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To remove a removable preinstalled app or game in Windows 10, open Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select the app, click Uninstall, and confirm. You can also right-click the app in the Start menu and choose Uninstall. If Windows does not show an Uninstall button, the component may be built into Windows; Microsoft says some built-in apps and programs cannot be removed. Traditional desktop programs that do not uninstall from Settings can usually be removed through Control Panel instead.
How do I uninstall a preinstalled app or game in Windows 10 Settings?
The standard Windows 10 procedure takes place in the Apps & features page. It applies to removable Microsoft Store apps, Store games, and many installed desktop programs that expose an uninstall entry.
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- Open the Start menu and select Settings.
- Choose Apps.
- Stay on Apps & features. This is the Windows 10 label; newer Microsoft documentation may call the equivalent page Installed apps.
- Scroll through the list or use the search box to find the preinstalled app or game.
- Select the app’s entry and click Uninstall.
- Confirm the request if Windows displays a second prompt, then follow any uninstaller screens.
When the process finishes, the entry should disappear from the Apps & features list. A Store app or game may close immediately, while a traditional desktop program can open its own uninstall wizard.
Can I use the Start menu instead?
Yes. Select Start, find the app in the app list, right-click it, and choose Uninstall. Windows then either removes the app directly or opens the same removal workflow used by Settings.
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Which Windows 10 apps can be removed from Settings?
Windows 10 lists both Microsoft Store software and traditional desktop programs in Apps & features, but the available commands depend on how each item was installed and whether Windows treats it as a system component.
| Software type | Primary removal route | What the interface may show | If the normal route does not work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store app or game | Settings > Apps > Apps & features | An Uninstall button for removable items | Use Advanced options, Store troubleshooting, or reinstall from Microsoft Store > See more > My Library when appropriate |
| Traditional desktop program | Settings > Apps > Apps & features, when supported | An uninstall command or a link to the program’s own uninstaller | Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, or Microsoft’s Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter |
A missing command is not necessarily a Settings error. Microsoft states: “Some apps and programs are built into Windows and can’t be uninstalled.” Windows can therefore list a component while intentionally withholding the removal control.
Why is the Uninstall button missing?
The most common explanation is that Windows considers the item a built-in component. In that case, Settings does not provide a supported consumer removal command, and repeatedly opening the page will not make the button appear.
- Check that you selected the correct entry; similarly named launchers, components, and games can appear separately.
- Look for Advanced options. A Store app may expose repair or reset controls without offering uninstall.
- If the item is a traditional desktop program, try the Control Panel route described below.
Do not substitute enterprise policy instructions for this situation. Microsoft documents policy-based removal of preinstalled Store apps for Windows 11 Enterprise and Education; those Group Policy and mobile-device-management instructions are not the normal Windows 10 consumer workflow.
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How do I remove a desktop program when Settings will not uninstall it?
For a conventional desktop program, use its Control Panel entry if Apps & features cannot complete removal.
- Open Control Panel. You can search for it from the Start menu.
- Select Programs, then Programs and Features.
- Choose the program from the installed-program list.
- Click Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
- Complete the program’s own wizard and restart Windows if it requests one.
This route is for desktop software with a registered Windows uninstaller. It will not override a component that Windows has built into the operating system, and it is not a replacement for removing a Store package through its Apps & features entry.
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Use the same Apps & features sequence as for a Store app: select the game, choose Uninstall, and confirm. The fact that a game arrived with Windows or was installed from Microsoft Store does not create a separate Settings page.
If the problem is not removal but Store installation, updating, repairing, or reinstalling, use the Store-specific recovery sequence instead of repeatedly selecting Uninstall:
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- Install available updates for Windows and Microsoft Store.
- For a game that will not launch or update, use the available game troubleshooting guidance.
- Open the game’s Advanced options and try Repair first.
- If repair does not resolve the fault, use Reset, understanding that reset returns the app’s data and settings to their default state.
- To reinstall a Store title, open Microsoft Store > See more > My Library, locate the app or game, and select the install command.
- If Store apps continue to fail, run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter under Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
Repair, reset, change, and modify controls are not available for every app or program. Their absence does not mean the installation is damaged; it can reflect the package type or the options supplied by its developer.
What should I do when uninstalling fails?
