Microsoft Kills The Ability To Uninstall Stock Apps From Windows 10

[Megalith]

This might totally be a bug, but BetaNews is telling me that you cannot get rid of stock apps unless you go through PowerShell with the latest build (15014). I was already a bit miffed that you couldn’t (quickly) uninstall certain apps, but it would really suck if you couldn’t delete any of the stock apps at all without going through additional steps. I have not used a single app aside from Calculator and Weather.

Microsoft introduced the ability to remove unwanted stock apps in build 14936 for Windows Insiders, but now it’s taken back that option. While you’ve been able to uninstall certain Windows 10 apps since launch, as of October, Insiders have been able to delete apps such as Calculator, Groove Music, Mail and calendar, Movies & TV, OneNote, and Xbox, but that’s no longer the case. If you’ve updated to the latest Insider Build (currently Build 15014) you’ll find the Uninstall option for those stock apps, and others, is now grayed out (although they can still be uninstalled via Powershell if you really want rid). Interestingly, Groove Music also doesn’t appear anywhere in the list of apps you can remove -- even though it is still included in the OS. It’s possible that it’s just a bug preventing those apps from being uninstalled, and a future build will reinstate the option.

 

[Domingo]

I'd settle for even being able to sort and/or hide the damn things. They've been cluttering up my beautiful start menu for 18 months now.

 

[dgingeri]

The weather app isn't even halfway accurate for the Denver area. The only stock app I use is calc, and that's only when I can't get calc up on my phone fast enough.

 

[JosiahBradley]

Been using PS to wipe these things but it always causes problems when you find out another app needed one of them. They got rid of calc32.exe and replaced it with some fucking metro garbage that now takes so much time to load I already did the math in my head. Now I get fucking ads on my start menu about riots and shit while I want to be happy doing my work. Why can't I just choose what I install...

 

[dgingeri]

I'd settle for even being able to sort and/or hide the damn things. They've been cluttering up my beautiful start menu for 18 months now.

you can right click on them and unpin them from the main start menu.

 

[schizrade]

you can right click on them and unpin them from the main start menu.

*facepalm*

Yeah just unpin them.

 

[FrgMstr]

*facepalm*

Yeah just unpin them.

Hehe, yep, just unpin them!

 

[grtitan]

Good ol Darth Microcrap...

 

[CombatChrisNC]

Powershell for us, we have to uninstall this garbage every time we reimage a computer - but it's done automatically as part of the MDT deployment. It still takes a while though. We would remove them from the WIM if we could, but that causes stability problems.

 

[FrgMstr]

Turn off the suggestions etc if that bothers you.

 

[FrgMstr]

I never "use" the start menu. Windows key, type what I want, enter. I never even look at it.

 

[DPI]

The point being missed by some posts here is that 'hiding' or unpinning an App is not getting rid of it, just like hiding Cortana is not getting rid of that process lurking in the background.

A hidden app is still taking updates and sucking bandwidth, it's just needless. If people feel strongly enough about getting rid of MS bloatware that they're resorting to powershell, MS should just let them at that point. Removing that ability makes absolutely no sense.

And the MS Apps seem to magically reappear after a major update anyway even if previously unpinned or uninstalled, so the only winning move is not to play.

 

[Shotglass01]

Not to get political, but seems like Nadella is only allowing "documented' apps in Win 10.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

And yet people continue to use Windows 10 and praise it whenever they get the chance (those that continue to use it, that is, even in spite of all the stupid shit that Microsoft just keeps doing with it).

What is wrong with you people?

 

[Jim Kim]

You lose the right to complain when you don't own the OS, its Apps or YOUR DATA.

 

[Domingo]

*facepalm*

Yeah just unpin them.

Not the pinned stuff - the actual programs menu list on the left. You can't get rid or hide anything that's a modern app. I have everything else organized into neat folders, but those apps are cluttering everything up and making the menu a mile long.

 

[Ryokurin]

Powershell for us, we have to uninstall this garbage every time we reimage a computer - but it's done automatically as part of the MDT deployment. It still takes a while though. We would remove them from the WIM if we could, but that causes stability problems.

From what I've read they do eventually plan on making it so that apps can be removed from the wim, but won't be anytime in the near future. Probably more a RS3+ feature.

I guess the point being missed by some posts here is that 'hiding' or unpinning an App is not getting rid of it, just like hiding Cortana is not getting riding of that background process lurking in the background.

