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

Everybody personalizes their Windows PC in their very own manner, and I want to maintain mine as clear and minimal as attainable. I conceal all my desktop icons, so my desktop at all times seems tidy, and my taskbar solely has essentially the most important apps pinned. Relating to apps, I solely preserve those I truly use put in to maintain my PC as clutter-free as attainable.

That mentioned, if you happen to’ve simply gotten a brand new Home windows 11 PC, upgraded from Windows 10, or carried out a contemporary set up, there are a lot of apps that Microsoft mechanically installs that you simply would possibly by no means use or just don’t need. I would not go as far as to name them bloatware, however I believe it is truthful to say that not everybody wants among the default apps that include Home windows 11. Should 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 at all times 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 at all times 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 effectively.

If you seek for Copilot in your app record, you might also discover one other model referred to as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which you can even uninstall if you need. That is primarily 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. Nevertheless, if you happen to do not use any Microsoft Workplace apps and as an alternative use options like Google Docs and Google Sheets, it is value eliminating it. Should you ever need to reinstall Copilot, you may simply accomplish that from the Microsoft Retailer.

Microsoft Groups

Should you use another like Slack, you most likely do not want it

Microsoft Groups is a messaging and video conferencing app that many corporations use to deal with communication between staff. Personally, the corporate I work for does not use Microsoft Groups and depends on 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 pals or household, I often use different apps like Discord, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, so Groups is simply pointless. Should you’re in an identical state of affairs and do not have a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a straightforward technique to unencumber area and tidy up your PC’s app record.

The Xbox app

Sorry Microsoft, Steam is the house of PC gaming

I really 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 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 Recreation Go trials.

Since then, I have never 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 does not seem like I’ll within the close to future both. Should 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 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, akin to for a podcast or voice-over. Nevertheless, 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 selection for me, and it is perhaps for you too, particularly if you happen to need not report your individual voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I want 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 gives the identical inbox expertise you are conversant in in your internet browser, simply in a devoted app. In case you have an Outlook or an outdated Hotmail e-mail, you would possibly discover it helpful. Nevertheless, I often entry my e-mail on my telephone or by Google Chrome; subsequently, I by no means felt the necessity to use the devoted Outlook app. Should you’re in the identical boat, uninstalling Outlook may very well be worthwhile for you too.

Moreover, if you happen to put in Home windows 11 some time in the past, you may need one other mail app value eliminating. Once 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 may have two mail apps to uninstall, not only one, relying on how lengthy you’ve got been utilizing Home windows 11.