I stopped letting these 6 “bloatware” apps slow down my Windows PC
Windows comes with many preinstalled applications. Although a few are genuinely useful, many remain unused. These unused apps always eat up storage space, clutter the Start menu, and sometimes run in the background, putting unnecessary strain on your system. Here are some apps that I barely used, if at all.
News
Microsoft News is intended to provide headlines, weather, financial updates and trending news in one place. However, I find him more of a web scraper full of clickbait: his feed often highlights sensational headlines, sponsored content and recycled stories rather than providing truly relevant information. 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, allowing me to browse it whenever I feel like it. More importantly, I just don’t consume news directly from the News app. I rely instead on RSS readers, curated news apps, and newsletters. For these reasons, I don’t even remember the last time I intentionally opened this app.
Feedback Center
Microsoft encourages users to report bugs, suggest features, and participate in Windows Insider testing through its dedicated Feedback Hub app. However, I’ve never used it once. Like many pre-installed apps, it just sits there, taking up space. The interface is also cluttered, making it difficult to locate the right options for submitting comments.
Although I don’t use this app for these reasons, that doesn’t mean I avoid sharing comments. I contribute through forums and community discussions. That said, if you’re a Windows enthusiast who likes to dive into specific issues, suggest new features, explore other users’ feedback, or follow preview release announcements, this may still be useful to you.
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 slow, especially as video length or resolution increases.
Rather than using a tool that is not very powerful for serious editing but excessive 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 fine-grained control, features that Clipchamp largely restricts unless you pay.
Cards
The main appeal of the Maps app was the 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 best choice. Even if you try to use it, outdated listings, unreliable traffic updates, and weak search results quickly make it impractical.
For this reason, 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 much more. Even if you plan to use your laptop for navigation, it’s best to open Google Maps in your browser instead of worrying about the built-in app.
Keep in mind, however, that Microsoft has discontinued the Maps app, which is another good reason to uninstall it and reclaim some storage space. In addition, from Windows 11 version 24H2, the application is no longer installed by default.
Tape recorder
Sound Recorder does what it’s supposed 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 allow us to directly capture and share voice notes. Even for screen recordings or face-cam videos, the tools you use usually 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 this to Audacity, which is completely free and much more powerful. It supports a wide range of recording and editing features, works completely offline, and doesn’t require an account.
Camera
Much like Sound Recorder, the Camera app is largely useless, despite its usefulness. Think about it: when was the last time you grabbed your laptop just to take a selfie? Standalone photos are the foundation of your phone. On a laptop, a webcam is really only necessary 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 much more efficiently. 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 delete the unused Windows apps mentioned above, but if they have been sitting untouched for years, deleting them can help. It declutters your Start menu, frees up storage, and reduces unnecessary background processes. Plus, it’s easier to find and focus on the apps you actually use every day.