A hidden app is still taking updates and sucking bandwidth, it's just needless. If people feel strongly enough about getting rid of MS bloatware that they're resorting to powershell, MS should just let them at that point. Removing that ability makes absolutely no sense.

And the MS Apps seem to magically reappear after a major update anyway even if previously unpinned or uninstalled, so the only winning move is not to play.

The apps that most people are talking about, the random ones that appear in start after the install are stubs. so no it's not a bandwidth issue.

It doesn't really matter anyway as the story is clickbait. some random parts of the start menu has been broken in the latest builds after they put in the ability to move icons to a folder. This is probably what's broken this time around. Known issue.

 

[Nytegard]

Not the pinned stuff - the actual programs menu list on the left. You can't get rid or hide anything that's a modern app. I have everything else organized into neat folders, but those apps are cluttering everything up and making the menu a mile long.

When I upgraded to the Anniversary Edition of Windows 10, those tiles went away.

 

[Domingo]

When I upgraded to the Anniversary Edition of Windows 10, those tiles went away.

3DBuilder is still there. I actually use the mail/weather/calculator/etc. apps so they're cluttering up my list that is normally just folders. Ditto with games like Gears of War 4 and KI. You have all of your Adobe CC apps loose, but I keep mine in a folder. There's no way to put modern apps in folder, hide them from that list, etc.

 

[schizrade]

Not the pinned stuff - the actual programs menu list on the left. You can't get rid or hide anything that's a modern app. I have everything else organized into neat folders, but those apps are cluttering everything up and making the menu a mile long.

Ok that makes sense. I still never use the start menu.

 

[Pieter3dnow]

I guess the point being missed by some posts here is that 'hiding' or unpinning an App is not getting rid of it, just like hiding Cortana is not getting riding of that background process lurking in the background.

A hidden app is still taking updates and sucking bandwidth, it's just needless. If people feel strongly enough about getting rid of MS bloatware that they're resorting to powershell, MS should just let them at that point. Removing that ability makes absolutely no sense.

And the MS Apps seem to magically reappear after a major update anyway even if previously unpinned or uninstalled, so the only winning move is not to play.

At least people that want to do windows 10 back doors have a very good in now .

 

[nilepez]

This might totally be a bug, but BetaNews is telling me that you cannot get rid of stock apps unless you go through PowerShell with the latest build (15014). I was already a bit miffed that you couldn’t (quickly) uninstall certain apps, but it would really suck if you couldn’t delete any of the stock apps at all without going through additional steps. I have not used a single app aside from Calculator and Weather.

Microsoft introduced the ability to remove unwanted stock apps in build 14936 for Windows Insiders, but now it’s taken back that option. While you’ve been able to uninstall certain Windows 10 apps since launch, as of October, Insiders have been able to delete apps such as Calculator, Groove Music, Mail and calendar, Movies & TV, OneNote, and Xbox, but that’s no longer the case. If you’ve updated to the latest Insider Build (currently Build 15014) you’ll find the Uninstall option for those stock apps, and others, is now grayed out (although they can still be uninstalled via Powershell if you really want rid). Interestingly, Groove Music also doesn’t appear anywhere in the list of apps you can remove -- even though it is still included in the OS. It’s possible that it’s just a bug preventing those apps from being uninstalled, and a future build will reinstate the option.

Netflix is awesome. I occasionally use the FB app and the News app is pretty solid. Is the photo viewer a modern app? If so, it's good too (way better than the version in 7 (and 8?).

 

[sadsteve]

Not the pinned stuff - the actual programs menu list on the left. You can't get rid or hide anything that's a modern app. I have everything else organized into neat folders, but those apps are cluttering everything up and making the menu a mile long.

Don't put up with it, just install Classic Shell and configure to your liking.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Shit like this makes me fume....

 

[onetech]

Like Sadsteve said, I use and install Classic Shell on my pc's and all my customers. I also run 10AppsManager that i get from Majorgeeks.com to remove all the apps except for store. It sounds heartless, but we don't need crapware and some hacker moron will exploit one of these apps someday if they already haven't. It's not like Windows has enough holes in it already, we don't need more.

 

[JosiahBradley]

The problem I have is trying to unpin those apps from several thousand machines at once while disabling the suggestions and make it stick after the next patch which always puts them back. I'm not just complaining on my behalf here but on behalf of the thousands of users that need support here.

