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

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

That stated, for those who’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 mechanically installs that you just may by no means use or just don’t need. I would not go as far as to name them bloatware, however I feel it is truthful to say that not everybody wants a few of 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 preserve your PC clear. Listed below are 5 default Home windows 11 apps I at all times uninstall, which you’ll need to think about 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 could be helpful 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 straightforward. 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 properly.

While you seek for Copilot in your app listing, you may additionally discover one other model known as Microsoft 365 Copilot, which you can too uninstall if you’d 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, preserve it. Nonetheless, for those who do not use any Microsoft Workplace apps and as a substitute use options like Google Docs and Google Sheets, it is price 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 an alternate like Slack, you in all probability do not want it

Microsoft Groups is a messaging and video conferencing app that many corporations use to deal with communication between workers. Personally, the corporate I work for would 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. In case you’re in the same state of affairs and haven’t got a use case for Groups, uninstalling it’s a straightforward approach to unencumber house and tidy up your PC’s app listing.

The Xbox app

Sorry Microsoft, Steam is the house of PC gaming

I really like taking part in 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 couple of 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 would not appear to be 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 straightforward 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 should utilize it to report audio in your PC, reminiscent of 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 modifying 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 may be for you too, particularly for those who needn’t report your personal voice for something.

Outlook for Home windows

I desire to examine my electronic mail utilizing an online browser

I examine my electronic 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 acquainted with in your internet browser, simply in a devoted app. If in case you have an Outlook or an previous Hotmail electronic mail, you may discover it helpful. Nonetheless, I often entry my electronic mail on my telephone or by way of 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, for those who put in Home windows 11 some time in the past, you might need one other mail app price eliminating. Once I went to uninstall Outlook, I seen I additionally had an older Home windows electronic mail app known as Mail and Calendar put in. Microsoft really discontinued this app final 12 months in favor of the Outlook for Home windows app, so you could possibly have two mail apps to uninstall, not only one, relying on how lengthy you’ve got been utilizing Home windows 11.