Microsoft clutters your PC with many apps and features you don't need. Jonathan Parkyn explains which you should remove - and shows you how to do so safely
Windows has always come with a selection of pre-installed programs and tools, but some are more welcome than others. It can be useful to have built-in media players and so on, but there are often better alternatives available - sometimes for free. Many of Windows 7 and 8’s built-in offerings are limited in their capabilities; others are completely unnecessary - they just get in the way, hogging resources and consuming valuable hard-drive space.
Windows 10 goes one step further - not only pre-loading your hard drive with dozens of Windows Store apps, but also making it extremely hard to remove them. Windows 10 also goes out of its way to try to get you to use these apps, setting them as the defaults for many common tasks, such as listening to music or viewing photos, often because they act as a gateway to Microsoft’s paid-for services.
It’s true that you can change your default programs to ones you want. But Windows has a nasty habit of switching back to its own apps without any warning. For example, many people discovered that Windows 10’s November update sneakily removed non-Microsoft software from their PCs, and resel Microsoft’s apps as their default programs.
You don’t have to put up with this. As we’re about to reveal, there are ways to rid yourself of all the junk Microsoft doesn’t want you to uninstall. We’ll show you which Windows apps you need to keep, and explain how to forever banish the ones you don’t.
WINDOWS 10 APPS: WHAT TO KEEP, WHAT TO DITCH
1 3D Builder
What is it? It lets you create, view and print 3D models.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Those who have an interest in 3D modelling may wunt to give this app a spin, but it’s frustratingly low on features and, unless you have a compatible 3D printer (http://microsoft.com/3d), it’s pretty useless.
2 Cortana
What is it? Using spoken commands you can search your PC and the web and set reminders.
Keep or ditch? Disable. Some may find Cortana useful, but it gathers lots of information about you and your activity, and stores this online, which not everyone will be comfortable with. Annoyingly, although Cortana is technically an app, it’s hardwired into Windows 10, so you can’t uninstall it.
However, you can disable it by clicking the taskbar Search box, the Notebook icon (square with a circle in it), then Settings. Here, switch off all the options and click ‘Manage what Cortana knows about me in the cloud’ to remove your personal information from Microsoft’s servers.
3 Films & TV
What is it? It lets you watch films and TV shows stored on your PC, as well as those bought or rented from Microsoft’s online store.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Windows Media Player (which is still included in Windows 10) or VLC (free from www.snipca.com/19249) are much better video players, and there are other ways to get ondemand films and TV shows, either free from catch-up sendees such as iPlayer, or paid-for from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes and others. Unless you’re particularly fond of the Windows Store, this is an easy one to ditch.
4 Calendar
What is it? A multi-purpose tool that helps you organise your schedule.
Keep or ditch? Keep. The Calendar app is actually pretty useful. It works with Outlook.com, Google Calendar and iCloud, so if you already use one of these services, all you need to do is sign in with the relevant account to view and synchronise appointmenls. Removing the app will affect Mail too, so we recommend keeping it.
5 Contact Support
What is it? An easy way for you to get help with your PC.
Keep or ditch? Keep. It doesn’t offer a great deal more than Microsoft’s own support website does (www.snipca.com/19248), but it’s easy to navigate and lets you chat online with Microsoft support staff. This is one you’ll want to keep - which is just as well, as you can’t uninstall it anyway!
6 Alarms & Clock
What is it? It’s an alarm clock, world clock, timer and stopwatch all in one.
Keep or ditch? Keep. These are all useful functions to have on your PC. That said, Microsoft’s app isn’t the most reliable - we’ve heard of cases where alarms have failed to sound when they were supposed to. If this happens to you, dump it in favour of a free alternative.
7 Get Started
What is it? A guide to using Windows 10.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. There are some helpful videos and nuggets of information here about everything from searching and syncing to using Windows 10’s new features. But you’ll also find the entire contents of this guide on Microsoft’s site (www.snipea.com/19251), so you can get rid of the app.
8 Get Skype
What is it? This is simply a link to download the Desktop version of Skype.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. This app can be safely uninstalled. If you need to install the Desktop version at any point, get it from www.snipca.com/19250.
9 Get Office
What is it? It’s basically just a link to a free one-month trial of Microsoft Office 365.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. If you already have Office or have no intention of using it, there’s no reason to keep this app. You can get the free one-month trial at any time from www.snipca.com/19264.
10 Camera
What is it? Makes photos and records video clips.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. If you don’t have a camera built into your PC, there’s little point in having this app. And even if you do, there are plenty of better camera tools available; your webcam may have come with its own software, or you could try a free tool.
11 Calculator
What is it? It’s a calculator with standard, scientific and programmer modes, as well as conversion tools.
Keep or ditch? Keep. It may not look much like the Windows calculator of yore, but there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, so we recommend leaving it where it is. If you don’t like it, though, there’s no shortage of free and paid-for alternatives in the Windows Store you can try.
