xbox Game Bar", for example? Or Camera? Even if you remove Edge, you can easily install any web browser from the Microsoft Store.

On 16/08/2023 at 10:19 PM, leonsk29 said:

Weird how such a small and stupid thing took so long to implement. And just 3 apps.

Actually five apps total.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:28 AM, Good Bot, Bad Bot said:

Actually five apps total.

I'm talking only about the apps mentioned in this article, I'm not counting Camera and Cortana, if that's what you're talking about. Still, Camera and Cortana can't be uninstalled (yet) simply by going to Settings, you need to use the command line, which isn't ideal from the average user standpoint, IMO, so those shouldn't be really counted in.

I don't get why Microsoft is sooo inconsistent about everything they do. Why People, for example, can be removed using the GUI, but not Cortana or Camera? What's so different that one needs the command line but not the other to achieve the same goal? It's crazy.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:36 AM, leonsk29 said:

I'm talking only about the apps mentioned in this article, I'm not counting Camera and Cortana, if that's what you're talking about. Still, Camera and Cortana can't be uninstalled (yet) simply by going to Settings, you need to use the command line, which isn't ideal from the average user standpoint, IMO, so those shouldn't be really counted in.

I don't get why Microsoft is sooo inconsistent about everything they do. Why People, for example, can be removed using the GUI, but not Cortana or Camera? What's so different that one needs the command line but not the other to achieve the same goal? It's crazy.

What? Why would Camera and Cortana not count? LOL None of them can uninstalled in the release version of Windows yet. The three apps in this article are joining Camera and Cortana and all will be able to be uninstalled in settings.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:36 AM, leonsk29 said:

I'm talking only about the apps mentioned in this article, I'm not counting Camera and Cortana, if that's what you're talking about. Still, Camera and Cortana can't be uninstalled (yet) simply by going to Settings, you need to use the command line, which isn't ideal from the average user standpoint, IMO, so those shouldn't be really counted in.

I don't get why Microsoft is sooo inconsistent about everything they do. Why People, for example, can be removed using the GUI, but not Cortana or Camera? What's so different that one needs the command line but not the other to achieve the same goal? It's crazy.

They added the "feature" of removing the Cortana app (the one that has been objectively useless for the past 5 years ever since they started nerfing her) a few weeks ago

On 16/08/2023 at 10:45 PM, leonsk29 said:

I don't know why you can't uninstall whatever inbox app you want, to be honest. I somewhat get the logic behind Edge: they don't want normies to be left without a web browser if they remove Edge and any other browser. But the rest of the apps? Why? What's so important and critical about "Xbox Game Bar", for example? Or Camera? Even if you remove Edge, you can easily install any web browser from the Microsoft Store.

Try to do that on Android,iOS and MacOS...let me know how it goes

On 17/08/2023 at 06:03 AM, dontbeevil said:

Try to do that on Android,iOS and MacOS...let me know how it goes

I don't care about macOS/iOS, I don't use those so I don't care what I can or can't do with them, I use Windows, period. There's no real reason why Microsoft shouldn't allow what I'm asking for, IMO.

On 17/08/2023 at 06:03 AM, dontbeevil said:

Try to do that on Android,iOS and MacOS...let me know how it goes

As long as you have administrative permissions on Android and MacOS, it's a breeze. Same with Windows.

On 17/08/2023 at 06:03 AM, dontbeevil said:

Try to do that on Android,iOS and MacOS...let me know how it goes

Well one would have better luck on Android for sure. A lot of the included apps can be uninstalled and all apps can be disabled right down to Chrome. That means not running in the background and no updates. Try that with Edge.

Google does offer their ADB tool that can be used to uninstall any app including Chrome but not a front facing UI option.

On 17/08/2023 at 12:13 PM, leonsk29 said:

I don't care about macOS/iOS, I don't use those so I don't care what I can or can't do with them, I use Windows, period. There's no real reason why Microsoft shouldn't allow what I'm asking for, IMO.

Dependencies. Once an app is defined as "core", the OS and other core apps can assume it is present and potentially share its resources.

Obviously that can be untangled to allow removal, but it isn't trivial and there's no reason it should be a high priority since the benefits are mostly cosmetic.

