If you bought a laptop from Dell, HP, Lenovo, or ASUS, you will have an additional layer of bloatware not found in a clean install of Windows. This varies by brand but typically includes:
Microsoft To Do, OneNote, Maps, and Microsoft Office (trial versions) Weather, People, Clipchamp, Journal, and Power Automate Windows 11 Bloatware: What You NEED To Know (2026)
The third category is perhaps the most frustrating: . Windows 11 comes with multiple tools that overlap in function, confusing novice users while offering no benefit to veterans. The Xbox app suite is a prime example. For non-gamers, Xbox Console Companion , Xbox Game Bar , Xbox Identity Provider , and Xbox Live are background processes that consume RAM and CPU cycles. Turning off the Game Bar’s screen recording feature requires diving into settings, and it often re-enables itself after updates. Similarly, the Your Phone app and the Link to Windows feature do the same thing. The Mixed Reality Portal remains installed by default even though Microsoft has largely abandoned consumer VR. Finally, the Feedback Hub is essential for beta testers but is useless bloat for a standard user who just wants to check email. all windows 11 bloatware
Be careful when using PowerShell or Clean Install methods. Ensure you have backed up your data, and do not remove core system components (like .NET runtime or Microsoft Store) unless you know what you are doing, as this can break other app functionalities.
The first and most perplexing category of Windows 11 bloatware consists of . The poster child for this category is Cortana . Once touted as the future of Windows, Cortana was officially killed as a consumer assistant in 2023. Yet, on a fresh install of Windows 11, the Cortana icon lingers in the Start menu, launching a vestigial app that merely opens a help document explaining it no longer works. Similarly, Internet Explorer is disabled, but its underlying engine remains in the form of IE Mode in Edge, while the Windows Mail & Calendar apps persist even though Microsoft is actively trying to force users into the web-based Outlook. Other examples include the People bar (which no one uses) and the Math Input Panel (a relic of the tablet era). These apps are digital fossils—unused, unloved, but taking up space on the SSD and cluttering the Start menu’s "All Apps" list. If you bought a laptop from Dell, HP,
Windows 11 is a powerful, visually polished operating system, but its reliance on bloatware remains its most significant "user experience" flaw. While these pre-installed apps provide a revenue stream for Microsoft and its partners, they do so at the cost of system efficiency and user trust. Until Microsoft prioritizes a truly "minimalist" installation option, users will likely continue to view the first hour of owning a new PC as a chore dedicated to deleting software they never wanted in the first place.
These are apps pre-installed by Microsoft via deals with other companies. They are generally the most annoying type of bloatware as they serve purely as advertisements. The Xbox app suite is a prime example
Fresh installs often feature "stubs" or shortcuts for apps like TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, or casual games like Candy Crush . These are essentially paid advertisements within the Start menu, occupying space and system resources.
This isn't an "app" per se, but a setting that fills your Start Menu with bloatware ads for apps like "Spotify," "Disney+," or "Candy Crush" in the form of clickable icons.