12 Groove Music
What is it? Microsoft’s equivalent of music-slreaming service Spotify, letting you stream tracks or play your own music collection.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Groove Music is far from the best music player. In our opinion, Windows Media Player (also pre-installed) is the better program, while McdiaMonkcy (www.mediamonkey.com) is an easy-to-use, non-Mixcrosoft alternative. If you already subscribe to Spotify, Google Play Music or Apple Music, or you’re not interested in music-streaming services, you won’t want to pay £8.99 a month for a Groove Music pass, either.
13 Mail
What is it? It’s Windows 10’s built-in email service.
Keep or ditch? Keep. Mail isn’t perfect, but it’s very easy to use and works with most types of accounts. If it’s not to your taste, there are loads of alternatives. You could try Thunderbird (www.snipca.com/19252, though Mozilla has stopped work on improving it), or just log into your webmail via your browser. Even if you’re not going to use it, though, we recommend leaving Mail installed, because removing it can affect other apps, such as Calendar.
14 Maps
What is it? Maps is Microsoft’s equivalent to Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Having a map app is useful, even on a non-mobile device such as a desktop PC, where you can plan routes and journeys. However, it’s probably easier to lose the Maps app and instead use the map sendee of your choice - Google Maps for example - in your browser as and when you need it.
15 Microsoft Solitaire Collection
What is it? A free version of Microsoft’s paid-for Solitaire game.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Windows has always come with a smattering of built-in games, but Windows 10 includes only one - Microsoft Solitaire Collection - and asks you to pay (£7.69 per year) to remove adverts and unlock other features. Ditch it and instead play a truly free Solitaire game (http://solitaireforfree.com) online.
16 Messaging, Phone and Skype Video
What are they? These apps let you send and receive text messages and make voice and video calls.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. Windows 10’s November update took Skype’s core functions and split them over three new apps: Messaging, Phone and Skype Video. This probably makes sense for people who regularly use Skype on their phone or tablet, but those who prefer it on a PC should ditch all three apps and use the all-in-one desktop PC version instead (www.snipca.com/19250).
17 Microsoft Edge
What is it? It’s the default web browser in Windows 10, and Microsoft’s long-term replacement for Internet Explorer.
Keep or ditch? Disable. As with Cortana, it’s not possible to uninstall Edge. If you don’t want to use it, install your preferred browser and make sure it’s set as the default.
18 Microsoft WiFi
What is it? This app lets you buy wireless internet access at hotels, airports and other public places, via hotspots that support Microsoft’s Wi-Fi partnership scheme.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. If you mostly use a PC, you should dump this because you’ll almost certainly never need it. And you don’t even need it if you mostly use a laptop, phone or tablet, because most Wi-Fi hotspots provide alternative methods of getting online.
19 Money
What is it? A financial app that shows market news, converts currencies and tracks stock prices.
Keep or ditch? Depends. Not everyone has a portfolio of investments they need to keep an eye on, so this app won’l be relevant to every user. For those who follow the markets, however, it’s actually a pretty handy tool.
20 News
What is it? Presents you with regularly updated news stories from around the world.
Keep or ditch? Keep. While it’s not strictly necessary - you can get your fix of current affairs from any number of online sources - it’s actually quite handy to catch a glimpse of the latest headlines whenever you click Start, courtesy of this app’s Live Tile.
21 People
What is it? It’s where Windows stores your contacts.
Keep or ditch? Keep. I laving your contacts on your PC is very useful, and People synchronises with not only Microsoft’s Outlook.com, but also with Gmail and iCloud, amwong others. Even if you decide not to use it, it’s sensible to leave it in place because it’s linked to the Mail and Calendar apps.
22 Phone Companion
What is it? It’s a pretty much surplus tool that aims to maintain the connection between your PC and your smartphone.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. In practice, Phone Companion doesn’t offer an awful lot to Android or iOS users. It recognises your device and displays storage information but, aside from that, it just recommends Microsoft apps (OneNote, Outlook, Skype and so on). Syncing isn’t supported and importing photos is handled separately (via Auto Play).
23 Photos
What is it? A tool for importing, viewing and organising your photos.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. It’s far from the besl photo-organiser out there, offering strictly limited editing tools. You could download Google’s Picasa (picasa.google.co.uk) instead, but that’s starting to show its age a bit - and doesn’t officially support Windows 10 (though it worked fine on our PC). We recommend giving Google Photos (https://photos.google.com) a go - the online service Google launched last year.
24 Sport
What is it? A source of sports-related news and scores.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. If you’re not into sport, this app can be dumped without a second thought. Those who follow specific teams or individuals can personalise the app, but we doubt you’ll find it better than what you currently use to keep up to date.
