How To Uninstall Microsoft Store Apps
It’s extremely easy and safe to do
The introduction of the Microsoft Store was one of the largest changes to Windows in modern history. This change was accentuated by one of the most controversial “upgrades” the operating system has ever seen: the Windows 8 Start menu.
Whether you love it, hate it, or use a Windows shell replacement to avoid it altogether, the Microsoft Store and its apps are likely things you’re going to have to interact with at some point in your PC’s life.
For those of you not so crazy over the Microsoft Store’s apps, it’s worth it to know the uninstallation process. Your PC will likely come with several apps from the Microsoft Store installed out of the box, so tidying up your PC involves pruning those.
For whatever reason you’re looking to uninstall Microsoft Store apps, this article has you covered. Let’s discuss the two easiest ways to uninstall Microsoft Store apps, as well as a brief overview of what these apps are in the first place.
What Are Microsoft Store Apps?
The Microsoft Store started as an app store on Windows 8, then known as the Windows Store, to distribute Universal Windows Platform apps. In Windows 10, Microsoft consolidated all of its other storefronts and distribution platforms into a single app and gave it a new name.
Those platforms include the Xbox Store, Windows Phone Store, Windows Marketplace, and more.
In late 2018, Microsoft revealed that the Microsoft Store was home to over 35 million application titles. Similar to Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, the Microsoft Store helps distribute applications after a certification process. Unlike many other third-party applications you may download off the web, apps on the Microsoft Store are vetted for safety and compliance.
However, not everyone is a fan of the tablet-like interfaces that many of these apps bring to the desktop. One of the best examples is Skype—if you’re like me, you much prefer the more compact, standalone desktop version to the app listed on the Microsoft Store. That being said, let’s look into how you can uninstall any Microsoft Store app.
Uninstall Microsoft Store Apps From Start Menu
The simplest and most intuitive way to uninstall Microsoft Store apps is directly from the Windows 8 or Windows 10 Start menu. It takes just a few clicks.
All you have to do is open your Start menu, scroll down the list of installed applications, and find the Microsoft Store app that you never want to see again. Right-click on it, click Uninstall, and that’s it—you’ll never be bothered by it again.
Some applications, such as Microsoft Edge, don’t have the Uninstall button. Applications like this are considered to be core to Windows and are blocked from any simple means of uninstallation. Doing so could affect the functionality of other programs.
Uninstall Microsoft Store Apps via Settings
The next-easiest method to uninstalling Microsoft Store apps is by doing it through your Windows Settings.
To access Settings, press the Windows + I key combination.
From this screen, click on the Apps tile. This will take you to a page that, if you scroll down, has a long list of all of the applications installed on your PC. There’s also a search field so you can easily filter and find the application you may be looking for.
Clicking on any application in this list will unveil the Move and Uninstall buttons for it. The Uninstall button will—unsurprisingly—start the uninstallation process for the respective application.
Uninstalling Microsoft Store Apps with Third-Party Software
The simplest alternative to uninstalling Microsoft Store apps from within Windows Explorer involves third-party software. It’s worth noting that this isn’t always safe, and we personally don’t recommend going down this road unless you’re out of options.
Of these options, TheWindowsClub’s 10AppManager for Windows 10 is one of the best. It will allow you to uninstall and reinstall applications that come preinstalled with Windows 10. However, it must be stated that this software may be updated, changed, or patched in a way that could have unintended consequences at any time past the date of publishing this post.
There are other freeware applications out there that can uninstall Microsoft Store apps, such as CCleaner—but we’ve already explained why you shouldn’t download CCleaner in a past post, and we haven’t changed our minds. Understand the risks that come with modifying Windows with third-party software and only do so if you’ve created a backup and/or system restore point.
Whether they came preinstalled with Windows or were installed by you, getting rid of Microsoft Store apps is extremely easy and can be safely performed all within the Windows UI. Whichever apps you wish to uninstall can be nixed away in just a matter of seconds by following the instructions above.
Do you know any other ways to get rid of Microsoft Store Apps? Want to let us know what you think or get some help? Feel free to drop us a comment below!
Craig is a long-time writer, coder, and marketer with years of experience in the technology and gaming spaces. Since 2008, he’s worked remotely with some of the most notable publications in these industries, specializing in Windows, PC hardware and software, automation, and the like. Read Craig’s Full Bio
Windows store apps uninstall
This is a basic tutorial for Windows 10 beginners, who want to know how to install or uninstall UWP apps in Windows 10 that you download from the Microsoft Store. The process is quite simple, so let us take a look at it.
How to install Windows Store apps
If you wish to install Windows Store Apps on your Windows 10 PC, you will have to visit the official Microsoft Store, search for the app, and then download and install it.
Type ‘store‘ in the taskbar bar search and click open the Store app. Using the search bar, search for the app. Once the Store app is found, click on the Install button.
