Over time, computers can accumulate a lot of junk files that take up space and potentially reduce performance. Many times, this happens due to installing apps you only use once and never again, so it's good to occasionally look through your apps and remove what you don't need. It can clean up your Start menu, free up space, and even improve performance. To help you out, we're going to show you how you can uninstall apps in Windows 10. While some exact details differ, the process isn't too different for Windows 11.

There are multiple ways you can uninstall apps, and it's not a complicated process. We'll show you a couple of ways built right into the operating system.

How to uninstall apps from the Start menu in Windows 10

The easiest and quickest way to uninstall an app is to use the Start menu on Windows 10 or Windows 11. It's a super simple process that should work for most apps. There are some built-in Windows apps you can't delete, but we'll get to that in a bit. Here's what you need to do:

1. Open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon on the taskbar or pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. Find the app you want to delete. If you've pinned the app to the start menu, you can use that, otherwise, scroll down the app list on the left side to find it.

   

3. Right-click the app and choose Uninstall.
   • One of two things will happen. For modern apps that use proper package management, the app will be uninstalled immediately, and you can stop here. For classic-style apps, you may be taken to the Control Panel with a list of apps to uninstall.
   • In the latter case, find the app you want to uninstall on this list and right-click it, then choose Uninstall. In some cases, apps may be part of a bundle. For example, if you want to uninstall Microsoft Word, you'll have to uninstall all of Microsoft Office.

     

4. Follow the instructions in the removal process. It will be different for every app, and some apps may try to convince you to keep them installed, so be careful not to fall into any traps. That's usually a sign you should avoid those apps in the future.

On Windows 11, the process is similar, but the Start menu looks quite different. You can open the Start menu and right-click one of your pinned apps (in the top half of the menu) to uninstall it, or you may need to click the All apps button at the top to see your full list of apps. Otherwise, the process is essentially the same.

How to uninstall apps using Settings

While the steps above work for most apps, you might want to uninstall some apps that aren't visible in the Start menu. Whether they're drivers or background tasks, some apps aren't immediately visible on the Start menu. Deleting these kinds of apps can cause issues if you don't know what you're doing, but if you want to do it, here's how:

1. Open the Settings app and click Apps to see your installed apps. On Windows 11, you'll need to click Apps, then Apps & features.
   • Alternatively, open the Start menu and start typing "Add or remove programs" until that option appears in the search results, then select it.

2. Find the app you want to uninstall and select it. Then, click Uninstall and confirm your choice. On Windows 11, click the three-dot icon next to the app name and choose Uninstall.

   

3. For modern apps, the app will be uninstalled right away, while classic-style apps will open the setup wizard to uninstall them. Follow the instructions to uninstall the app, and you'll be done.

How to remove pre-installed Windows apps

If you tried following the steps above and the app you want to remove can't be uninstalled, it may be because it's a preinstalled Windows app. Some of these apps can't be uninstalled normally, usually because Microsoft considers them core features of the OS. If you want to remove them anyway, though, you can use an app like O&O App Buster. This app can run without being installed on your PC, and it can uninstall almost any app from your PC.

That includes most system apps, though there are still exceptions for apps and services that are essential for some Windows features. But if you want to uninstall things like Cortana, the Camera app, and so on, you can do it with this. It even lets you uninstall apps in bulk to make things faster. Because you may be messing with some important features, the app can also create a restore point before making any changes, so you can always roll back to your previous state.

You can download O&O App Buster here if you want to uninstall some of these preinstalled apps.

Looking for more Windows tips and guides? Learn how to block websites in Chrome, download YouTube videos, or even stream on Twitch. We're here to help.