Remove Unwanted Metro Apps from Windows 10 All Apps List

Question

For conventional desktop applications such as chrome or office, we can remove the shortcuts from all apps list by right clicking on the icon, selecting more, clicking on open file location and then deleting the start menu shotcut.

But the same procedure does not work for modern/metro apps.There are few Windows 10 metro apps like cortana or contact support or windows feedback which I never use and these apps can not be uninstalled at all.

So I would know if there is a way to remove these apps from all apps list (since it is not possible to uninstall them) or are we locked down even for this simple thing.

Solution 1

To remove all such applications ONLY from your user account (and to not delete something important!), use this command in PowerShell:

Get-AppxPackage |
Where-Object Name -notlike *Libs* |
Where-Object Name -notlike *Native* |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.WindowsStore |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.AccountsControl |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.BioEnrollment |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.CredDialogHost |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.LockApp |
Where-Object Name -ne Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge |
Where-Object Name -ne windows.immersivecontrolpanel |
Where-Object Name -notlike *Windows.* |
Where-Object Name -ne c5e2524a-ea46-4f67-841f-6a9465d9d515 |
Where-Object Name -ne 1527c705-839a-4832-9118-54d4Bd6a0c89 |
Where-Object Name -ne DesktopView |
Where-Object Name -ne E2A4F912-2574-4A75-9BB0-0D023378592B |
Where-Object Name -ne EnvironmentsApp |
Where-Object Name -notlike *Microsoft.Services.Store* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.Win32WebViewHost* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.PPIProjection* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.MicrosoftEdgeDevToolsClient* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.ECApp* |
Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.AsyncTextService* |
Where-Object Name -notlike InputApp* |
Where-Object Name -notlike F46D4000-FD22-4DB4-AC8E-4E1DDDE828FE* |
Remove-AppxPackage

Don't worry, in case if you want to get them back, they are not lost - you can find them all in the Store application and redownload them.

But with each new user theese applications will be automatically installed in their profile. To avoid that and get rid of these "provisioned applications" completely, use this command:

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online |
Where-Object DisplayName -ne Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp |
Where-Object DisplayName -ne Microsoft.WindowsStore |
Where-Object DisplayName -ne Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller |
Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage -Online

The same rule applies - if you want to get the application back - just install it through the Store.

Solution 2

It's not shortcut, but the real application icons on All app menu.

You can only uninstall it to remove from start menu.

In addition, you can find all applications under this folder:

explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder

Comments

[Ramhound]

Are you asking how you uninstall Cortana or asking how to remove those from your applications list, despite specifically viewing a list, of all installed applications?

[Ramhound]

If you dislike how WIndows 10 start menu works, the only solution I know outside of removing those applications, is to use a program to modify the behavior of the start menu itself.

[Franc Drobnič]

As time passes by, some more libs are to be excluded from removing because they are essential part of Windows:

[Franc Drobnič]

You may want to add the following: Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.Win32WebViewHost* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.PPIProjection* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.MicrosoftEdgeDevToolsClient* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.ECApp* | Where-Object Name -notlike Microsoft.AsyncTextService* | Where-Object Name -notlike InputApp* | Where-Object Name -notlike F46D4000-FD22-4DB4-AC8E-4E1DDDE828FE* |

[Ramhound]

Piriform has in the past been compromised. CCleaner in the past was accidentally distributed as malware. Piriform cannot be trusted.