How to Remove Bloatware

HowToRemoveBloatware

Bloatware is software that has unnecessary features that use large amounts of memory and RAM; this software can become so unwieldy that its functionality is drowned out by its useless features. Many bloatware programs come preinstalled on new PCs from the manufacturers; these “lite” or limited trial versions are designed to entice new users to buy or subscribe to the full featured versions. Beyond sucking up your computer’s storage, however, bloatware often loads at startup, increasing how long your PC takes to boot, wasting valuable RAM, and generally cluttering your system tray, desktop, installed applications, and context menus.

After learning more about what bloatware is, you probably want to remove it from you device. Luckily, just like any other third-party program, you can easily remove it without causing any harm to your computer.

Remove Bloatware Manually

If you don’t have a copious amount of bloatware installed on your computer, you can download proper uninstalling tools and delete all of the unwanted software manually. There are many different applications available to help you safely and easily remove bloatware; popular third-party uninstallers include, but aren’t limited to, CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, and IOBit Uninstaller.

Once you download your desired uninstalling tool, open it, search for any and all programs and features you recognize to be bloatware and simply uninstall it. If there is more than one program you wish to uninstall or you think is bloatware, just repeat the process. Be careful not to uninstall something just because you don’t know what it is as it could useful to you; before you delete some unknown program or feature,  you should make sure what it is first.

Remove Everything at Once

If you have a lot of bloatware on your device, uninstalling them on by one could be tedious and time consuming. Instead, you can uninstall them all at once. You cannot do this with an uninstalling tool, but there are programs such as Decrap which allow you to delete more programs at once. The rule of unknown programs is still valid, so make sure you know what you’re removing beforehand.

Install Windows from Scratch

If you are unsure that you uninstalled all of the unwanted software from your computer, you can re-install Windows 10 from scratch. This is good if you got your device from a well-known manufacturer, which included some of its ‘sponsored’ bloatware into you system. To get rid of their bloatware you have to install a clean copy of Windows 10. By using Microsoft’s official tool, it will take more time than uninstalling bloatware, but you will be sure that your copy of Windows 10 will be completely free of third-party bloatware.

Avoid Installing Unwanted Software in the Future

After you have successfully removed any unwanted software from your computer, you also have to make sure it stays that way. Here are some tips on how to avoid installing bloatware in the future:

  • Always download official versions of programs, from their download page
  • Ensure you didn’t download an ‘extra’ program while downloading the desired program
  • Exercise caution during program installation. Most unwanted software is installed by your accident approval; be sure to uncheck any options which prompt you to install a program you do not want
  • Do not click every “Agree” button during installation. Again, you could accidentally agree to download something you don’t want to

Now you know absolutely everything about unwanted software, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent its further installation. Tell us your experience with bloatware and crapware in the comments, below.

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