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

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

That stated, when you’ve simply gotten a brand new Home windows 11 PC, upgraded from Windows 10, or carried out a contemporary set up, there are various apps that Microsoft routinely installs that you simply may 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 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 avoid wasting space for storing and assist hold 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 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 useful relying in your workflow, I by no means discover myself utilizing it, because it simply takes up pointless house. Fortunately, Microsoft has made uninstalling Copilot surprisingly simple. All it’s important 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 nicely.

Whenever 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 would like. 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, hold it. Nevertheless, when you do not use any Microsoft Workplace apps and as an alternative use alternate options like Google Docs and Google Sheets, it is value eliminating it. In case you ever need to reinstall Copilot, you’ll be able to simply achieve this from the Microsoft Retailer.

Microsoft Groups

In case you use another 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 mates or household, I normally use different apps like Discord, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, so Groups is simply pointless. In case you’re in the same state of affairs and do not have a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a straightforward strategy to unencumber house 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 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 Sport Move trials.

Since then, I have not had a compelling use case for it, and with the current increase in the cost of Xbox Sport Move Final and PC Sport Move, it would not seem 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 simple uninstall.

Sound Recorder

Audacity is best and free

Sound Recorder is a pre-installed app in Home windows 11, and because the identify suggests, you need to use it to report audio in your PC, reminiscent of 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 modifying 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 is likely to be for you too, particularly when you need not report your personal voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I favor to examine my electronic mail utilizing an internet browser

I examine my electronic mail always 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 acquainted with in your internet browser, simply in a devoted app. When you’ve got an Outlook or an outdated Hotmail electronic mail, you may discover it helpful. Nevertheless, I normally entry my electronic mail on my telephone or by 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, when you put in Home windows 11 some time in the past, you may need one other mail app value eliminating. After I went to uninstall Outlook, I seen I additionally had an older Home windows electronic 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 might have two mail apps to uninstall, not only one, relying on how lengthy you have been utilizing Home windows 11.