Microsoft makes it easy to uninstall bloatware and other apps that you may no longer use in Windows 11. You can uninstall apps using the settings app, the classic Control Panel, the Start menu, and the command line.

Whether you want to uninstall third-party, unremovable, or built-in (universal) apps, here's how to do it safely.

1. How to Uninstall Apps in Windows 11 via the Settings App

uninstall windows 11 app settings

Microsoft has revamped its Settings app for Windows 11. Compared to its predecessor, the new layout is sleeker and easier to use. The streamlined interface makes finding things uncomplicated. Here’s how you can uninstall apps using the new Settings app in Windows 11.

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. In the left pane, open the Apps tab.
  3. In the right pane, click on Apps and Features and then scroll through the installed apps to locate the app you want to uninstall. You can also use the search bar to find apps.
  4. Click the three dots button beside the app name and select Uninstall.
  5. Click the Uninstall button again to confirm the action.

2. Uninstall Windows 11 Apps via the Start Menu

uninstall windows 11 app start menu

Another handy and quick way to uninstall apps is through the Start menu. Here’s how to do it.

  1. Click the Start button to bring up the menu.
  2. Click on All Apps.
  3. Next, scroll through the list to locate the app you want to uninstall.
  4. Right-click on the app icon and select Uninstall.
  5. Click the Uninstall button again to confirm the action. Windows will now uninstall the app.

This works well if you want to uninstall Microsoft Store apps. However, for non-Microsoft Store apps, you will be redirected to the classic Programs and features page in the Control Panel.

From here, locate and select the app you want to remove. Then click the Uninstall button from the top-right corner. Click Yes to confirm the action and wait for the app to uninstall.

3. Uninstall Windows 11 Apps via the Control Panel

uninstall windows 11 app control panel

Windows 11's settings app now has more system settings than ever. However, several advanced features still rely on the classic Control Panel. It also retains the built-in program manager to remove and modify installed apps.

To uninstall Windows 11 apps using the Control Panel:

  1. Press Win key + R to open Run.
  2. Type control and click OK to open the Control Panel.
  3. Next, go to Programs and then click on Programs and Features.
  4. Locate and select the app you want to uninstall and click Uninstall.
  5. Click Uninstall again to remove the app.

4. Uninstall Windows 11 Apps via the Command Prompt

remove windows 11 app command prompt

If you are unable to remove an app from the Settings app or Control Panel, try removing it using Command Prompt. You can use the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line tool to find and uninstall apps in Windows 11.

To uninstall apps using the Command Prompt:

  1. Press Win and type cmd.
  2. From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command to load the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line tool (WMIC).
            wmic
        
  4. Next, enter the following command to list all the apps recognized WMIC.
            product get name
        
  5. The list will only show apps recognized by WMIC, so it will likely be smaller. Go through the apps to see if the app you want to uninstall exists.
  6. Next, to uninstall the app enter the following command:
            Product where name="name of program" call uninstall
        
  7. In the above command, replace “name of program” with the app name you want to uninstall.
  8. For example, if you want to uninstall the ManicTime app, the command will look like this:
            Product where name="ManicTime" call uninstall
        
  9. Type Y and hit enter to confirm the action. Once the app is uninstalled, Command Prompt will display the Method execution successful message.

Related: Windows Command Prompt (CMD) Commands You Must Know

5. Remove Windows 11 Universal Apps Using PowerShell

remove windows 11 built in apps powershell

Windows 11 comes with a few handy and not-so handy pre-installed apps. Irrespective of their usefulness, Microsoft does not offer any option to remove built-in apps.

However, you can remove these apps if you know your way around PowerShell. By making use of the Remove-AppxPackage command, you can uninstall built-in Windows 11 apps. Here’s how to do it.

  1. Press the Windows key and type powershell.
  2. Right-click on the PowerShell app and select Run as administrator.
  3. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and hit enter:
            Get-AppxPackage
        
  4. This will populate your screen with all the apps installed on your PC, including built-in Windows apps. Go through the list and locate the app you want to uninstall. For example, if you want to uninstall Microsoft Whiteboard, the app name is listed as Microsoft.Whiteboard.
  5. Alternatively, right-click on the PowerShell title bar, and go to Edit > Find, type the app name to locate the program.
  6. Next, copy the PackageFulleName. This is required to uninstall the app.
  7. To uninstall the app, type the following command and hit enter:
            Remove-AppxPackage App Name
        
  8. In the above command, replace App Name with the PackageFullName. For example, to uninstall the Microsoft Whiteboard app, the full command will look like this:
            Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.Whiteboard_21.10913.5785.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
        
  9. Wait for the process to complete. This will uninstall the app from your system.

6. Uninstall Apps Using Third-Party Apps Uninstallers

When you uninstall apps with the built-in Windows uninstaller, it leaves behind supporting files comprising empty registry entries, program data and application shortcuts, and more.

Third-party installers can remove stubborn programs and delete the leftover files. There are plenty of tools that can do this job, but here are a few free uninstallers that you can consider.

Revo Uninstaller

revo uninstaller windows 11

As the name indicates, Revo Uninstaller is a dedicated app uninstaller for the Windows OS. It can remove both third-party and built-in Windows apps. Additionally, it comes with clean-up tools to clean existing junk files left during your previous cleanup drive.

Revo Uninstaller is free to use. But upgrading to the Pro version offers clean-up tools, browser extensions removal, bulk uninstallation, and real-time monitoring features.

Download: Revo Uninstaller (Free, Pro $12.47)

IObit Uninstaller

iobit uninstaller windows 11

IObit Uninstaller offers a similar set of features as Revo Uninstaller. It allows you to remove third-party apps, erase bundleware, and free up space by identifying large programs that are taking up space. You can view and uninstall Microsoft Store and built-in apps as well.

IOBit Uninstaller is available in both free and Pro versions. The latter offers a one-click software updater, clean install with log, remove stubborn apps, and a software updater.

Download: IObit Uninstaller (Free, Pro $12.97)

The Many Ways to Remove Windows 11 Apps

You can remove Windows 11 apps from the Start menu, the settings app, the classic Control Panel, and even using the PowerShell and Command Prompt terminals. If the built-in apps fail to uninstall an app, consider using a third-party dedicated app uninstaller. These tools can remove not only stubborn apps but also clean leftover files.