25 Store
What is it? Microsoft’s marketplace for apps, games, music, films and TV.
Keep or ditch? Keep. While it’s possible to uninstall the Windows Store, we strongly advise against it. Removing the Store app not only cuts you off from an invaluable source of free tools and games, but it can also cause problems further down the line, should you ever wish to reinstall it.
26 Sway
What is it? A presentation tool that lets you share ‘stories’ made from photos, videos, text and web content. It’s like an online, lightweight version of PowerPoint. See more information at www.sway.com.
Keep or ditch? Keep. Automatically installed as part of Windows 10’s November update, Sway is a useful tool lhal’s also available for iOS (an Android version is on the way). It’s easy to learn and definitely worth having a dabble with before deciding whether it’s the sort of tool you’ll regularly use.
27 Voice Recorder
What is it? An app that lets you record audio notes and other sounds.
Keep or ditch? Ditch. PCs without microphones won’t be able to make use of this app at all. Even if you have a mic, Voice Recorder is low on features - it’s better suited to phones and tablets. Instead record audio notes in a note-taking tool, such as Evernote Touch (www.snipca.com/19317). And for longer recordings with better quality and control, use a free sound-editing tool such as Audacity (http://audacityteam.org).
28 Weather
What is it? A source of up-to-date weather summaries and forecasts.
Keep or ditch? Keep, This decision is mostly down to personal taste, because there are dozens of alternative weather apps available in the Windows Store, some of which offer more detailed information. But we give it the benefit of the doubt, chiefly because it is well designed, easy to use and, most importantly, provides very accurate forecasts.
29 Windows Feedback
What is it? A method of reporting faults to Microsoft for analysis and to suggest improvements.
Keep or ditch? Ignore. Using this app means adjusting your PC’s privacy settings to allow information about your PC usage to be sent to Microsoft, which you may be uncomfortable with. Annoyingly, Microsoft won’t let you uninstall this app completely, but that doesn’t mean you have to use it. If you’re worried about Microsoft tracking your PC use, you should tweak your settings. Click Start, Settings, Privacy, ‘Feedback & diagnostics’ and make sure ‘Feedback frequency’ is set to Never, and ‘Diagnostic and usage data’ is set to Basic.
30 Xbox
What is it? Lets you view your gaming achievements, chat with fellow' gamers and connect to an Xbox One console.
Keep or ditch? Depends. It will hold no interest for non-gamers, so they can safely dump it. For those interested in games, though, there are plenty features on offer that aren’t available anywhere else, such as the ability to stream games and capture footage from an Xbox One console.
CHANGE YOUR WINDOWS 10 DEFAULT APPS
If you want to change your default apps and programs in Windows 10, click Start, type default, then click Default Programs. In the window that opens, click 'Set your default programs' then scroll through the list of available programs and apps and click the one you want (Google Chrome if you want to set it as your default web browser, for example), then dick 'Set this program as default’. To refine your selections further, click 'Choose defaults for this program' to specify each individual file type you want to associate with that specific software.
REMOVE WINDOWS 10'S DEFAULT APPS
There are three ways to uninstall Windows 10's built-in apps. Bear in mind that it can be hard to get them back once they've been removed.
1 Right-click
In some cases, you can remove built-in apps by right-clicking them and selecting Uninstall. This doesn't work for all, but this method will get rid of 3D Builder, Get Office, Get Skype, Get Started, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Microsoft WiFi, Money, News. Phone Companion, Skype Video, Sport and Sway.
2 Use an uninstaller
Stubborn apps, including Alarms & Clock, Calculator, Films & TV and Groove Music, can be removed using the free program 10AppsManager (www.snipca.com/19259). Unzip the tool and run it, then click the icon for the app you want to remove and click Yes. The program maker recommends creating a System Restore point before using it so you can easily roll back any changes you make. In total it can uninstall 23 of Windows 10's built-in apps.
3 Manually remove them
It's possible to use Windows PowerShell commands to manually remove apps. However, we don't recommend using this method, but you may need to use PowerShell to reinstall your apps.
HOW TO REINSTALL WINDOWS 10 APPS
What if you uninstall an app only to find that you'd quite like to have it back? Luckily, in most cases you can simply re-download apps you want to restore from the Windows Store. However, this isn't always possible.
If you're having problems, this trick will reinstall all the apps you've removed. Click Start, type powershell, then right-click the Windows PowerShell option and select 'Run as administrator'. At the prompt, type the following command exactly (or cut and paste it from www.snipca.com/19323) then press Enter on your keyboard: Cet-AppxPackage -AllUsers Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.lnstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
Let the process run until you see the prompt again. Don't be alarmed if you see lots of red warning messages. When it's finished, restart your PC and check your Start menu to see if the apps are back. If not, try running the PowerShell command and restarting again. It took us a couple of tries before we got our apps back.