How to Remove Bloatware from Windows 11

New Windows 11 installations often come pre-loaded with unnecessary third-party applications, trial software, and sponsored shortcuts commonly known as bloatware. This guide covers the most effective methods to identify and completely remove these unwanted programs, ranging from standard uninstallation via the Settings menu and Start menu to advanced removal using Windows PowerShell commands and clean installation tweaks.

1. Uninstall via the Start Menu or Settings

The simplest way to remove basic bloatware (such as pre-installed games and social media apps) is through standard Windows controls.

Using the Start Menu

  1. Open the Start Menu.
  2. Click All apps in the top right corner.
  3. Locate the unwanted app, right-click its icon, and select Uninstall.
  4. Confirm the prompt if required.

Using Windows Settings

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Navigate to Apps > Installed apps.
  3. Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find the bloatware.
  4. Click the three-dot menu (…) next to the application and select Uninstall.

2. Remove Built-in Apps Using Windows PowerShell

Certain system-level applications cannot be uninstalled through the standard Settings menu. Windows PowerShell allows you to remove them using built-in package manager commands.

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).

  2. To view all installed packages for your user account, enter:

    Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName

  3. To remove a specific app, use the following command structure:

    Get-AppxPackage *AppName* | Remove-AppxPackage

Common PowerShell Removal Commands

  1. To remove an app from all future user accounts on the PC, append -AllUsers:

    Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *AppName* | Remove-AppxPackage
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object DisplayName -like "*AppName*" | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online

3. Prevent Bloatware During a Clean Windows 11 Install

If you are performing a fresh installation from a USB drive, you can prevent third-party promotional apps from downloading automatically.

  1. Start the Windows 11 setup wizard.
  2. When prompted to select your Time and currency format, choose English (World) or English (Europe) instead of your specific region.
  3. Complete the installation.
  4. Because the Microsoft Store cannot identify region-specific promotional software configurations for the “World” region, it will bypass downloading third-party bloatware.
  5. After setup is complete, open Settings > Time & language > Language & region and change your region and formats back to your actual location.

4. Disable Personalized App Suggestions and Ads

To prevent Windows 11 from silently re-downloading suggested apps or displaying promotional items in your Start menu:

  1. Open Settings (Win + I).
  2. Go to Personalization > Start.
  3. Toggle off Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more.
  4. Go to Privacy & security > General.
  5. Toggle off Let apps show me personalized ads using my advertising ID and Show me suggested content in the Settings app.