If the app is free, you will see Free written on the button. The process is rather simple, and the installation is quick and straightforward too.
How to uninstall Windows 10 Store Apps
To remove or uninstall a Windows 10 Apps which you installed from the Windows Store, you have the following options:
- Uninstall it from the Start Menu
- Uninstall it via Settings
- Use a PowerShell command
- Use a PowerShell script
- Use a third-party freeware.
1] Uninstall it from the Start Menu
The easiest way to uninstall Windows 10 apps is to type the name of the app in the taskbar search. Once its icon is displayed in the search result, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.
That is all! The app will be uninstalled in a few moments.
2] Uninstall it via Settings
- Click on Start Menu to open it
- Click on Settings to open the Settings window
- In the Settings Window, click on System
- Click on Apps and Features. The right panel will be populated with the list of preinstalled Windows 10 apps that you can remove
- Click on an app to see the options Move and Uninstall. Click on Uninstall to remove the application.
The Uninstall feature is not available for all Windows 10 apps. Some of them, which Windows thinks, are essential to you, and hence you will not see the Uninstall button next to them.
How to uninstall Windows Store programs efficiently
Windows (especially Windows 10) comes with many built-in programs like Groove Music, Calculator, Calendar, Mail, Weather. However, not all of these programs are really helpful.
For example, what’s the last time you’ve launched Groove Music? Or checked the MSN Weather? Or used native Microsoft mail and messaging programs? You may not use some built-in software regularly, but you still have them on your computer or in your start menu. That is not quite a productive way to use the resources of your computer. In this case, the uninstallation of unneeded programs would be the most reasonable decision.
Before we go on with uninstalling software, let’s answer several questions that might bother you.
Is uninstallation of Windows Store programs risky in any way?
No. You do not risk when you uninstall Windows Store programs because they are not connected with any vital operating system files or sensitive data. Thus, the uninstallation of a Windows Store software is safe.
What’s the difference between uninstalling a Win Store software and any other program?
Unlike third-party programs, Windows Store software is installed by default and does not include built-in uninstallation mechanisms. It means that removing these «native» Windows programs is not an easy task that might require some time and effort to find an appropriate cleanup tool.
Is uninstallation worth the effort?
There is no harm in leaving the programs as they are. However, if you decide to uninstall them, that can bring you several benefits:
— Start menu that is easy to navigate: Getting rid of unnecessary software simplifies your access to valuable programs.
— More of free disk space: Windows programs are lightweight if taken separately, but together they may occupy a lot of space on your drive.
— Higher performance: The fewer programs you have running on the background the more free RAM you get so removing unnecessary programs can make your computer work faster
There are several ways to uninstall built-in Windows programs, each having its pros and cons. Let’s take a look and choose the best one.
Windows uninstallation option
You can remove some Windows Store programs by using their built-in uninstallers. To do it, you have to:
- Go to Start menu — Settings.
- Select Apps and then Apps & features.
- Find the software you want to remove in the list.
- Click Uninstall.
Pros: Doesn’t require much effort
Cons: Works only for some Windows programs, while the rest of them just lack the Uninstall option.
Windows PowerShell method
PowerShell is a scripting language that is built into Windows and can be used to perform different tasks, including the uninstallation of programs. To remove any software using this method, open PowerShell as an administrator. Windows PowerShell looks like this:
Then, you need to insert specific commands for each program you’d like to get rid of. For example, to uninstall Movies and TV, you have to insert the following command:
Get-AppxPackage *zunevideo* | Remove-AppxPackage
Pros: This way allows to remove more built-in programs than the Windows uninstallation option. Using a specific command, you can also get a list of all Windows Store programs on your computer.
Cons: Working with a console and scripting language might be difficult to deal with if you’ve never done this earlier. As a Windows user, you are probably more familiar with software that offers a convenient interface.
CleanMyPC Uninstaller module
CleanMyPC makes it easy to remove any Windows Store program. All you have to do is launch the CleanMyPC and go to the Uninstaller module.
CleanMyPC provides a list of all programs installed on your computer. Windows’ built-in software is marked with the corresponding label so that you could easily detect it.
You need to choose the program you want to remove, click the Uninstall button, and then confirm your decision. The software will be removed automatically along with all its files. CleanMyPC makes sure the program is removed completely and no leftovers remain on the hard drive.
Pros: Uninstalling Windows Store programs is absolutely free. The interface is really user-friendly. You do not need specific knowledge and skills to go through the process. The uninstallation is pretty fast as long as Windows’ built-in programs are easy for CleanMyPC to trace and remove. The module copes with the task perfectly and leaves no remnants after the uninstallation.
Cons: Try out the tool and see if you can find any.
Download CleanMyPC and uninstall any built-in Windows program. You’ll see that Uninstaller offers the best way to remove unwanted software. With the free trial version of CleanMyPC, you can delete any number of default Windows programs.