 

[htpc_user]

There seems to be something new that is "wrong" with Windows 10 every day.

 

[BlakLanner]

The problem I have is trying to unpin those apps from several thousand machines at once while disabling the suggestions and make it stick after the next patch which always puts them back. I'm not just complaining on my behalf here but on behalf of the thousands of users that need support here.

Exactly this. I am deploying new laptops and on every single one I have to remove all that nonsense and pray that it doesn't come back on any given patch. Combine that with having them remove the ability to handle things via GPO outside of the versions that they charge monthly for and I am a very unhappy sysadmin.

 

[Ultima99]

The torrent of rage and tears here will be mighty, I promise you that.

 

[Doward]

I am the same way. When I hear people talk about the start screen or start menu I have to ask them what the hell they are doing searching for their programs. Like you said, window key, start to type the name and enter. and the program is launched. for anything that I need every day I have pined to the task bar. I might see the start menu for about 15 seconds combined for an entire day. If people are searching through their start menu still for programs I consider that using the pc incorrectly. But that could just be me.

Nope, you're doing it exactly correct.

That said, I'm getting sick of the babysitting I'm having to do with Windows 10. I'm beginning to think that even my SteamBox is going to go Linux @ this point.

I've got Windows 7, 10, Mac OS (screw you, I'm not making the Mac lowercase, Apple), Fedora 25 and Gentoo all running on various boxes in the house.

The one I enjoy the most? Mac, surprisingly. It just gets the hell out of the way of my work.

 

[heatlesssun]

And yet people continue to use Windows 10 and praise it whenever they get the chance (those that continue to use it, that is, even in spite of all the stupid shit that Microsoft just keeps doing with it).

What is wrong with you people?

So what are the alternatives? Windows 7, a Linux distro, a Mac, a Chromebook or Windows 8.1 with Classic Shell. All of them have their individual issues as well. For high end gaming, Windows 10 is working very well for a lot of people.

 

[heatlesssun]

That said, I'm getting sick of the babysitting I'm having to do with Windows 10.

I've had to do no more baby sitting of with Windows 10 than any prior version of Windows and it's running all of the same applications and stuff I've never attempted before under Windows like my Vive. So I get it if there are things people don't like about Windows especially if it's causing problems. But that's simply not the consensus on this. For gaming, even in this place especially on new hardware, Windows 10 users seem to be the majority.

 

[FrgMstr]

I use it all the time as it has my pinned or most used programs right there. No need to type. But typing is there if needed. Best of both worlds. Sure as hell better than the win8-10 start screen nonsense.

I pin everything I use constantly on the taskbar. I very rarely see the start menu.

 

[Exavior]

Nope, you're doing it exactly correct.

That said, I'm getting sick of the babysitting I'm having to do with Windows 10. I'm beginning to think that even my SteamBox is going to go Linux @ this point.

I've got Windows 7, 10, Mac OS (screw you, I'm not making the Mac lowercase, Apple), Fedora 25 and Gentoo all running on various boxes in the house.

The one I enjoy the most? Mac, surprisingly. It just gets the hell out of the way of my work.

And see, I just don't get what you guys are babysitting. I have been using Windows 10 since the first public beta release on my work and home machines. I don't babysit anything. I have never had it randomly reboot on me in the middle of doing stuff because I am smart enough to reboot the damn thing if needed. But at the same time I actually make use of the system so maybe that is why. I don't try to make sure that Microsoft doesn't know what updates I have installed. I turn off the stuff that I didn't want during the custom install and any update that walks me through that stuff again I make sure it still is unchecked. Which there is little that I bother turning off. I don't want it sharing my wireless networks with my contacts or trying to connect to anything that my contacts share. I turn off a few of the other settings. but for the most part don't care about the other stuff. It is no more or less data than what anyone's phone collects and I am not going to be one of those people that bitch about how fuck Microsoft for collecting data, its fine if it is Apple or Google but fuck Microsoft. I am happy to have my files from my windows phone automatically upload to my one drive, then be able to access them on my Xbox One or Windows 10 pcs. I am happy being able to have my missed calls and text message pop up on my computer because one account ties them all together so all my text show up on my pc. I also don't mind having my same history and favorites on my phone and all my computers so that if I go to a site on one device I can find the page again on another device without having to try to remember what was that site that I was looking up information on last week think it started with a L. So by making use of the features and just accepting that stuff is going to be shared to a server somewhere I don't have to worry about any babysitting. Everything just works. But I understand that some people are extremely biased in who they think it is acceptable to be tracked by, and I also understand that people have different standards. But for most of the population there is no need to babysit anything.

