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

Everybody personalizes their Windows PC in their very own manner, and I choose to maintain mine as clear and minimal as attainable. I cover all my desktop icons, so my desktop all the time appears tidy, and my taskbar solely has essentially the most important apps pinned. On the subject of apps, I solely maintain those I truly use put in to maintain my PC as clutter-free as attainable.

That stated, if you happen to’ve simply gotten a brand new Home windows 11 PC, upgraded from Windows 10, or carried out a recent set up, there are numerous apps that Microsoft mechanically installs that you just would possibly by no means use or just don’t desire. I would not go as far as to name them bloatware, however I believe it is honest to say that not everybody wants among the default apps that include Home windows 11. In case you’re not utilizing them, I like to recommend uninstalling them to save lots of space for storing and assist maintain your PC clear. Listed below are 5 default Home windows 11 apps I all the time uninstall, which you’ll need to contemplate too.

Microsoft Copilot

I like my Home windows expertise AI-free

Over the previous 12 months, 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 might 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 straightforward. All you must 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.

While you seek for Copilot in your app listing, you may additionally discover one other model referred to as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which you may also uninstall in order for you. 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, maintain it. Nonetheless, if you happen to do not use any Microsoft Workplace apps and as a substitute use alternate options like Google Docs and Google Sheets, it is value eliminating it. In case you ever need to reinstall Copilot, you may simply achieve this from the Microsoft Retailer.

Microsoft Groups

In case you use an alternate like Slack, you most likely do not want it

Microsoft Groups is a messaging and video conferencing app that many firms use to deal with communication between staff. Personally, the corporate I work for would 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 buddies or household, I often use different apps like Discord, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, so Groups is simply pointless. In case you’re in an identical state of affairs and do not have a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a simple technique to liberate area and tidy up your PC’s app listing.

The Xbox app

Sorry Microsoft, Steam is the house of PC gaming

I like enjoying video games on my PC in my free time, however the Xbox app is not the best way I do it. Like many PC players, 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 Recreation Go trials.

Since then, I have not had a compelling use case for it, and with the current increase in the cost of Xbox Recreation Go Final and PC Recreation Go, it would not appear like I’ll within the close to future both. In case 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 straightforward uninstall.

Sound Recorder

Audacity is best and free

Sound Recorder is a pre-installed app in Home windows 11, and because the title suggests, you need to use it to file audio in your PC, reminiscent of for a podcast or voice-over. Nonetheless, I imagine that Sound Recorder has very restricted options for audio recording, and there are different apps that deal with each recording and enhancing audio significantly better. Audacity is my private favourite, and it is free. With that in thoughts, uninstalling Sound Recorder was an apparent alternative for me, and it may be for you too, particularly if you happen to needn’t file your personal voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I choose to examine my e mail utilizing an internet browser

I examine my e mail continually whereas utilizing my PC, however I do not use the Outlook app for Home windows for that. The Outlook app for Home windows affords the identical inbox expertise you are acquainted with in your internet browser, simply in a devoted app. You probably have an Outlook or an outdated Hotmail e mail, you would possibly discover it helpful. Nonetheless, I often entry my e mail on my cellphone or via Google Chrome; due to this fact, I by no means felt the necessity to use the devoted Outlook app. In case you’re in the identical boat, uninstalling Outlook might be worthwhile for you too.

Moreover, if you happen to put in Home windows 11 some time in the past, you might need one other mail app value 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 truly discontinued this app final 12 months in favor of the Outlook for Home windows app, so you can have two mail apps to uninstall, not only one, relying on how lengthy you have been utilizing Home windows 11.