5 Home windows 11 apps I uninstall for a cleaner, smoother expertise

Everybody personalizes their Windows PC in their very own method, and I choose to maintain mine as clear and minimal as doable. I disguise all my desktop icons, so my desktop all the time appears to be like tidy, and my taskbar solely has essentially the most important apps pinned. In terms of apps, I solely preserve those I really use put in to maintain my PC as clutter-free as doable.

That mentioned, for those who’ve simply gotten a brand new Home windows 11 PC, upgraded from Windows 10, or carried out a recent set up, there are a lot of apps that Microsoft robotically installs that you just would possibly by no means use or just don’t need. I would not go as far as to name them bloatware, however I feel it is honest to say that not everybody wants a number of the default apps that include Home windows 11. When you’re not utilizing them, I like to recommend uninstalling them to avoid wasting cupboard space and assist preserve your PC clear. Listed below are 5 default Home windows 11 apps I all the time uninstall, which you will wish to take into account too.

Microsoft Copilot

I like my Home windows expertise AI-free

Over the previous yr, I’ve needed to arrange a number of new Home windows PCs, and one of many first issues I all the time do is uninstall Copilot, Microsoft’s AI chatbot. Whereas it could be useful relying in your workflow, I by no means discover myself utilizing it, because it simply takes up pointless area. Fortunately, Microsoft has made uninstalling Copilot surprisingly simple. All it’s a must to do is go to Settings > Apps > Copilot > then click on the three dots subsequent to Copilot and choose Uninstall. The identical uninstall course of applies to the remainder of the apps talked about on this story as properly.

Once you seek for Copilot in your app checklist, you may additionally discover one other model referred to as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which it’s also possible to uninstall if you need. That is basically a model of Copilot built-in with apps like Microsoft Phrase and Excel. If you wish to use AI in these apps, by all means, preserve it. Nonetheless, for those who do not use any Microsoft Workplace apps and as a substitute use alternate options like Google Docs and Google Sheets, it is price eliminating it. When you ever wish to reinstall Copilot, you’ll be able to simply achieve this from the Microsoft Retailer.

Microsoft Groups

When you use an alternate like Slack, you in all probability do not want it

Microsoft Groups is a messaging and video conferencing app that many corporations use to deal with communication between workers. Personally, the corporate I work for does not use Microsoft Groups and depends on alternate options like Slack and Google Meet, so I’ve by no means had to make use of it.

Moreover, for private video calls and messaging with associates or household, I often use different apps like Discord, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, so Groups is simply pointless. When you’re in an identical scenario and haven’t got a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a simple method to unlock area and tidy up your PC’s app checklist.

The Xbox app

Sorry Microsoft, Steam is the house of PC gaming

I like taking part in video games on my PC in my free time, however the Xbox app is not the best way I do it. Like many PC avid gamers, I depend on Steam, which I have been utilizing for over a decade. I’ve solely ever used the Xbox app a few times, and that was when Microsoft was providing these $1 PC Sport Go trials.

Since then, I have never had a compelling use case for it, and with the latest increase in the cost of Xbox Sport Go Final and PC Sport Go, it does not appear like I’ll within the close to future both. When you do not play video games in your PC or rely solely on different platforms like Steam and Epic Video games for all of your gaming wants, the Xbox app is one other simple uninstall.

Sound Recorder

Audacity is healthier and free

Sound Recorder is a pre-installed app in Home windows 11, and because the identify suggests, you should use it to report audio in your PC, equivalent to for a podcast or voice-over. Nonetheless, I consider that Sound Recorder has very restricted options for audio recording, and there are different apps that deal with each recording and modifying audio a lot better. Audacity is my private favourite, and it is free. With that in thoughts, uninstalling Sound Recorder was an apparent selection for me, and it is perhaps for you too, particularly for those who needn’t report your individual voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I choose to examine my e mail utilizing an online browser

I examine my e mail consistently whereas utilizing my PC, however I do not use the Outlook app for Home windows for that. The Outlook app for Home windows presents the identical inbox expertise you are aware of in your net browser, simply in a devoted app. You probably have an Outlook or an previous Hotmail e mail, you would possibly discover it helpful. Nonetheless, I often entry my e mail on my cellphone or by means of Google Chrome; subsequently, I by no means felt the necessity to use the devoted Outlook app. When you’re in the identical boat, uninstalling Outlook may very well be worthwhile for you too.

Moreover, for those who put in Home windows 11 some time in the past, you might need one other mail app price eliminating. After I went to uninstall Outlook, I seen I additionally had an older Home windows e mail app referred to as Mail and Calendar put in. Microsoft really discontinued this app final yr in favor of the Outlook for Home windows app, so you possibly can have two mail apps to uninstall, not only one, relying on how lengthy you’ve got been utilizing Home windows 11.