To delete default Windows apps (bloatware) using PowerShell, you need to use specific system deployment commands run from an elevated administrative session. Windows handles preinstalled applications through AppxPackages (installed for the current user) and Provisioned Appx Packages (staged by Windows to automatically install onto any new user profile created on the machine).
The step-by-step process allows you to cleanly remove these apps for yourself, other users, or block them from ever returning. Step 1: Open PowerShell as an Administrator
You must have elevated privileges to modify system-wide application packages. Press the Windows Key. Type PowerShell.
Right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Click Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) prompt. Step 2: Identify the Target App
Windows tracks default apps by their full system package names rather than simple names like “Calculator”. Run the following command to see a clean list of all installed applications and their true identity strings: powershell Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName Use code with caution.
Tip: If the list is too long, filter it using wildcards. For example, to find the exact system name for the Calculator app, type: Get-AppxPackagecalculator*. Step 3: Delete the App (Choose Your Scope)
Depending on whether you want to delete the application just for your current login, for all active profiles, or permanently purge it from future profiles, choose one of the options below. Option A: Delete for the Current User
This removes the app from your active account immediately. Replace the text between the asterisks with the app name: powershell Get-AppxPackage windowscalculator | Remove-AppxPackage Use code with caution. Option B: Delete for All Users on the Machine
This uninstalls the app from every existing user profile currently on the operating system. powershell
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers windowscalculator | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers Use code with caution. Option C: Deprovision the App (Stop it from coming back)
Even if you delete an app, Windows frequently reinstalls it during major feature updates or when creating a new user account because the installation package is still staged (“provisioned”) in the system memory. To completely wipe the app so it never reinstalls itself: powershell
Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -like “calculator”} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online Use code with caution. Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
Here are the exact PowerShell snippets for the most common default Windows applications. You can copy and paste these directly into your administrative PowerShell window:
Uninstall Windows Apps -Help Not a programer : r/PowerShell
First, something important to note: there are two different controls for retrieving/removing UWP apps in powershell: “AppxPackage” Reddit·r/PowerShell
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