Start with the least disruptive recovery step, then move to the tool that matches the failure.
1. Restart Windows
Restart the PC and try the uninstall again. A pending update, locked file, or background process can prevent a removal from completing until Windows starts a fresh session.
2. Try Repair, then Reset
If the app has Advanced options, select Repair. Repair attempts to correct the installation without the full data-clearing effect of a reset. If repair does not help, choose Reset and then retry the removal. Microsoft notes that these options are not present for every app or program.
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3. Use the Store troubleshooter for Store-specific faults
When Microsoft Store itself cannot install, update, or remove a title, update Windows and Store first, then use the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter at Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot. This addresses Store behavior rather than a missing uninstall entry for a protected Windows component.
4. Run Microsoft’s Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter
For a blocked or incomplete desktop-program removal, Microsoft’s Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter is designed for corrupted registry keys and uninstall data that prevent a program from being removed. Use it when Control Panel’s uninstall command is present but fails, disappears, or reports that the product cannot be found.
What are the practical benefits of removing unused apps?
Microsoft describes two direct benefits: removing apps you no longer use can free storage and reduce background activity. The amount depends on the particular app, its downloaded content, and how it runs; official guidance does not establish a guaranteed number of megabytes recovered, a boot-time reduction, or a percentage performance gain.
For a game, check whether you need its local data before confirming removal. If you later need the Store version again, the documented reinstall path is Microsoft Store > See more > My Library. Removing an entry from Apps & features does not turn it into an enterprise-managed package or change Windows licensing rules.
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What is the difference between Settings and Control Panel removal?
Settings is the first choice because it handles the modern Store-app model and also lists many desktop programs. Control Panel is the fallback for desktop software whose registered uninstaller is not working through Apps & features.
| Decision point | Choose Settings > Apps > Apps & features when… | Choose Control Panel > Programs and Features when… |
|---|---|---|
| App model | The item is a Microsoft Store app or game, or a desktop program listed with a working uninstall command. | The item is a traditional desktop program with a registered Control Panel entry. |
| Removal command | Windows exposes Uninstall in the app entry. | Settings cannot complete the process but Control Panel offers Uninstall or Uninstall/Change. |
| Recovery path | Use Advanced options, Store troubleshooting, or reinstall through Microsoft Store. | Use the program’s wizard, then Microsoft’s Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter if uninstall data is damaged. |
Does Windows 10 support status affect app removal?
Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance says Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. The Settings, Control Panel, and Store menus can still be present on an existing installation, but lifecycle status matters when deciding whether to keep using that system and when troubleshooting future Store problems.
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What should I check before confirming removal?
- Verify the name and publisher so you do not remove a similarly named component.
- Confirm that the item is not a built-in component for which Windows intentionally withholds Uninstall.
- For a Store title, know where to reinstall it: Microsoft Store > See more > My Library.
- For a desktop program, save any work and close the program before launching its uninstaller.
- If the first attempt fails, restart before changing settings or using a repair utility.
The supported Windows 10 path is therefore straightforward: try Apps & features, switch to Control Panel for a desktop program, and use Microsoft’s repair or troubleshooting tools only when the normal uninstaller cannot complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reinstall a Windows 10 Store game after uninstalling it?
Yes, when the title remains associated with your Microsoft Store library, open Microsoft Store, choose See more, select My Library, and use the install command for the game. This is the documented Store route rather than a second Settings uninstall cycle.
Why does Microsoft documentation sometimes say “Installed apps” instead of “Apps & features”?
Microsoft uses Apps & features for the Windows 10 Settings page. Installed apps is the label used in newer Windows documentation, so the wording can differ even though both instructions describe the app-management area for their respective Windows versions.
Will uninstalling unused apps make my PC faster by a specific percentage?
No official figure establishes a guaranteed speed increase, boot-time reduction, or fixed amount of storage recovered. The documented benefits are qualitative: more available storage and less background activity, with the actual effect depending on the app and its behavior.
What if the Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter cannot find my desktop program?
That utility is intended for corrupted registry keys and uninstall data that block a desktop-program removal. If the program is a built-in Windows component or lacks a registered uninstaller, the missing entry is a platform limitation rather than a problem the troubleshooter can promise to remove.
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