A clean Windows 11 install can ship with dozens of preinstalled apps, and many of them launch at startup, run background services, and quietly consume RAM. On low-end machines with 8GB of memory, trimming that list is often the single fastest way to make Windows feel responsive again. The trick is knowing which apps are safe to remove, which ones fight back, and which ones you should leave alone even if they annoy you.
This guide walks through the practical options, from the built-in Settings menu to PowerShell commands, and flags the mistakes that cause people to reinstall Windows a week later.
What Actually Counts as Bloatware on Windows 11
Bloatware is any preinstalled software you did not ask for and do not use. On Windows 11, that usually means three separate categories, and they need different treatment.
| Category | Examples | Removal method | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft consumer apps | Xbox, Clipchamp, Teams (consumer), News, Weather, Solitaire Collection | Settings or PowerShell | Low |
| System components | Microsoft Store, Edge, WebView2 runtime | Not recommended | High |
| OEM utilities | Dell SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage | Settings or OEM uninstaller | Low to medium |
The exact list of built-in apps changes between Windows 11 releases. Microsoft has adjusted the default app set across the 22H2, 23H2, and 24H2 updates, so a guide written for one build may not match what you see on your machine. Check your version under Settings > System > About before following any list.
The Safest First Step: Uninstall Through Settings
Microsoft’s official removal path is the one most people should start with. It is supported, reversible in most cases, and cannot corrupt system components.
- Open Settings (Win + I).
- Go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Find the app, click the three-dot menu, and choose Uninstall.
- Repeat for each unwanted app.
You can also right-click an app in the Start menu and select Uninstall. This is faster for obvious targets like Xbox or Solitaire Collection.
Here is the honest part: this method will not remove everything. Some apps show a greyed-out uninstall button or no button at all. Others disappear from the list but reappear after a feature update, because Windows re-provisions them for the current user. If you have ever removed an app and found it back three months later, that is why.
A practical tip from experience: uninstall in batches of five or six, then reboot and use the machine normally for a day. Removing thirty apps at once makes it impossible to tell which removal caused a problem if one appears.
Removing Built-In Apps With PowerShell
For apps that Settings refuses to touch, PowerShell is the standard tool. Microsoft documents the Get-AppxPackage and Remove-AppxPackage cmdlets, which handle per-user app packages.
The workflow looks like this:
- Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Run `Get-AppxPackage` to list installed packages for your user account.
- Identify the package name, for example `Microsoft.XboxApp`.
- Run `Remove-AppxPackage` followed by the package name.
To stop an app from being installed for new user accounts on the same PC, Microsoft provides Get-AppxProvisionedPackage and Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage with the `-Online` switch. These cmdlets are documented on Microsoft Learn, and the syntax should be checked against the current documentation before you run anything, since parameters vary slightly between versions.
Two cautions worth stating plainly. First, PowerShell removal is per-user. If you share the PC, other accounts keep the app. Second, removing a package does not always remove its background tasks or scheduled jobs, so check Task Manager > Startup apps afterward.
If you are already comfortable with command-line tools, it is worth learning a few Windows keyboard shortcuts everyone should know to move through Settings and Terminal faster. Small time savings add up when you are clicking through dozens of entries.
What You Should Not Remove
This is where most debloat attempts go wrong. Several built-in components look like bloatware but are load-bearing.
- Microsoft Store. Removing it breaks app updates and the installation path for many Store-dependent apps.
- Microsoft Edge and the WebView2 runtime. A surprising number of apps, including some widgets and help panels, render their interface through WebView2. Remove it and those apps show blank windows.
- Windows Security components. Obviously off-limits.
- Anything labeled “Framework” or “Runtime.” These are shared libraries, not apps.
Microsoft’s support documentation warns against removing certain system components, and the warning is not boilerplate. A machine with a broken Store or a missing WebView2 runtime is far more annoying than one with an unused Weather app.
There is a related category people confuse with bloatware: adware. If your browser has a toolbar you never installed, or your searches redirect somewhere odd, that is not preinstalled Windows software. It is worth reading up on what adware is and how do you remove it, because the cleanup steps are completely different from uninstalling an app. (Adware)
Third-Party Debloat Scripts: Useful but Unofficial
Community PowerShell scripts that remove dozens of apps in one pass are popular, and they do work. They are also unsupported by Microsoft. The common failure modes reported by users include broken cumulative updates, missing Start menu search results, and apps that reinstall themselves anyway because the provisioned package was never removed.
If you go this route, take a full system image backup first rather than relying on a restore point. A restore point does not always capture app package state cleanly.
A middle path that works well in practice: use a script only to generate a list of package names, then remove them manually with PowerShell so you can see exactly what changed. Slower, but you keep control.
