What Is Bloatware and How Do I Get Rid of It?

Preloaded software on your PC or smartphone may clutter the screen and slow down the system

Edward C. Baig,

AARP

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Published July 29, 2025

an illustration of a smartphone with app icons dropping off the screen

AARP

I recently bought a laptop that is loaded with programs I don’t expect to use. I worry the software might slow things down. But I also don’t want to remove anything that’s essential. Is it safe to uninstall these programs?

What you’re referring to is known in tech parlance as “bloatware,” and it is not a new problem, nor is it confined to computers. Smartphones may also come preloaded with apps and programs that consume storage, utilize system resources and memory, and do little more than clutter the screen and possibly sap the battery.

Bloatware goes by other unflattering monikers too, including “crapware,” “crudware,” “junkware” and “shovel ware.” And you may come across the term “PUP,” shorthand for “potentially unwanted programs.” Just as you want to declutter your home, you’ll want to do the same for your tech devices.

Companies pay to get software in front of you

You may wonder why the bloatware’s even there in the first place.

In a word, money. The answer usually boils down to business arrangements among device manufacturers, third-party software vendors, retailers and sometimes cellular carriers, oftentimes to promote products or dish ads.

For example, trial versions of antivirus software, office suites, games, photo-editing programs and other apps may be preinstalled. Publishers hope you’ll get hooked on the programs so you’ll pay or subscribe beyond the free period to use them. These companies likely paid the hardware maker handsomely to get their stuff in front of the consumer.

When I launched the Microsoft Store on a Windows 11 laptop I’d recently bought, a pop-up appeared offering me a one-month subscription to PC Game Pass, which, the message pointed out, was “included with device.” As I set up the machine, I was at least able to customize the experience by checking off categories related to how I might use the PC. If I chose “business” as a category, a message indicated that I “might be offered a Microsoft 365 Business trial.”

Alas, programs don’t automatically disappear if you choose not to buy in after a trial period. You may also be periodically nagged to reconsider.

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The bloatware you don’t see

Some bloatware falls under the category of software known as adware, programs that typically run in the background but then serve up annoying pop-up and banner ads. The most worrisome spyware programs may surreptitiously track your online behavior and, at worst, introduce security risks.

The unfortunate part is how difficult it is to avoid purchasing a bloatware-free tech product, especially if you’re looking to save money. The very presence of bloatware may be the price to pay for an otherwise deeply discounted PC.

Duplicating features

Moreover, some bloatware duplicates features that may be available through other apps or programs you’d prefer to use, including software you install yourself. How many weather, maps or music apps do you need, for example?

Wireless providers may also load their own apps onto phones, perhaps to make it easier to pay bills or to reach customer service.

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I mentioned that the bloatware issue isn’t new. A decade ago, Lenovo got into hot water over security vulnerabilities associated with a program called Superfish that had been preinstalled on some of the computer maker’s laptops. Amid the criticism, Lenovo stopped installing the program, released an automated tool that would help remove Superfish, and pledged to curtail the use of such software.

Lenovo subsequently settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission and 32 state attorneys general who claimed the preinstalled software “harmed consumers” and “compromised online security.”

Eliminating bloatware on a computer

Not all preinstalled software is bad, and one person’s bloatware may be another’s helpful utility. Here’s how to determine what might go and what to do next.

1. Take stock of what you have. A good first step is to examine the programs on your device to see if any jump out at you as something you know for sure you didn’t install yourself and have no use for. If you’re not certain why it’s there or whether you can safely remove it, run a Google search for the app, program or file name. If you’re still not sure, leave it be just in case it is something that the system relies on.

A free Windows utility called Should I Remove It?, from Reason Software, lists some PC programs and web toolbars you may consider purging based on the percentage of people who have uninstalled them.

2. Manually remove apps on a computer. Here’s what to do if you are sure.

On a Windows 11 PC, click Settings | Apps | Installed apps and scroll through the list to find apps you’re set to discard. You can also get there by clicking the Windows key + I. Click the three dots to the right of the app name and click Uninstall. Click Uninstall a second time to complete the removal.

Repeat as need be for other apps you want to send off to pasture.

On a Mac, launch Finder | Applications and scroll through the list. Drag the icon or name of the app you want to remove to the Trash. Alternatively, highlight the name or icon, and choose File | Move to Trash. If Move to Trash is grayed out, you won’t be able to delete it.

Click Finder | Empty Trash… to ensure it’s gone for good.

3. Run antivirus software and other third-party tools. Since not all bloatware is visible — again, think adware or malware — run antivirus or cleanup software from a brand such as Avast, AVG, CCleaner, McAfee, Malwarebytes or Norton.

Eliminating bloatware on a phone

Similar principles apply to the presence and removal of bloatware on your smartphone. If you don’t need an app and it isn’t essential for smoother operation of the device, it’s a candidate for removal.

Bloatware tends to be more of an issue on Android than on iPhones, but that’s not to say you wouldn’t want to get rid of apps on either platform.

Removing apps on iPhone. Tap Settings | General | iPhone Storage. You can scroll through a list of apps on the phone, sorted either by name, size or the last-used date. Scroll to the app(s) you want to deep-six and tap Delete App. Apple warns that the action cannot be undone.

Some preinstalled iPhone apps cannot be removed, including the Safari browser, Messages, Mail, Phone, Photos and Wallet — not that most folks would want to get rid of those.

You probably don’t want to exorcise the Clock, Music and Reminders apps, but know that you can.

Removing apps on Android. Android devices vary, of course, so the process of saying goodbye to certain apps differs by handset.

On a Google Pixel, launch Settings | Apps | See all X apps. Scroll to the app(s) you want to remove and tap Uninstall. When asked if you really want to remove the app, tap OK to confirm.

Google won’t let you remove certain apps that were preinstalled on the phone. But in some cases, you can tap Disable app instead, which hides the app and turns it off. Make sure you’re good with the choice. If you disable the app, Google warns that Android and other apps may no longer function as intended.

Bonus tip: Technical approaches for eliminating bloatware aren’t for the average user

I’ll quickly mention that more technical approaches to the bloatware issue also exist. These involve running a series of scripts, which are a set of commands or instructions that can automate manual processes on a computer. One free website, Privacy.sexy, houses a collection of such scripts, but unless you’re technically proficient or have a friend who is, I’d steer clear.

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Edward C. Baig covers technology and other consumer topics. He previously worked for USA Today, BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report and Fortune, and is author of Macs for Dummies and coauthor of iPhone for Dummies and iPad for Dummies. Follow him on LinkedIn; Threads; and X, formerly known as Twitter.