See if this sounds familiar: you get a brand new computer with the latest specs. You’re certain that it will perform very fast. When you turn it on for the first time however, you are disappointed to find that not only there is a lot of unwanted preinstalled software, but the computer is much slower than you imagined. What can you do?
You could try to uninstall each program one by one, but it may still leave some traces behind. Not to mention, some installers may not even be accessible with screen readers. Another option is to perform a reset but even though it will bring your computer back to the new state, those annoying programs you didn’t ask for will come back.
How do we get rid of the bloatware once and for all?
Microsoft has introduced a very useful feature in Windows 10 Creators Update that does just that. The strange thing is that the feature is located where you would not normally expect to find it: in Windows Defender. The way this feature works is by downloading and installing a fresh copy of windows. Then, all of the currently installed programs are removed. When the process is complete, the only programs you should see are the ones that come with Windows. Anyway, let us take back control of our new computer!
Caution: the following process will remove all programs. Be sure to back up any important data before proceeding.
- Go to the start menu, and look for the Windows Defender Security Center.
- Find (or tab) to the Device performance and health button. Press enter.
- Tab to a link called Additional info and press enter on it.
- Find the Get start button and activate it.
- A new window will pop up explaining the process of Fresh start. Click the next button and follow the prompts.
- After a while your computer will restart and the removal process will begin.
That’s it! In about 15-20 minutes, your computer should be on the desktop screen instead of Windows setup, and all of the bloatware should be gone. If you use a screen reader, you can turn on Narrator with the control+windows+enter keys. Enjoy your brand new computer! Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments.
