How to Remove Bloatware in Windows 11-- Uninstall Preinstalled Junk Apps

What is Bloatware and Can You Remove It?

Yes, you can and should remove it. "Bloatware" (often called junkware or crapware) is the technical term for the unnecessary, preinstalled applications that come loaded on a new Windows PC. Manufacturers and Microsoft get paid to include sponsored apps (like games and antivirus trials) on your hard drive before you even take the computer out of the box.

If you are wondering how to uninstall preinstalled apps on Windows 11, you will quickly find that Microsoft makes it difficult. While you can delete some apps one by one in the Windows Settings, Microsoft intentionally "grays out" the uninstall button for sponsored or default system apps.

To bypass these restrictions, safely delete default Windows 11 apps, and wipe the registry junk they leave behind.

Why Bloatware is Secretly Slowing Down Your PC?

Before you learn how to remove it, it is crucial to understand the severe impact preinstalled apps have on your hardware. You might think that ignoring the Candy Crush icon on your Start menu is harmless, but bloatware actively degrades your computer's performance in three major ways:

If you want your PC to run at peak efficiency, you must learn how to delete default Windows 11 apps the right way.

Set a Safe Workaround: Relocate and Clean Bloatware via AOMEI

If you don't want to spend an hour fighting with grayed-out "Uninstall" buttons, or if you are afraid that force-deleting a manufacturer app might break your PC, AOMEI provides the ultimate shortcut. AOMEI Partition Software is widely known as a premier disk manager; it includes a highly advanced App Mover and PC Cleaner suite.

Here is the compromise: Microsoft and PC manufacturers deeply integrate some bloatware into your system. Forcing a deletion using dangerous command-line codes can corrupt your Windows registry and cause the "Blue Screen of Death." Instead of breaking your PC, the safest workaround is to quarantine the heavy bloatware to a secondary drive and wipe all the junk files it generated.

### Method 1: Use App Mover to "Banish" Un-deletable Bloatware

⏱️ Time Required: 3 Minutes | 🔧 Difficulty: Beginner

When you find massive manufacturer software (like an RGB lighting controller, McAfee, or a sound equalizer) taking up 5GB of space on your C: drive, and the "Uninstall" button is grayed out, simply move it away.

Step 1. Install and Launch: Download, install, and open AOMEI Partition Software on your Windows 11 PC.

Step 2. Open the App Mover: On the top toolbar, click on the "Free Up" menu and select **"App Mover".

Step 3. Choose the Source Drive: Select your crowded C: drive and click Next.

Step 4. Select the Bloatware: A list of installed applications will populate. Check the boxes next to the heavy manufacturer bloatware and sponsored apps you want off your system drive.

Step 5. Quarantine to Destination: In the bottom dropdown menu, select your empty D: or E: drive as the destination and click Move.

Step 6. The Result: The massive bloatware files are safely transported off your precious C drive. They are no longer clogging your system partition, but your Windows registry remains perfectly intact and error-free.

### Method 2: Use PC Cleaner to Wipe Bloatware Junk Cache

⏱️ Time Required: 2 Minutes | 🔧 Difficulty: Beginner

Even after you uninstall or move bloatware, these apps leave behind hidden registry keys, temporary tracking files, and update caches that constantly drain your PC's speed.

Step 1. In AOMEI Partition Software, go back to Free Up > PC Cleaner.

Step 2. Click Start Scan. The software will deeply scan your system for orphaned registry files, temporary bloatware logs, and system junk.

Step 3. Once the scan finishes, check the boxes for the junk files you wish to delete.

Step 4. Click Clean All. This permanently scrubs the leftover bloatware remnants from your hard drive, instantly speeding up your boot times.

Manual Ways to Uninstall Preinstalled Apps via Windows Tools

If you only have one or two apps to delete and do not want to use third-party software, you can attempt to use native Windows 11 tools. Just be prepared for restricted access.

Fix 1: Uninstall Natively via Windows 11 Settings

This is the standard, basic method to how to uninstall preinstalled apps on Windows 11. It works for simple sponsored games, but will fail for core Microsoft bloatware.

Step 1. Press Win + I to open Windows Settings.

Step 2. On the left sidebar, click on Apps, then click on Installed apps.