On 17/08/2023 at 12:13 PM, leonsk29 said:

I don't care about macOS/iOS, I don't use those so I don't care what I can or can't do with them, I use Windows, period. There's no real reason why Microsoft shouldn't allow what I'm asking for, IMO.

funny you didn't mention android ... also my comment is just to point out, that only about windows people complains so much. (I'm not syaing what's right and what's wrong)

On 17/08/2023 at 02:54 PM, 31067 said:

Dependencies. Once an app is defined as "core", the OS and other core apps can assume it is present and potentially share its resources.

Obviously that can be untangled to allow removal, but it isn't trivial and there's no reason it should be a high priority since the benefits are mostly cosmetic.

That's bad architectural design if an app like "People" or "Camera" was marked as a "core app" in the first place, that's no excuse for Microsoft, IMO.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:06 PM, dontbeevil said:

funny you didn't mention android ... also my comment is just to point out, that only about windows people complains so much. (I'm not syaing what's right and what's wrong)

I expect Android to behave like that in the first place, I'm not bothered about that OS because I knew it like that. Besides, you can root the device and remove anything you want. But again, I don't care about any other OS, I want Windows to be better, period, stop quoting other OSs.

And if people don't complain, companies become lazy and complacient with themselves. One can't just accept anything they throw at you and go for it, that's a mediocre mindset.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:38 PM, leonsk29 said:

I expect Android to behave like that in the first place, I'm not bothered about that OS because I knew it like that. Besides, you can root the device and remove anything you want. But again, I don't care about any other OS, I want Windows to be better, period, stop quoting other OSs.

And if people don't complain, companies become lazy and complacient with themselves. One can't just accept anything they throw at you and go for it, that's a mediocre mindset.

It's funny, for Android you don't care and you're ready to make a lot of effort to root...for windows you cry out loud because for few apps you need to write down a lone of text to uninstall.

You knew android like that and you didnt know that windows come with games and accessories since the begin?

On 17/08/2023 at 05:30 PM, dontbeevil said:

It's funny, for Android you don't care and you're ready to make a lot of effort to root...for windows you cry out loud because for few apps you need to write down a lone of text to uninstall.

You knew android like that and you didnt know that windows come with games and accessories since the begin?

Those "games and accessories" could be removed back then. I'm using Windows since 95, FYI. No, I don't care about Android, I'm a PC enthusiast, I use my phone very little, that's the difference.

PS: stop mentioning other OSs, I already told you I don't care about those. But you keep making excuses for Microsoft's poor design choices, that's fine.

On 17/08/2023 at 05:36 PM, leonsk29 said:

But you keep mentioning all OSes poor design choices, but people complain always and only about Microsoft one, that's fine.

fixed, bye

On 17/08/2023 at 06:33 PM, dontbeevil said:

fixed, bye

Thanks, bye. Keep excusing a company's poor work with pointless comparisons that have nothing to do with it. Next time your house is dirty, don't clean it because your neighbor's house is also dirty, so that makes it OK somehow...

On 17/08/2023 at 06:50 PM, leonsk29 said:

Thanks, bye. Keep excusing a company's poor work with pointless comparisons that have nothing to do with it. Next time your house is dirty, don't clean it because your neighbor's house is also dirty, so that makes it OK somehow...

excusing "poor work" because of some preinstalled apps... there are bigger issues that I care about
https://www.neowin.net/news/mi...ember-21/#comment-598843834

Why put them there in first place? We are capable of installing them if need be.

On 17/08/2023 at 04:10 AM, Girl5 said:

Why put them there in first place? We are capable of installing them if need be.

For the same reasons all the other main OSes do exactly the same

On 17/08/2023 at 06:02 AM, dontbeevil said:

For the same reasons all the other main OSes do exactly the same

What other "main OSes" are you talking about? My Linux install didn't come with any unwanted bloatware. Even distros aimed at a broad audience like Ubuntu offer a minimal install option.

On 17/08/2023 at 11:39 AM, Big John Studd said:

What other "main OSes" are you talking about? My Linux install didn't come with any unwanted bloatware. Even distros aimed at a broad audience like Ubuntu offer a minimal install option.

