14 DAY TRIAL // Aside from the new features and the changes that we all get to see when Microsoft rolls out new Windows 10 builds, the company is also working on smaller tweaks that improve the overall experience with the operating system.
And the latest build released to the fast ring comes with an important improvement in this regard, as it makes possible for users to remove more of those pre-installed apps that come with Windows 10.
A tweet from OneNote Central reveals that fast ring insiders can remove more stock Windows 10 apps from Settings > Apps & features > Uninstall. All you have to do is click on the app you wish to remove and then select the uninstall button.
For the moment, however, not all apps come with removal support, but Microsoft is most likely working on it right now and could improve this in the coming updates. Xbox, for instance, can be removed already, and this is a welcome change for many Windows 10 adopters who weren’t using the app anyway.
Removed apps aren’t uninstalled anymore
A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft also confirmed that apps that users remove are not being reinstalled when large updates and new builds are released, so once you remove a specific item, it stays that way unless you want to manually bring it back.
This change was implemented in build 14926 and is very likely to be part of the final Redstone 2 update coming in spring 2017 for retail users as well.
“We’ve heard your feedback, and starting with Build 14926, when your PC updates it will check for apps that have been uninstalled, and it will preserve that state once the update has completed. This means if you uninstall any of the apps included in Windows 10 such as the Mail app or Maps app, they will not get reinstalled after you update to a newer build going forward,” Dona Sarkar, the head of the Windows Insider program, confirmed.
The only thing that’s left is for Microsoft to unlock the uninstalling option for all stock apps in Windows 10, as it’s kind of unexpected to be able to remove Xbox, but be forced to keep the Alarms app.
Thanks for the tip, Jer!