April 2018 Update brings back apps users removed

May 13, 2018 06:48 GMT  ·  By

Bloatware in Windows 10 isn’t quite a new thing, and users have been complaining about this for several years already, but the problem is once again going viral after the release of the April 2018 Update.

A discussion thread on reddit has more than 1,000 comments, many of which are blaming Microsoft for what most call a super-aggressive strategy to promote games and apps that nobody would have cared about otherwise.

This time, it all started after the April 2018 Update re-installed a series of games which users previously removed, including Bubble Witch 3 Saga and Candy Crush Saga. It’s not a secret that many Windows 10 users uninstall these games when upgrading their systems to Windows 10 or perform a clean install, but the recently-launched April 2018 Update brings them back and makes it harder to get rid of them.

While at first glance deleting these apps comes down to a right click and hitting the uninstall button, they typically come back after a reboot. In fact, the whole thing is a bit more complicated, and it requires users to first log in to the Microsoft Store, update all apps and games, and only then remove the ones that they don’t need anymore, including the said games.

Some considering a potential switch

This aggressive tactic is rapidly backfiring for Microsoft, and while we can’t quote many of the comments because of the language angry users have used, there are lots of Windows 10 users considering a potential switch to a different platform.

“This, along with the aggressive auto updates (great in theory, horrible when your PC is inaccessible abruptly for twenty minutes when there's a deadline in your face), is why I'm keeping a close eye on the Chromebook space when it comes time to replace my laptop,” one user said.

“I like Windows, but there's nothing keeping me loyal at this point and these little ‘unprofessional’ touches keep making me feel less and less fond.”

Earlier this year, Microsoft promised to get rid of bloatware in Windows 10, but only for the Workstation SKU, leaving users of Home and Pro to continue their fight with unwanted apps.

We’ve reached out to Microsoft for a word on this and will update the article if an answer is offered.