Microsoft Tests Letting Users Delete More Default Windows 10 Apps

By Nathaniel Mott
published

(Image credit: Microsoft)

For many, the worst part about setting up Windows 10 is dealing with all the default apps. There are obvious irritants, like Microsoft's insistence on pre-installing Minecraft and Candy Crush, but even the less intrusive programs can frustrate people who don't like dealing with cruft. Luckily, it seems Microsoft is aware of the issue, since the latest sneak peek at its next major Windows 10 update lets people delete more pre-installed apps.

Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18262 to Fast ring and Skip Ahead members of the Windows Insider Program on Wednesday. Besides the usual bug fixes, performance improvements and fixing known issues, this build expands the list of apps people can delete from the Start menu. Current versions of Windows 10, including the Windows 10 October 2018 Update that kinda, sorta debuted this month, can delete these apps:

  • Microsoft Solitaire Collection
  • My Office
  • OneNote
  • Print 3D
  • Skype
  • Tips
  • Weather

Preview Build 18262 adds these apps to the list:

  • 3D Viewer (previously called Mixed Reality Viewer)
  • Calculator
  • Calendar
  • Groove Music
  • Mail
  • Movies & TV
  • Paint 3D
  • Snip & Sketch
  • Sticky Notes
  • Voice Recorder

The new build also adds a new feature to Task Manager that makes it easier to determine if a running program is compatible with DPI Awareness. A tag introduced with the Anniversary Update that lets developers "specify a fallback behavior for the process-wide default DPI awareness mode or context." This information will be available in the Details page in Task Manager under the DPI Awareness column.

Preview Build 18262 also introduces better troubleshooting utilities, improvements to Narrator and bug fixes for issues discovered in previous builds. It does have some problems of its own, though, including the Settings app crashing when certain actions are invoked and the ability to switch audio outputs via the Taskbar not working. None of the issues seem like obvious deal breakers, but remember that more are likely to be discovered.

Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • lperreault21
    "deletes". Probably will reinstall with every update
    Reply
  • shrapnel_indie
    Notice that the list is mostly apps that many wont use by default. Notice things like Cortana are not on the list and probably won't ever be because MS depends on it to do their data mining and privacy invasion.
    Reply
  • bigpinkdragon286
    Maybe Microsoft looked at all of their telemetry data streaming in from Windows 10 and realized these apps are practically unused but are taking up precious storage on space limited machines, causing them more headaches in rolling out an ever increasing footprint of patches? I've seen Windows 10 updates fail plenty of times due to limited space. (Makes one wonder why an update would even commence, if you can have a reasonable idea it won't finish ahead of time?)

    I really can't recommend Windows 10 until it gives full agency back to the owners of their own property, and stops trying to protect people from the consequences of their own decisions. Those stupid apps really have nothing to do with the core function of an OS.
    Reply
  • Chris_361
    Can't agree more , Win 10 which i have used on and off since it came out is unbearable to use and it's the ridiculous amounts of apps that many have absolutely ZERO interest in .

    Not only are there so many of them MS makes it so much more difficult to permanently delete than it should be .

    I'm being dead serious here when i say after a fresh Win 10 install 70% of the stuff that comes with it (Default stuff) i truly despise, i have ZERO NADA NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN interest in it .


    A lot of my family members hate it more than i do and i hate it with a passion.
    Reply
  • dimar
    Why not let us uncheck the stuff we don't need during Windows installation, like it used it be during Windows 95 days.
    Reply
  • audiospecaccts
    I think everyone should abandon Microsoft on the PC and go to Linux. I really don't understand why they are still in business since their main product has always been a disappointment.
    Reply
  • 4bfrazier
    What a joke - just more proof you can't even control your own OS, much less own it. How is this OK to anyone? Sheep.
    Reply
  • Chris_361
    "Dotcom also took aim at Microsoft, Apple and Alphabet, Google’s parent company, saying they are “the worst of all deep State collaborators” because they “contain the most backdoors, they supply the most data and technology to the Deep State making spying on all of us easier.”

    https://www.rt.com/usa/434532-deep-state-sm-meddling-dotcom/
    Reply
  • Peter Martin
    So then you may choose to not use it or those services
    Reply
  • audiospecaccts
    21415381 said:
    Notice that the list is mostly apps that many wont use by default. Notice things like Cortana are not on the list and probably won't ever be because MS depends on it to do their data mining and privacy invasion.

    I turn it off in the registry.
    Along with other stuff that is not available on a control panel.

    Quite frankly, they need to make a no-app version with no internet involvement in the background. The way they have it set up, hackers could install rootkits through these back doors and steal bandwidth away from the computer.

    Reply