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What apps and programs are safe to delete/uninstall?

I like have a clean desktop. This is hard to achieve with programs installed that are not easy to get rid of that I don't/can't use. So, I'm wondering what apps and programs are safe to delete and how?

I'm uninstalling the apps through PowerShell (Yes, I am also uninstalling through the traditional right click.) the only safe commands for it that I know of are:

Alarms & Clocks

Calculator

Camera

Groove Music

Mail & Calendar

Maps

Movies & TV

OneNote

People

Photos

Voice Recorder

Xbox

In fact, as someone previously said I don't understand why some of these are even included on a desktop PC such as Maps. But if there's more that are safe to delete, I would love to know!

The apps I would also like to get rid of, alongside the ones above are:

Connect

HP+

Messaging

Mixed Reality Portal

Movie Maker

Rara Music (When I click uninstall it takes me to Control Panel; where this program is not.)

Walmart Photo Center (When I click uninstall it takes me to Control Panel; where this program is not.)

Paint 3D

Photo Gallery (When I click uninstall it takes me to Control Panel; where this program is not.)

Ebay (When I click uninstall it takes me to Control Panel; where this program is not.)

Sticky Notes

View 3D

Character Map

Math Input Panel

Snipping Tool

Steps Recorder

XPS Viewer

Magnifier

Narrorator

On-Screen Keyboard

Windows Speech

Windows Media Player (When I click uninstall it takes me to Control Panel; where this program is not.)

These all came with the PC, I did not install them myself.

As for the programs I would like to get rid of, if safely possible are:

Bonjour (??? The verified publisher is Apple, yet this is not a Apple computer.)

CyberLink Label Print (Only if it does not affect movies I would like to delete it.)

HP My Room

Microsoft OneDrive

WildTanget Games (Has an error when I do try to uninstall. I check the 2 games I would like to also remove (I don't play them.) and it doesn't get past that.)

I assume the rest of the programs are essential for the computer to run properly.

One thing I did notice after removing the safe-to-remove apps through PowerShell was that the folder icons on my Start Menu are kind of wonky since then. They're either a odd shape or gone. When I click on the folder they're fine. I know it's not anything serious, but is this fixable? If not that's okay, I use Cortana more than my Start Menu, haha.

I would also like to know if there are any extra folders and files that I don't need that can be deleted as well (Microsoft Office, for example?).

I do not use any of the apps or programs, nor do I plan on using them.

Some of the programs in the second and third list are put there by the computer manufacturer.

Windows Media Player is a Window feature so the switch to Control Panel is correct, Programs and features, you need to then select the Add or remove features function.

Bonjour is indeed an Apple utility and is used to communicate to Apple devices, it normally gets added by installing iTunes.

Ebay as far as I know is just a web link. If you open the All Apps list, right click on it and select More > Open file location (not all apps will have it). This opens the Start Menu folder with the actual Shortcuts, again right click and check the properties. This tells you if it  starts a program and where it is or in the case of Ebay or Amazon if it just opens a Web page. If the latter just delete the shortcut.

I think your Icon issue is down to deleting Xbox.

Character map has been a part of Windows from the very 1st versions and may be called by other programs to manage non keyboard characters.

I agree in principle with your point, why is there no uninstall for films and TV or What is the Mixed Reality Portal (sounds like somewhere to buy drugs) but what is it you are trying to achieve? If a program does not appear in the Startup list within Task manager the only effect it has is to take up a few MB of disk space.

WildTangent is really just a set of Shockwave files and could be purged manually

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Thanks for the quick reply!

I'm not trying to achieve anything - I just prefer not having stuff that I'm not going to use, no matter how little space it takes. I guess it's just a personal preference.

Well, I don't use iTunes (and don't plan on it) - so I assume that Bonjour safe to delete?

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To the best of my knowledge it has no other use so the question is if you haven't installed iTunes why is it there? Actually not so much why as how?

As you have found some programs can be part of Windows with the Start Menu user interface taking some elements from XBOX. On earlier Windows IE was also part of the Windows UI so couldn't be deleted, the main one I would be concerned about would be OneDrive which is integral to File Explorer (I could be wrong, just my opinion).

Also with the next build release don't be surprised if they come back. If the build upgrade includes upgrades to one of the deleted utilities they would reappear (I deleted Sport from Windows 8.1 about 3 times)

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I don't know how Bonjour got there. Came with the PC, maybe? I've never used - much less installed iTunes. Lol.

Well, if OneNote (Or Drive?) is connected with other interfaces/programs/whatever I guess I'll leave that alone. It's just really annoying to have it pop up whenever I turn on my PC seeing as I never use it. Don't even log into it.

It wouldn't be surprising if they came back. As long as their deletable, I guess. Be annoying, but eh, if you're not using it, no point in keeping it, no matter how many times it returns.

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Last updated March 30, 2025 Views 145,913 Applies to: