Almost every new Windows 11 PC comes preloaded with a suite of Microsoft applications—Clipchamp, the ‘new’ Outlook, Copilot, Media Player, and Microsoft To Do, among others. Yet for a growing number of users, the first order of business after unboxing is to systematically remove these apps. It’s a ritual as predictable as updating Windows itself: right-click, uninstall, repeat.
This phenomenon isn’t new. Windows has long been criticized for shipping with unnecessary software, but the nature of that bloat has evolved. In the Windows 7 and 8 eras, the culprits were often third-party crapware from OEMs—trial antivirus suites, dubious game demos, and manufacturer-branded utilities. Today, the bloat comes from Microsoft itself. The company bundles its own services deeper into the OS, blurring the line between feature and advertising. As a result, users are treating Microsoft’s own apps the way they once treated Norton trials: as junk to be discarded immediately.
What exactly makes these apps so unwanted? The reasons vary by application, but common threads include performance degradation, subscription upsells, redundant functionality, and a general sense that they serve Microsoft’s interests more than the user’s. On community forums, threads dedicated to debloating Windows 11 attract thousands of views, with participants sharing removal scripts and commiserating over the latest “forced” installation from a Windows Update.
Clipchamp: The Freemium Video Editor Nobody Asked For
Clipchamp arrived in Windows 11 as part of Microsoft’s push into creative tools, but its reception has been lukewarm at best. The app occupies roughly 700 MB of disk space and launches with a prompt to sign in with a Microsoft account or upgrade to a premium plan starting at $11.99 per month. The free tier restricts exports to 1080p and lacks advanced features like brand kit customization. For casual users, the legacy Video Editor (hidden inside the Photos app) remains more accessible; for professionals, DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere are the standards. Clipchamp sits in an uncomfortable middle, burdened by its web-based architecture that feels slower than native apps and its persistent upsell notifications.
Many users report uninstalling Clipchamp within minutes of first boot. It’s not uncommon to see comments like, “I don’t edit videos, so why is this here?” Even those who do occasional edits may prefer other free tools like OpenShot or online editors. The app’s very presence, with its taskbar icon and Start menu tile, becomes visual noise.
The New Outlook: An Email Client Without a Warm Welcome
In 2023, Microsoft announced that the new Outlook for Windows would replace the Mail and Calendar apps, pushing users toward a unified experience that blends the classic desktop Outlook with the web version under one roof. The result is a progressive web app that, for many, is a downgrade. Missing features include offline support limitations, no POP3 account compatibility, and a slower, web-dependent interface. Classic Outlook users accustomed to the robust desktop client find the new app stripped down and frustrating.
Worse, the free version of the new Outlook displays banner ads, a significant annoyance for a built-in client. Users have also reported that the app ignores default browser settings, opening links in Edge regardless of the system preference. For these reasons, the uninstall rate is high. Those who need a full-featured email client stick with the classic Outlook (if they have a Microsoft 365 subscription) or switch to third-party alternatives like Thunderbird. The new Outlook becomes yet another tile to remove from the taskbar.
Copilot: AI Assistance or Intrusive Resource Hog?
Microsoft’s big bet on AI manifested in Windows 11 as Copilot, a sidebar assistant powered by Bing Chat and GPT technology. By default, it appears as an icon on the taskbar or can be invoked with a shortcut. While Microsoft touts it as a productivity enhancer that can summarize documents, change settings, or answer queries, many users remain skeptical.
Privacy is a top concern. Copilot requires an internet connection and processes some data in the cloud, raising questions about what information is collected. For enterprises, it’s a nightmare to manage, leading many IT administrators to disable it outright. On the performance front, Copilot’s background services can consume CPU cycles and RAM, even when not actively used. Gamers and content creators on midrange hardware have noted frame drops or slowdowns tied to Copilot processes, prompting them to remove the integration altogether.
Moreover, not every task benefits from AI. For users who prefer to navigate Windows with keyboard shortcuts and a lean interface, Copilot feels like an unnecessary layer. Windows Central reported that in some Insider builds, the Copilot button took up permanent taskbar space, with no easy way to remove it. While later updates offered toggling options, the initial impression stuck: Copilot was being forced upon them.