Step 3. Scroll down the list until you find the bloatware you want to remove.

Step 4. Click the three dots (...) next to the app's size.

Step 5. Select Uninstall and confirm.

Note: If the "Uninstall" text is grayed out and unclickable, you have hit Microsoft's restriction wall. You must use AOMEI Partition Software (Method 1) or the PowerShell method below to force it.

Fix 2: Force Uninstall via Windows PowerShell (Advanced)

If you refuse to use third-party software but need to force uninstall programs Windows 11, you can use command-line codes. Warning: Typing the wrong code here can delete critical Windows system files and break your operating system.

Step 1. Press Win + S, type PowerShell, right-click Windows PowerShell, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2. To view a list of all installed apps, type the following command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName

Step 3. Locate the exact name of the bloatware in the list generated.

Step 4. To force delete it, type the following command (replace AppName with the exact name of the package from the list) and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage *AppName* | Remove-AppxPackage

For example, to remove the preinstalled 3D Builder app, you would type: Get-AppxPackage *3dbuilder* | Remove-AppxPackage

You must repeat this manual typing process for every single app you want to delete.

Bonus tips: AOMEI vs. Windows Native Removal Tools

Feature / Removal Method	AOMEI Partition Software	Windows 11 Settings	Windows PowerShell
Relocate Un-Deletable Apps (App Mover)	Yes (Safely moves them off C: drive)	No	No
Delete Default Windows 11 Apps	No (Focuses on relocating safely)	Yes (Only for non-system apps)	Yes (Requires typing exact code)
Removes Leftover Registry Junk	Yes (Deep PC Cleaner feature)	No (Leaves orphaned files on C: drive)	No
Data Safety / System Stability	High (Zero risk of registry corruption)	Medium	Low (High risk of breaking OS

Summary

Learning how to remove bloatware Windows 11 is the very first thing you should do when purchasing a new computer in 2026. Preinstalled junkware, sponsored games, and heavy manufacturer diagnostic tools do nothing but drain your battery, hog your RAM, and consume dozens of gigabytes of precious SSD space.

For a fast, safe, and complete PC cleanup, AOMEI Partition Software is the ultimate solution. Its intuitive App Uninstaller empowers you to mass uninstall apps Windows 11 with a single click, bypassing Microsoft's restrictions to force-delete stubborn programs and permanently wipe their leftover cache files. Take total control of your new PC's performance today by stripping away the bloatware and reclaiming your hard drive.

FAQ

Q1: Is it safe to delete manufacturer apps like Dell SupportAssist or HP JumpStart?

A: Yes, it is completely safe. These OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) applications are technically "bloatware." They are designed to update your drivers or offer customer support, but they run constantly in the background and drain system resources. Windows 11 handles all necessary driver updates automatically through Windows Update, making these third-party manufacturer apps redundant and safe to delete.

Q2: Will removing bloatware speed up my PC?

A: Absolutely. Bloatware rarely stays closed; it typically runs background processes, updater services, and telemetry trackers the moment you boot up your computer. By utilizing an App Uninstaller to wipe them out, you free up CPU cycles, reduce RAM usage, and drastically improve your PC's boot times.

Q3: Why is the uninstall button grayed out in Windows 11?

A: Microsoft designates certain applications as "System Apps" or "Core Experiences" (like the Xbox Game Bar, Cortana, or OneDrive) and intentionally disables the Uninstall button in the settings menu to prevent accidental deletion. However, many users do not want these apps. You must use third-party software like AOMEI Partition Software or advanced PowerShell commands to force-delete them.

Q4: Do deleted preinstalled apps come back after a Windows update?

A: Unfortunately, major Windows 11 feature updates (usually released annually) are notorious for stealthily reinstalling default Microsoft bloatware that you previously deleted. If you notice sponsored apps reappearing on your Start menu after a major update, simply run the AOMEI mass-uninstaller again to quickly re-purge your system.

Q5: What is the difference between disabling an app and uninstalling it?

A: Disabling an app (often done in the Task Manager "Startup" tab) simply stops the app from turning on automatically when you boot your PC; however, the app still consumes gigabytes of storage on your C: drive. Uninstalling the app permanently removes its files, registry keys, and background services, freeing up both storage space and system memory.