Bloatware is the pre-installed mess you didn’t sign up for

• What is bloatware, and why does it exist?
• How to remove bloatware

Space doesn’t come at as much of a premium as it used to on phones, tablets, and computers, but it can still run low in a hurry given the size of modern apps and media. Even the 256GB on the base iPhone 17 can quickly evaporate if you’re shooting 4K video, and some PC game installs can top the 100GB mark if you want access to every mode or piece of downloadable content. Fortnite and Call of Duty may be the most infamous examples.

One way of coping with this is to remove as many unwanted apps from a device as possible, particularly bloatware. You probably have a good sense of what bloatware is — but in case you don’t, I’ll explain the occasionally ugly reality behind it. And either way, I’ll offer a few tips on how to deal with the content, including what to do if it doesn’t vanish by normal means. In many situations, you’ll want to remove it on principle.

What is bloatware, and why does it exist?

Nothing personal, strictly business

For some people, bloatware is any unwanted app or software component that comes pre-installed on a device. My issue is that if you follow this definition, a lot of things can be included that other people would consider essential. In my case, for instance, I have no need for the Stocks app on my iPhone, or Copilot on my Windows PC. Some people even consider services like OneDrive and iCloud to be bloatware, no matter that they can back up critical files in the event of a system crash. As long as it doesn’t overwhelm storage space, or force me into anything unethical, I’m not about to begrudge a company for offering a bigger umbrella to support a wider number of users.

A more useful definition, then, may be pre-installed software that serves no important purpose and is generally unpopular. The US carrier Verizon, for example, has been criticized for partnering with some Android phone makers to push unwanted game downloads. Other examples might include apps for niche streaming services, or software that does little more than bombard you with promotions. I’ve never quite got the point of that — I’m not about to buy something from a company that’s harassing me.

In some cases, bloatware can be intentionally difficult to uninstall, or slip in when you least expect it.

Why does this sort of bloatware exist, then? The answer is obvious: business. Preloaded ads and shops are meant to get you buying more from a carrier or device maker, or in some cases, an outside company that’s paid for the privilege. Similar deals may exist for games and streaming services, even ones you might not consider bloat, like Netflix. Apple, Google, and Samsung are all large enough that they run their own streaming platforms, such as Apple TV and Samsung TV Plus, from which they naturally reap a lot of ad and subscription revenue.

This might not be so bad except that, in some cases, bloatware can be intentionally difficult to uninstall, or slip in when you least expect it. It might be delivered alongside an otherwise normal OS update, and even reappear after you’ve already removed it. No one likes the idea of their phone being treated as a springboard for backroom business plans, instead of a personal possession that they should, rightly, have maximum control over.

Are there any devices free of bloatware? It depends on your precise definition, but I think most people would agree that Google Pixel devices and all Apple products are as bloat-free as possible. There’s nothing preloaded that you wouldn’t expect from the companies, and they already have plenty of ways of generating cash, from in-app adds to the cost of the hardware itself. Apple in particular seems to pride itself on a “pure” experience, even if Google pays it billions every year to remain the default search option on iOS.

How to remove bloatware

On Android

Most Android apps can be removed by tapping and holding their icon, then choosing Uninstall. You can also remove apps by finding relevant buttons in the Google Play Store, including app listings under Profile icon > Manage apps & devices > Manage, but that’s often the slower route.

If an app doesn’t show the Uninstall option, you may still be able to hit Disable. This will leave it installed, but invisible in your app library, and (hopefully) not performing any tasks.

For truly stubborn apps, you may be able to turn to third-party system tools like ADB. Be extremely cautious, though, since these tools will also let you remove things that are critical for Android to run — you could accidentally brick your phone or tablet. I’m suggesting this for experienced users only.

Be on the lookout for any carrier apps that might be installing software behind your back. Chances are, if a carrier app isn’t necessary for managing your account, you can get rid of it. Search for more information online if you’re concerned about the potential impact.

On Windows 11

Usually, there’s no great trick to uninstalling bloatware on Windows, as long as your account has administrative privileges — which it almost certainly does if you’re the main or exclusive user. Assuming you are an admin, all you need to do is go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Click the triple-dot icon next to an unwanted app, then Uninstall. Even Microsoft apps like Copilot and OneDrive can be removed this way, although hooks for them may remain elsewhere. I actually recommend leaving those around to prevent surprise issues down the road.

Advanced users can turn to another built-in Windows tool, PowerShell. Once it’s running, type in Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName to see a list of installed system packages, including apps. You can remove anything that’s listed using Get-AppxPackage [packagename] | Remove-AppxPackage (replace [packagename] appropriately). As with ADB and Android, exercise extreme prejudice — you can accidentally break Windows in a way that will force you to repair it from a USB boot drive, or reinstall it from scratch.

Some third-party bloatware removers may not be as good as they claim to be, or may actually be scams, malware, or both. Check tech forums to see what veterans use.

There are third-party apps that can potentially identify bloatware and scrub it en masse, but check tech forums to see what veterans use. Some of these apps may not be as good as they claim to be, or may actually be scams, malware, or both. The hypothetical convenience probably isn’t worth the risk.

Make sure there aren’t any bloatware extensions in your web browser. It’s impractical for me to cover every browser in a piece like this, but in Google Chrome, you can go to Triple-dot menu > Extensions > Manage Extensions, then click Remove for anything you don’t like. You can’t really break anything, so feel free to go nuts.

As a final note, remember that even if you can’t or don’t want to uninstall something, you may be able to prevent it from launching on startup if it’s currently doing that. Go to Settings > Apps > Startup, then flip the software’s associated toggle switch.