Windows 11 25H2 adds official bloatware removal option through Group Policy

Microsoft is finally making it easier to remove unwanted pre-installed apps in Windows 11, no PowerShell needed this time. As you may know, Windows 11 version 25H2 now rolling out to Insiders in the Dev (build 26200.5670) and Beta (build 26120.4520) channels.

In the aforementioned builds, Microsoft has introduced a new Group Policy that lets users remove default Microsoft Store apps from the system using a graphical interface. This feature, long requested by power users, targets apps often labeled as “bloatware.”

The policy is titled “Remove default Microsoft Store packages from the system” and allows admins to check off apps like Clipchamp, Notepad, Windows Media Player, and Terminal for removal.

If enabled, the selected apps in the list will be uninstalled. If left disabled, or not configured, nothing will be removed. The policy description reads:

If you enable this policy, the selected Microsoft Store apps in the provided list will be uninstalled from the system. You can make adjustment to the default settings.

By enabling this setting, Windows creates the following Registry Key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx\RemoveDefaultMicrosoftStorePackages

Each listed app gets a corresponding subkey under it. The feature is a small but welcome shift away from relying on third-party debloat tools or command line workarounds.

But there’s a catch. This policy editor is only available in Windows 11 Pro and higher, leaving Home edition users out.

Still, it’s one of the more user-friendly changes in 25H2, giving admins and privacy-conscious users more control over what apps stay on their systems. Whether it brings us closer to a truly “bloat-free” Windows remains to be seen.