Personally my only issue with Windows 10 is the change to VPN. I don't like how I now go from the icon by the clock to a selection my VPN which then takes me to the settings app where I can then connect. Outside of that I don't have to fight Windows 10 to do work or play games or anything.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

So what are the alternatives?

You know quite well what the alternatives are and there's an entire thread of people bashing everything from Windows to Linux to OSX/macOS and everything else between so I'm not going there.

And you already know what the alternative I'd recommend is anyway.

 

[Hagrid]

So what are the alternatives? Windows 7, a Linux distro, a Mac, a Chromebook or Windows 8.1 with Classic Shell. All of them have their individual issues as well. For high end gaming, Windows 10 is working very well for a lot of people.

So does windows 7 and 8.1 with classic shell for a lot of people.
MS just seems to pissing more and more people off. I think it's their new business plan.

 

[Hagrid]

And see, I just don't get what you guys are babysitting. I have been using Windows 10 since the first public beta release on my work and home machines. I don't babysit anything. I have never had it randomly reboot on me in the middle of doing stuff because I am smart enough to reboot the damn thing if needed. But at the same time I actually make use of the system so maybe that is why. I don't try to make sure that Microsoft doesn't know what updates I have installed. I turn off the stuff that I didn't want during the custom install and any update that walks me through that stuff again I make sure it still is unchecked. Which there is little that I bother turning off. I don't want it sharing my wireless networks with my contacts or trying to connect to anything that my contacts share. I turn off a few of the other settings. but for the most part don't care about the other stuff. It is no more or less data than what anyone's phone collects and I am not going to be one of those people that bitch about how fuck Microsoft for collecting data, its fine if it is Apple or Google but fuck Microsoft. I am happy to have my files from my windows phone automatically upload to my one drive, then be able to access them on my Xbox One or Windows 10 pcs. I am happy being able to have my missed calls and text message pop up on my computer because one account ties them all together so all my text show up on my pc. I also don't mind having my same history and favorites on my phone and all my computers so that if I go to a site on one device I can find the page again on another device without having to try to remember what was that site that I was looking up information on last week think it started with a L. So by making use of the features and just accepting that stuff is going to be shared to a server somewhere I don't have to worry about any babysitting. Everything just works. But I understand that some people are extremely biased in who they think it is acceptable to be tracked by, and I also understand that people have different standards. But for most of the population there is no need to babysit anything.

Personally my only issue with Windows 10 is the change to VPN. I don't like how I now go from the icon by the clock to a selection my VPN which then takes me to the settings app where I can then connect. Outside of that I don't have to fight Windows 10 to do work or play games or anything.

Oh, it works for you? Then it must work for every person on the planet. Thanks!

 

[heatlesssun]

You know quite well what the alternatives are and there's an entire thread of people bashing everything from Windows to Linux to OSX/macOS and everything else between so I'm not going there.

Since I specifically listed about 5 in this post, yeah I do have an idea. All them would have drawbacks especially as it pertains to PC gaming. Only Windows 10 is going fully support pretty much all PC games going forward.

 

[heatlesssun]

Oh, it works for you? Then it must work for every person on the planet. Thanks!

I don't think anyone has ever said that. No version of Windows has ever been trouble free for ever user. That's a given. The point for people like Exavior and me is that ok, someone else is having problems. Not denying that and that's always the case. But how is someone supposed to hate something that's working well for them? Windows 10 is working fine for a lot of people so it goes both ways.

 

[mdburkey]

Powershell for us, we have to uninstall this garbage every time we reimage a computer - but it's done automatically as part of the MDT deployment. It still takes a while though. We would remove them from the WIM if we could, but that causes stability problems.

Ditto. We've also got a GPO logon script that checks for the presence of any "non-approved" apps Microsoft may have tried to push down and uninstalls them forcibly anytime it finds them. This includes the Store app itself and any other app we have not specifically whitelisted in the script -- which works well because, so far, when Microsoft has pushed updated versions with system updates, our script has still removed the new APPX packages at logon because they weren't listed. We also install Classic Shell on all machines we deploy.