1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Windows 11 might finally reverse course on preinstalled applications

By

Microsoft is testing the ability to allow users to uninstall various preinstalled applications from its operating systems to make way for third-party apps and modern updates of older programs.

The brand recently began rolling out Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23585, which will allow applicable users to uninstall a range of apps from Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft detailed on its Windows Insider Blog that the Insider Preview Build update will allow users to uninstall the Camera app, Cortana, Photos app, People app, and Remote Desktop (MSTSC) client without needing extra tools.

Microsoft / Microsoft

Notably, as a Windows 11 Insider build update, this is an exclusive rollout for those who have registered as Windows 11 Insiders to test software ahead of it potentially being released to the public. However, this gives an idea of what Microsoft could have in mind for future updates. There’s no guarantee, however, that this will be an actual Windows feature.

Recommended Videos

Windows Central noted that the Cortana app was depreciated to end-of-life status in August and no longer works on Windows. It would likely be scrubbed from the system in a future update anyway. Microsoft has plans to install its AI assistant Copilot as Cortana’s replacement. There’s a good argument for the ability to manually uninstall features that no longer work rather than having to wait for another update to get rid of them. Microsoft also depreciated the 30-year-old WordPad application in September, which will also remain on devices until it is removed in a future update.

XDA Developers suggested that being able to remove default applications from the system easily will afford users the space to install their preferred third-party apps instead. Last year, Microsoft began to spruce up its app store, first by bringing some of its own applications, such as Microsoft Teams, to the marketplace. Then it made the app store more compatible with third-party developers by ending the waitlist program for Win32 apps in the Microsoft Store.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Fionna Agomuoh
Computing Writer
Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…
The most common Windows 11 problems and how to fix them

With Windows 10 officially losing support next year, Windows 11 is poised to take over as the dominant operating system. Many users have already switched over to the latest Microsoft OS – and while it's not perfect, most are finding it to be a nice step forward from Windows 10. Of course, there are a few quirks people will have to get used to, but most of the bugs and technical issues have already been ironed out.

That's not to say Windows 11 is perfect. In fact, there are still a handful of common Windows 11 problems that people are encountering, including ones that cause no sound to play, network connections to be laggy, and games to run at less-than-optimal speeds. Thankfully, many of these issues are easy to resolve without extensive troubleshooting or the need to contact customer support.

Read more
Windows 11 tips and tricks: 8 hidden settings you need to try

Windows 11 has been around for quite a while now. The operating system isn't as new as when it first came out in 2021, but many people are still updating it for the first time from Windows 10. Yet whether you're new to Windows 11 or have been using it since launch, there are a few things that you still might want to tweak to get a better experience. Microsoft doesn't have all these settings upfront, but we're here to surface them for you.
Move the Taskbar and Start Menu to the left

One of the biggest differences between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is the location of the Taskbar and Start Menu. On Windows 10, the Taskbar and Start Menu are positioned to the left of the screen. Windows 11, though, changes that by moving both to the center. If this annoys you, then you can easily change it back.

Read more
Microsoft finds a sneaky way to slip more ads into Windows

Microsoft is currently testing a new way to showcase ads on the Windows 11 Start Menu, and it's meant to encourage users to download more applications.

The brand has used the top of the Windows start menu as an area to showcase general ads in the past, and it was not well-received by system users. However, it is now experimenting with putting what it calls “app promotions” at the bottom of the start menu area, according to Windows Central.

Read more