Remove essential apps in Windows 11 installed by default
As usual, the new Windows 11 system comes with a wide range of Microsoft default applications, which are normal applications that are pre-installed once you install a copy of Windows such as Groove Music, Skype, and Microsoft To Do. Surely you once noticed a large number of these applications while browsing the Start menu. Although most of them are beautiful and useful applications, few of them are useless . So, if you come across applications that you think you will never use because you already have better alternatives, let me tell you through the next lines about the easiest ways to get rid of the basic applications in Windows 11, whether with or without third-party tools.
Before we get started, we have to say that we do not recommend removing the apps included with Windows except in certain cases, for example an app that sends too many annoying notifications or to clean up the app list. The idea here is that these applications usually take up little storage space on the hard drive, in addition to having a weak impact on computer resources. If you don't want to use it, it is better to ignore it than to remove it completely. But in the event that deleting the default Windows apps is a given for you, you can try any of the methods reviewed below.
You can remove some basic applications in Windows 11 in the normal way like removing any other application. Simply right-click an app in the Start menu and then select the "Uninstall" option from the menu. You can also go to the Settings app, then click on Apps from the side menu and choose Apps & features, then press the ( ⁝ ) button in front of the application you want to delete and choose “Uninstall”.
As per our experience, this method seems to work for most of the major Microsoft applications such as Get Office, Get Skype, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Weather, Sticky Notes, Calendar, Paint 3D, and others. You can also delete programs and applications that your computer or laptop manufacturer installed using the same method.
However, you cannot remove most of the other Microsoft applications included with Windows 11 in this way but you need to forcibly get rid of them through PowerShell commands. But given that dealing with commands may seem difficult and deleting one application after another is a cumbersome process, we will use a very cool tool called O&O AppBuster.
Program O & O AppBuster provides a quick way to get rid of any software or application is installed on your touch of a button. The program is completely free and its size is less than 2 MB.
In addition, it is portable which means that it works without installing it on the device, you can even run it from the USB flash directly if you want. The program lists all the installed programs and displays them in front of you in a neat window where you can find out detailed information about each application and simply choose which applications you want to keep on your computer and which you want to remove.
O&O AppBuster also allows you to create a system restore point before starting any uninstall process which is very important. Since it allows you to delete even the hidden and essential system apps like the App Store itself, you may regret any unintended action. So after running the program, the first thing you need to do is to click on the "Actions" menu, then choose Create a system restore point and wait for the creation process to finish.
Now review the list of installed applications, and if you find unknown applications, you can click on them and the program will display accurate information about them such as installation path, installation date, application size...etc. You can then select the application(s) to be removed by placing a mark (✔️) on the left side of the application, then finally press the "Remove" button and a message will appear to review the applications you selected, press Remove to confirm the operation.
Later, if you want to bring these applications back again, the program also allows to easily reinstall any application that you have deleted, just select the application and press Install and the program will take over.