Handling OEM Bloatware on Dell, HP, and Lenovo Machines
Store-bought laptops add a second layer. Dell ships SupportAssist, HP ships Support Assistant, and Lenovo ships Vantage, along with trial software and vendor-specific update tools.
These are usually safe to remove through Settings, but check one thing first: some OEM utilities handle BIOS and driver updates. If you remove them, plan to check the manufacturer’s support site manually every few months. Each OEM publishes its own removal guidance, and it is worth a look before you uninstall anything with “Support” or “Assistant” in the name.
A common mistake is removing the OEM update tool and then never updating drivers again. That is how people end up with a laptop that runs hot and slow two years later.
Cleaning Up What Removal Leaves Behind
Uninstalling an app does not always clear its startup entry, scheduled task, or leftover folder. After a debloat session, do a pass through these three places:
- Task Manager > Startup apps. Disable anything you do not recognize.
- Settings > Privacy & security > Background apps. Turn off background permissions for apps you kept but rarely use.
- Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off app suggestions and the Recommended section if it bothers you. Behavior varies by build and region, so the toggle may not exist on your version.
It is also a good moment to run a malware check, since a slow PC is not always a bloatware problem. Here is how to check for viruses on a Windows PC using only built-in tools. If you want extra coverage, these best free virus removal tools for Windows are a reasonable starting point, though Windows Security handles most cases fine. (What is malware?)
One more habit worth building: before and after screenshots of Task Manager’s performance tab. It is the simplest way to prove to yourself that the cleanup actually helped. If you are not sure how, this guide on how to take a screenshot on Windows covers the built-in options.
Measuring Whether It Worked
Do not trust vibes. Measure.
| Metric | Where to find it | What “better” looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Startup impact | Task Manager > Startup apps | Fewer “High” impact entries |
| Idle RAM usage | Task Manager > Performance | Lower baseline after a reboot |
| Boot time | Task Manager > Startup apps (last BIOS time) | Shorter, though it varies by hardware |
| Background processes | Task Manager > Processes | Fewer entries with no window |
Reboot before measuring. Windows caches aggressively, and a fresh boot gives you the honest number.
If idle RAM barely moves after removing twenty apps, the bottleneck was probably never bloatware. On 8GB machines, browser tabs are usually the real culprit.
Should You Just Do a Clean Install Instead?
Sometimes yes. A clean Windows 11 install from official Microsoft media gives you the baseline app set with no OEM extras, and on a machine that has accumulated three years of trial software, it is often faster than surgical removal.
The tradeoff is time: backing up data, reinstalling drivers, and reconfiguring everything. For a machine you use daily, budget an afternoon. For a machine that only needs five apps removed, Settings is obviously the better call.
Conclusion
Removing bloatware from Windows 11 is a spectrum, not a single trick. Start with Settings for the obvious consumer apps, move to PowerShell for the stubborn ones, and stop before you touch Store, Edge, WebView2, or security components. Skip the aggressive all-in-one scripts unless you have a full backup and the patience to troubleshoot. And accept one reality: some apps will come back after major feature updates. That is not a failure on your part. It is how Windows provisioning works, and a five-minute cleanup after each big update keeps things tidy.
The goal is not a machine with zero preinstalled apps. It is a machine that boots fast, idles low, and does not nag you. That is achievable with the built-in tools alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to remove built-in Windows 11 apps?
For consumer apps like Xbox, Clipchamp, News, Weather, and Solitaire Collection, yes. For system components like Microsoft Store, Edge, WebView2, and Windows Security, no. Removing those breaks features and app updates in ways that are annoying to repair.
Why do removed apps come back after a Windows update?
Windows re-provisions certain built-in apps during feature updates. If you only removed the per-user package with Remove-AppxPackage, the provisioned package remains and reinstalls the app. Removing the provisioned package too reduces, but does not always eliminate, this behavior.
Do debloat scripts void my warranty or break Windows?
Scripts do not void hardware warranties, but Microsoft does not support them, and they can break cumulative updates or Start menu search. The risk is real but manageable if you create a full system image backup first and avoid scripts that target system components.
How much RAM does bloatware actually use?
It varies widely by machine and build, so specific numbers are unreliable. The practical test is to note idle RAM after a reboot, remove a batch of apps, reboot again, and compare. If the difference is small, browser tabs or background sync tools are likely the bigger factor.
Can I remove bloatware without PowerShell?
Yes. Settings > Apps > Installed apps handles most consumer apps and all OEM utilities. PowerShell is only necessary for apps that hide their uninstall button or that Settings lists but cannot remove.
Should I remove OEM tools like Dell SupportAssist or Lenovo Vantage?
Usually yes, with one condition. Some OEM utilities handle BIOS and driver updates. If you remove them, commit to checking the manufacturer’s support site manually every few months so your drivers stay current.
