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

Everybody personalizes their Windows PC in their very own means, and I favor to maintain mine as clear and minimal as doable. I disguise all my desktop icons, so my desktop at all times seems tidy, and my taskbar solely has essentially the most important apps pinned. On the subject of apps, I solely maintain those I really use put in to maintain my PC as clutter-free as doable.

That stated, 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 mechanically 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 believe it is truthful to say that not everybody wants a number of the default apps that include Home windows 11. For those who’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 at all times uninstall, which you will need to contemplate 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 at all times do is uninstall Copilot, Microsoft’s AI chatbot. Whereas it might be helpful 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 effectively.

Whenever you seek for Copilot in your app listing, you might also discover one other model referred to as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which you can too uninstall if you would like. 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, 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 value eliminating it. For those who ever need to reinstall Copilot, you’ll be able to simply achieve this from the Microsoft Retailer.

Microsoft Groups

For those who use an alternate like Slack, you in all probability do not want it

Microsoft Groups is a messaging and video conferencing app that many firms 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 pals or household, I often use different apps like Discord, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, so Groups is simply pointless. For those who’re in the same state of affairs and haven’t got a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a straightforward strategy to unlock 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 way in which 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 couple of 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 does not appear like I’ll within the close to future both. For those who 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 utilize 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 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 for those who needn’t report your personal voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I favor 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 affords the identical inbox expertise you are aware of in your internet browser, simply in a devoted app. If in case you 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 Google Chrome; subsequently, I by no means felt the necessity to use the devoted Outlook app. For those who’re in the identical boat, uninstalling Outlook could possibly 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 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 really discontinued this app final yr 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.