Chicago
Track Your Order
0
I stopped letting these 6 bloatware apps slow down my Windows PC
I stopped letting these 6 bloatware apps slow down my Windows PC
Windows ships with plenty of preinstalled apps. While a few are genuinely helpful, many remain unused. These unused apps still consume storage, clutter the Start menu, and sometimes run in the background, placing unnecessary strain on your system. Here are some apps I’ve barely ever used, if at all.
News
Microsoft News is meant to provide headlines, weather, financial updates, and trending stories all in one place. However, I find it more like a web scraper filled with clickbait—its feed often highlights sensational headlines, sponsored content, and recycled stories rather than delivering truly relevant news. Even after adjusting my interests, I still see irrelevant topics and ads.
Much of the same content is also available on Microsoft Edge’s new tab page, so I can browse it there whenever I feel like it. More importantly, I simply don’t consume news directly from the News app. I rely on RSS readers, curated news apps, and newsletters instead. For these reasons, I can’t even remember the last time I intentionally opened this app.
Feedback Hub
Microsoft encourages users to report bugs, suggest features, and join Windows Insider testing through its dedicated Feedback Hub app. However, I’ve never used it even once. Like many preinstalled apps, it just sits there, taking up space. The interface is also cluttered, making it hard to locate the right options for submitting feedback.
While I skip using this app for these reasons, that doesn’t mean I avoid sharing feedback. I contribute through forums and community discussions. That said, if you’re a Windows enthusiast who enjoys diving into specific issues, suggesting new features, exploring feedback from other users, or keeping up with preview-build announcements, you may still find it helpful.
Clipchamp
Clipchamp is Microsoft’s built-in video editor, but I’ve never really had a reason to use it. While it can handle basic video creation and editing, many of its advanced tools, templates, and export options are locked behind a subscription. It also relies heavily on web technologies, which makes it feel sluggish—especially as video length or resolution increases.
Rather than using a tool that’s underpowered for serious editing yet overkill for simple tasks, I prefer Shotcut. It works entirely offline, is open-source, and supports a wide range of formats and resolutions. With Shotcut, you get full timeline editing, filters, transitions, and precise control—features that Clipchamp largely restricts unless you pay.
Maps
The Maps app’s main appeal was offline maps and basic navigation, which sounds useful in theory—but how often do you actually use a laptop to navigate streets or roads? Probably never, since a phone is almost always the better choice. Even if you try using it, outdated listings, unreliable traffic updates, and weak search results quickly make it impractical.
Because of that, I never use it; instead, I rely on Google Maps on my phone, which offers real-time traffic, accurate transit information, Street View, up-to-date business data, and more. Even if you plan to use your laptop for navigation, you’re still better off opening Google Maps in your browser instead of bothering with the built-in app.
Keep in mind, however, that Microsoft has deprecated the Maps app, which is another good reason to uninstall it and reclaim storage space. Additionally, starting with Windows 11 version 24H2, the app is no longer installed by default.
Sound Recorder
Sound Recorder does what it’s meant to do, but how often do we really need to record just our voice as a standalone clip? Most of the time, the apps we already use include built-in recording features that let us capture and share voice notes directly. Even for screen recordings or face-cam videos, the tools you use typically handle audio recording as well.
And if you’re considering it for more serious or professional use, Sound Recorder offers very little control over audio quality, formats, noise reduction, or editing. Compare that to Audacity, which is entirely free and vastly more powerful. It supports a wide range of recording and editing features, works entirely offline, and doesn’t require an account.
Camera
Much like Sound Recorder, the Camera app is largely unnecessary, despite how useful it sounds. Think about it—when was the last time you grabbed your laptop just to take a selfie? Standalone photos are what your phone is for. On a laptop, a webcam is really only needed for video calls, online meetings, or streaming—and you don’t need the Camera app for that.
Apps like Zoom and Teams handle webcam input far more effectively. Even if you want to record a standalone video, alternatives like OBS Studio are better. Unlike the Camera app, which offers limited control over resolution, focus, or audio and lacks background effects, third-party apps let you adjust lighting, frame rate, apply virtual backgrounds, and more.
You don’t need to remove the unused Windows apps mentioned above, but if they’ve been left untouched for years, removing them can be helpful. It declutters your Start menu, frees up storage, and reduces unnecessary background processes. Plus, it makes it easier to find and focus on the apps you actually use daily.