Media Player and To Do: The Lesser Annoyances
Microsoft replaced both the legacy Windows Media Player and the Groove Music app with a new Media Player in Windows 11. While it handles modern formats and sports a cleaner look, it still can’t overcome the dominance of VLC Media Player. VLC’s codec support, playlist capabilities, and zero-nonsense interface make it the default choice for millions. Media Player, meanwhile, often remains an unused icon taking up space.
Microsoft To Do is a competent task manager that syncs across devices, but it enters a crowded field. Users who already use Todoist, Google Tasks, or even pen and paper find it superfluous. It also nudges users toward the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, linking tasks to Outlook and Teams, which may be overkill for personal use.
The Cumulative Impact: Performance and Storage
Uninstalling these apps isn’t just about reclaiming digital real estate on the Start menu; it’s about measurable system improvements. Each application may add startup entries, background services, and scheduled tasks. On a fresh install, Task Manager might show Clipchamp updater, Outlook sync, Copilot runtime, and more—processes that collectively consume hundreds of megabytes of RAM and a few percentage points of CPU cycles. On a system with 8 GB of RAM, that’s a noticeable chunk.
Storage is another tangible benefit. Removing these apps can free up 2–3 GB or more, which on a 128 GB SSD is significant. Windows 11 itself takes up over 20 GB, so every megabyte counts. For budget laptops and tablets, this cleanup can mean the difference between a sluggish experience and a reasonably responsive one.
How Users Are Taking Matters into Their Own Hands
The standard uninstall method—right-clicking in the Start menu and selecting Uninstall—works for most of these apps, but it’s cumbersome six times over. More aggressive users turn to PowerShell scripts. Open-source projects like Chris Titus Tech’s Windows Utility and the Windows10Debloater (adapted for Windows 11) allow users to remove not just the visible apps but also the hidden “provisioned” packages that can reappear after a feature update. These scripts can also disable telemetry, remove OneDrive, and strip out Xbox apps, tailoring Windows to a minimal state.
The existence of such tools underscores a deep discontent. It’s not just about one app; it’s about a perceived loss of control. Users want the ability to decide what runs on their PCs without hidden reinstallations. During Windows setup, the out-of-box experience (OOBE) asks about personalization and data sharing, but it never provides a simple checklist of apps to install or skip. The default is “everything on,” and the only defense is after-the-fact removal—a design choice that feels hostile to many.
The Broader Implications for Microsoft
Microsoft’s strategy is understandable from a business perspective. Each default app creates a funnel into its services: Outlook into Microsoft 365 subscriptions, Clipchamp into premium video plans, Copilot into future AI monetization, and To Do into broader productivity suite adoption. The company wants Windows to be a gateway to its cloud ecosystem, and every icon is a potential revenue stream.
However, the user backlash suggests a miscalibration. Windows is an operating system, not a platform for advertisement. When a significant portion of the userbase begins their experience by removing preinstalled software, it damages the brand’s perception. Instead of feeling like a curated, high-quality experience, Windows 11 feels like a shareware collection.
There are signs that Microsoft is aware. Insider builds have slowly introduced more controls, allowing users to uninstall some “inbox” apps that were previously unremovable. In the European Economic Area, regulations have forced Microsoft to offer choices—allowing users to remove Edge, disable Bing in Start, and uninstall more core components. But for most of the world, the defaults remain stubbornly locked.
A change in philosophy could be straightforward: during the OOBE, present a page titled “Choose your experience” with checkboxes for each optional app, all unchecked by default. Power users would applaud it; casual users might not mind either. The current approach—forcing apps and hoping users won’t bother to remove them—is increasingly seen as an antiquated practice in an era where user empowerment is a key selling point.
What This Means for the Future of Windows
The debate around preinstalled apps is part of a larger conversation about what an operating system should be. Should it be a neutral canvas upon which users paint their own digital lives, or a curated environment that guides them toward particular services? Microsoft has historically leaned toward the latter, but the tide of user sentiment may be shifting.
With Windows 12 on the horizon (though Microsoft hasn’t confirmed it), there’s an opportunity to reset expectations. A cleaner, more modular approach could win back the trust of enthusiasts while appealing to the average user who doesn’t want to spend their first hour deleting apps. Until then, the ritual continues: on every new PC, the first right-click is on Clipchamp.