Huh? Every Linux distro I have ever used came with a bunch of programs I didn't need or want. For example who uses the generic, default video players that come on Fedora and Ubuntu? The difference is any installed program is easy to remove and Linux even offers a front facing GUI option. A lot of distros don't offer a minimal install and even than still include a browser (Firefox) some people are not going to want which would be bloat.

To answer Girl5 why would a PRODUCT for end users not come with apps for common tasks? An OS that didn't have with a browser, image viewer, media player, and some kind of rich text editor would be confusing for most users.

On 17/08/2023 at 11:39 AM, Big John Studd said:

What other "main OSes" are you talking about? My Linux install didn't come with any unwanted bloatware. Even distros aimed at a broad audience like Ubuntu offer a minimal install option.

the top 4:
https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share

and also many linux distros comes with stuff preinstalled

On 17/08/2023 at 06:02 AM, dontbeevil said:

For the same reasons all the other main OSes do exactly the same

So, why put them there in first place? We are capable of installing them if need be.

If only MS added a real installer to Windows where the user can actually select what to install in addition to the core OS files. Like we had in Win NT, 95, 98, Me etc...

On 17/08/2023 at 05:56 AM, Mike Steel said:

If only MS added a real installer to Windows where the user can actually select what to install in addition to the core OS files. Like we had in Win NT, 95, 98, Me etc...

Since Windowd Vista, Windows installations occur through flashing a system image. Windows is no longer “installed”. A pre-installed OS is packed in an WIM (or ESD) image format and flashed onto the hard drive. With XP an earlier, Windows would install like a traditional software package by individually copying each files one by one. That is why you were able to select what to and not to install.

Today this can still be done. But you must do so visa DISM and remove (or add) Windows components, rebuild the image, and then run the installer with the new image, which will then flash it to your PC, Insha’Allah (God Willing)!

May Allah (S.W.T.) bestow upon you His Blessings and Guidance; Ameen.

Meanwhile on MacOS you cannot uninstall any of the many preinstalled up (with the default way) but no one's cry out loud

On 17/08/2023 at 06:01 AM, dontbeevil said:

Meanwhile on MacOS you cannot uninstall any of the many preinstalled up (with the default way) but no one's cry out loud

Maybe because the quality of the built in Mac apps are vastly superior compared to the built in Windows apps.

You can un-install them, but you have to do it at the CLI level, much like Windows apps and powershell scripts.

On 17/08/2023 at 11:53 AM, Gilfoyle said:

Maybe because the quality of the built in Mac apps are vastly superior compared to the built in Windows apps.

You can un-install them, but you have to do it at the CLI level, much like Windows apps and powershell scripts.

nope, and that's not the point

funny most of windows app you can install with simple right click > uninstall, some you need the CLI, but everyone cry out loud ... NOONE of MacOS you can uninstall with the classic drag and drop, you need the CLI: that's fine! I love how comments changes according to the company

Maybe stop using the consumer sku if you're not wanting the consumer apps...

On 17/08/2023 at 01:30 PM, binaryzero said:

Maybe stop using the consumer sku if you're not wanting the consumer apps...

Unfortunately unless you're using the N versions, both Education and Enterprise (in my experience) come with a lot of crap preloaded as well.

On 17/08/2023 at 01:30 PM, binaryzero said:

Maybe stop using the consumer sku if you're not wanting the consumer apps...

It's not a matter of wanting them or not, it's fine that they're preinstalled, the problem is Microsoft not allowing you to remove them like any other user program. That's stupid and lazy.

On 17/08/2023 at 03:57 PM, satukoro said:

Unfortunately unless you're using the N versions, both Education and Enterprise (in my experience) come with a lot of crap preloaded as well.

"Turn off consumer experience"

On 17/08/2023 at 01:30 PM, binaryzero said:

Maybe stop using the consumer sku if you're not wanting the consumer apps...

Pro version has Candy Crush and a lot of other useless crap as well.

A much better idea would be for the Windows-11 install to be bare-bones, with a welcoming window that lists all the apps that are available for installation. Let the user choose which ones to install. The current method of defaulting a lot of bloat and then make it tortuous for a user to get rid of unwanted and unneeded stuff is just aggravating.