Windows 10 -> Removal off preinstalled apps in bulk sans the Store

[Duke5A]

I'm starting to put together a Win10 base image and needed to remove all the junk that comes with it. It's considered a bad idea to remove the Store app, but everything else could go. Used these two Power Shell commands:

 

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage –online | Where-Object {$_.PackageName –notlike “*WindowsStore*”} | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage –online

 

Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | Where-Object {$_.Name –notlike “*store*”} | Remove-AppxPackage

[Oaktech]

I've done that... and supplied a registry tweak to disable, but not remove the store...

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore

 

Create a new DWORD value in the WindowsStore key. Name it RemoveWindowsStore and give it a value of 1.

 

You might need to create the WindowsStore key too. I've been testing it as a GPO registry add-in as you can just flip-flop the the value to 0 for admins.

[gsk]

Just going to quietly put this thread into my favourites folder titled 'gems for win10 image'. Thanks.

[ste78564]

I have managed to remove the all the preinstalled features using "Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online" and "Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | where-object {$_.name –notlike “*store*”} | Remove-AppxPackage"

 

but once this has been done sysprep falls over and is unable to run.

 

Anyone else have same problem?

[DrCheese]

If you open *ANY* metro app (bar settings) once on your image, you won't be able to sysprep after even if you remove all the metro apps.

 

yes, it's awful

[Arthur]

Here's a better alternative to @Duke5A's script since it's less unambiguous regarding which apps get removed and potentially less likely to cause issues.

 

$Packages = 'Microsoft.3DBuilder','Microsoft.BingFinance','Microsoft.BingNews','Microsoft.BingSports','Microsoft.BingWeather',
           'microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps','Microsoft.Getstarted','Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub','Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection',
           'Microsoft.Office.OneNote','Microsoft.People','Microsoft.SkypeApp','Microsoft.WindowsAlarms','Microsoft.WindowsCamera',
           'Microsoft.WindowsPhone','Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder','Microsoft.XboxApp','Microsoft.ZuneMusic','Microsoft.ZuneVideo',
           [color="#FF0000"]'Microsoft.CommsPhone','Microsoft.ConnectivityStore','Microsoft.Messaging','Microsoft.Office.Sway',[/color]
           [color="#800080"]'9E2F88E3.Twitter','AdobeSystemsIncorporated.AdobePhotoshopExpress','ClearChannelRadioDigital.iHeartRadio',
           'Flipboard.Flipboard','king.com.CandyCrushSaga','ShazamEntertainmentLtd.Shazam'[/color]
           [color="#808080"]# 'Microsoft.Appconnector','Microsoft.WindowsCalculator','Microsoft.WindowsMaps','Microsoft.Windows.Photos','Microsoft.WindowsStore'[/color]

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object DisplayName -In $Packages | Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage -Online
Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | Where-Object Name -In $Packages | Remove-AppxPackage

 

Packages

Black = Build 10240 and 10586 apps

Red = Build 10586 apps

Purple = Third-party apps bundled with Windows

Grey = Apps to keep (feel free to modify)

Edited December 2, 2015 by Arthur
Added Photoshop Express

[Garacesh]

@Arthur

 

Bit of a weird one here. Win10 1511 doesn't come wiht iHeartRadio or Shazam, but does come with Candy Crush, Twitter and Flipboard, which are named as you've named them.

Except Flipboard. There's a tile for Flipboard in the start menu, but no Flipboard.Flipboard in the appxpackage list.

 

C:\Windows\System32> Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *flip*

(Returns null)

 

The same is happening with Minecraft (that ought to be Microsoft.MinecraftUWP, apparently), there's a tile there, but no app package for it?

[edie209]

I am seeing the same thing, I have noticed that if you click on the icons they take you through to the store, so it seems like they are adverts for the software to be installed. I am currently looking at this and have been reading this post and many others around the web. I have found this resource https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10 and I am currently working through the various scripts in there.

 

I managed to remove the tiles while messing around with powershell but I have been unable to recreate what I did.

[Arthur]

@Garacesh. I have just noticed a typo in my script above (Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage should be Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage). I'll try and get a mod to change it.

 

You could also try this script: https://github.com/W4RH4WK/Debloat-Windows-10/blob/master/scripts/remove-default-apps.ps1

[Garacesh]

The tiles for uninstalled programs go when the program is chucked in the bin. As such, after my removal script, there was only a few pointless tiles left (flipbook, something else, some blue triangle that I forget..) which I promptly removed.

I didn't want to click any of them because I hear there are issues with launching any metro app stopping you from sysprepping.

 

@Garacesh. I have just noticed a typo in my script above (Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage should be Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage). I'll try and get a mod to change it.

Yeah I did clock that error. Probably should've said something, actually.. My bad!

 

Worth noticing your Candy Crush bit lists it as CandyCrushSaga when it's actually CandyCrushSodaSaga, too

 

My current script is as follows:

 

# Active Uninstalls
$Packages = (
		'Microsoft.3DBuilder', # '3DBuilder' app
		'Microsoft.BingFinance', # 'Money' app - Financial news
		'Microsoft.BingSports', # 'Sports' app - Sports news
		'Microsoft.BingWeather', # 'Weather' app
		'Microsoft.CommsPhone', # 'Phone' app
		'Microsoft.ConnectivityStore',
		'Microsoft.Getstarted', # 'Get Started' link
		'Microsoft.Messaging', # 'Messaging' app
		'Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub', 
		'Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection', # Solitaire collection
		'Microsoft.Office.OneNote', # Onenote app
		'Microsoft.Office.Sway', # 'Sway' app
		'Microsoft.People', # 'People' app
		'Microsoft.SkypeApp', # 'Get Skype' link
		'Microsoft.WindowsAlarms', # 'Alarms and Clock' app
		'microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps', # 'Calendar and Mail' app
		'Microsoft.WindowsPhone', # 'Phone Companion' app
		'Microsoft.WindowsStore', # Windows Store
		'Microsoft.XboxApp', # Xbox junk, unfortunately 'Microsoft.XboxGameCallableUI' and 'Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider' cannot be removed.
		'Microsoft.ZuneMusic', # 'Groove Music' app
		'Microsoft.ZuneVideo', # Groove Music
		'king.com.CandyCrushSodaSaga', # Candy Crush app
		'9E2F88E3.Twitter' # Twitter app
		)
		
