Do you dislike some of the system apps that come preinstalled with Windows 10 by default? These are effectively Microsoft's bloatware for some folks, but the good news is that the ability to remove a number of them has now arrived in a preview build, and will hopefully soon be destined for the full release of the OS.
The latest Windows 10 preview (version 14936) to be pushed out for testing has sent the uninstall button live for some of the system apps. It was previously grayed out, but now the user can dismiss a program with a simple click (as opposed to the convoluted workarounds people have used in the past).
According to Ghacks, which spotted this development, there are currently five of Microsoft's default apps that you can give the elbow to: Mail and Calendar, Calculator, Groove Music, Maps, and Weather.
More the merrier
This feature should pitch up in the next big update for the full version of Windows 10, with any luck – and when it does, there may well be a good few more apps that you can take the hatchet to.
Although clearly there are some that Microsoft is never going to grace with an uninstall option, such as Cortana for one (although you can disable the digital assistant).
Incidentally, if you are a Windows Insider running build 14936, to dump any of the aforementioned system apps, head to Settings, System, and select Apps & Features, then simply click on the appropriate app and hit the uninstall button.
Back in preview build 14926, which rolled out in the middle of last month, Microsoft also made a much requested change by making it so that when Windows 10 gets an update, your system will no longer annoyingly reinstall apps that you previously removed. Although to be honest, that's something which should have been in there from the get-go.
- Here are the best 2-in-1 laptops money can buy