#Unused uninstall identifers
		# 'Microsoft.Appconnector' # Not sure about this one
	  	# 'Microsoft.BingNews' # Generic News app
	  	# 'Microsoft.Windows.Photos' # Photos app
	  	# 'Microsoft.WindowsCalculator' # Calculator app
	  	# 'Microsoft.WindowsCamera' # Camera app
	  	# 'Microsoft.WindowsMaps' # Maps app
	  	# 'Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder' # Sound Recorder app

Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online | Where-Object Name -In $Packages | Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage -Online
Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | Where-Object Name -In $Packages | Remove-AppxPackage

Edited December 9, 2015 by Garacesh

[Arthur]

Yeah I did clock that error. Probably should've said something, actually.. My bad!

No worries. By the way, the script you posted also has the same typo.

[Garacesh]

No worries. By the way, the script you posted also has the same typo.

 

Derp derp derp. How the hell did I notice it but not change it? O.o

Thanks. Thought I had done. One of those days.

[Garacesh]

Just to check, after you run the removal script, do the things you've said to remove still show up in Get-AppxPackages -AllUsers even though they're gone from the start menu?

[sted]

has anyone tried removing them from an offline image pre installation with dism? so they never appear on the machine even from first boot?

[edie209]

has anyone tried removing them from an offline image pre installation with dism? so they never appear on the machine even from first boot?

 

Just looking at this article https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Removing-Built-in-apps-65dc387b#content

[edie209]

I have modified my wim image using the technet article above, I used the -selectapps $true so I was able to choose what I wanted to keep. I have now deployed that to a test machine and I got the same results as before but without using powershell after the install.

 

I was left however still with Twitter, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Minecraft (this is an advert I think) Flipboard, and Adobe Photoshop.

 

I then have removed Twitter and Candy Crush Soda Saga using

$apps=@(         "9E2F88E3.Twitter"
   "king.com.CandyCrushSodaSaga"          
)


foreach ($app in $apps) {    
   Get-AppxPackage -Name $app -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
   Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online | where DisplayName -EQ $app | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online
           
   $appPath="$Env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\$app*"
   Remove-Item $appPath -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction 0
}

 

But I am still left with Flipboard Minecraft and adobe photoshop

 

 

So has anyone managed to remove these?

[Garacesh]

I had a similar query. Flipboard and Minecraft, it turns out, are just shortcuts to the apps in the store. You can remove the tile, the app isn't on your machine.

I suspect the same for Photoshop.

[Arthur]

I suspect the same for Photoshop.

All of the apps shown in purple in my script above seem to be shortcuts. They start downloading when you click on the tile.

[Arthur]

But I am still left with Flipboard Minecraft and adobe photoshop

Try this...

 

$apps=@("9E2F88E3.Twitter"
       "AdobeSystemsIncorporated.AdobePhotoshopExpress"
       "Flipboard.Flipboard"
       "king.com.CandyCrushSodaSaga"
       "Microsoft.MinecraftUWP"
)

ForEach ($app in $apps) {
   Get-AppxPackage -Name $app -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
   Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online | where DisplayName -EQ $app | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online

   $appPath="$Env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\$app*"
   Remove-Item $appPath -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction 0
}

[sted]

Just looking at this article https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Removing-Built-in-apps-65dc387b#content

 

errored out for me trying the resultant wim file anyway as maybe it just missed say 1 app

[sted]

errored out for me trying the resultant wim file anyway as maybe it just missed say 1 app

 

and vm wont boot lol

[edie209]

Try this...

 

$apps=@("9E2F88E3.Twitter"
       "AdobeSystemsIncorporated.AdobePhotoshopExpress"
       "Flipboard.Flipboard"
       "king.com.CandyCrushSodaSaga"
       "Microsoft.MinecraftUWP"
)

ForEach ($app in $apps) {
   Get-AppxPackage -Name $app -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage
   Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online | where DisplayName -EQ $app | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online

   $appPath="$Env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\$app*"
   Remove-Item $appPath -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction 0
}

 

 

Sadly still the same but thanks for trying.

 

I think they are just pinned short cuts so I just need to find a way of removing them on initial deployment. However if the students have redirected menus in theory they should not be there maybe that where I move to next.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

errored out for me trying the resultant wim file anyway as maybe it just missed say 1 app

 

Strange I have run it 3 times now with no problems

[sted]

Sadly still the same but thanks for trying.

 

I think they are just pinned short cuts so I just need to find a way of removing them on initial deployment. However if the students have redirected menus in theory they should not be there maybe that where I move to next.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

 

 

Strange I have run it 3 times now with no problems

 

it just told me I didn't have dism installed or some such. Ive had to roll back the vm now as somehow ive managed to delete the all user start menu so I cant find anything and the restore point was before it was a dc even sigh

[sted]

now trying to manually remove stuff from the offline image using dism theyve gone just need to get mdt back up and add the image again

[sted]

well initial impressions are good heres my default start menu note the lack of apps (i purposely left maps/calc/alarms as they could all be useful)