What’s Safe to Uninstall on Your Windows PC (and What to Leave Alone)

Not sure what’s safe to uninstall on your Windows PC? Here’s a plain-English guide with examples I remove on nearly every system I clean up.

If your PC feels bloated or sluggish, one of the easiest ways to speed things up is by uninstalling programs you don’t need. But knowing what’s safe to remove and what to leave alone can be stressful when you don’t know what they are, or what they do.

Delete the wrong thing, and you could break something important. Leave too much, and your system stays cluttered.

So, where do you start?

After more than 20 years of helping people clean up their computers, I’ve compiled a clear, plain-English guide to help you determine what to uninstall. It’s written for regular users, not power users.

👉 Become a paid subscriber to read the full version and download the checklist.

Here are just a few examples of programs I almost always remove, grouped to make it easier:

Pre-installed Windows bloatware:

• Candy Crush and other built-in games — installed by default, often never played

• Xbox Game Bar — useful only if you’re recording or streaming gameplay

• 3D Viewer — not needed unless you work with 3D models

• Paint 3D — a creative tool most people never open

• OneNote (if you don’t use it) — safe to remove if you use another note app

• Skype — Skype has been discontinued. Many people now use Zoom or Teams instead

Old or expired software:

• Trial versions of antivirus software (like McAfee or Norton) — often expired. Use ESET Antivirus or Microsoft Defender.

• Office trial versions or placeholders — just take up space if you have the full version, or use alternatives Like Libre Office.

Manufacturer-branded utilities:

• HP JumpStart — a setup assistant that serves no purpose after initial setup

• Dell SupportAssist — duplicates features Windows already handles

• Lenovo Vantage — sometimes useful, but often slow and bloated

• SUS Live Update — used for BIOS and driver updates, but outdated and unnecessary for most people

• MSI Dragon Center — includes fan and performance controls, but usually overkill for non-gamers

• Acer Portal — legacy cloud service app that no longer does anything useful

• Branded photo or media apps — unnecessary if you already use Windows Photos or VLC

Obsolete or duplicate utilities:

• Java Updater — safe to remove if nothing on your PC requires Java

• QuickTime, Adobe Flash, Silverlight, Shockwave — no longer used or supported by most websites

• Old drivers or control panels from unused hardware — like utilities for printers or webcams you no longer have

Redundant apps:

• Multiple PDF readers — You only need one. I recommend PDF X-Change Editor. Get the free version.

• Extra media players — remove anything else and stick with one reliable option like VLC

• Dropbox — great for syncing files, but safe to remove if unused. Requires an account to use. Only free up to 5GB of storage.

Some programs may appear useless, but are actually tied to key drivers or system tools. Others might seem important, but are just taking up space. And even if you uninstall something safely, some programs leave junk behind. That’s why knowing what to remove and what to leave alone matters.

My full guide isn’t a comprehensive examination of advanced system cleanup or optimization. I’m not going to walk you through registry edits or recommend a bunch of tools that promise to "boost performance." Instead, this is a simple list that helps regular users make informed decisions.

Anyone who suggests that you touch the registry isn’t worth listening to.

My goal here isn’t to overwhelm you with options. It’s to give you peace of mind. If you’re staring at your apps list thinking, "I don’t even know what half of this is," my guide is for you.

🔐 Want the Full Guide and Printable Checklist?

In the paid subscriber version of this post, I walk through:

• A complete categorized list of what’s safe to remove, what to be cautious with, and what to leave alone

• Plain-English explanations for each group of programs

• My personal take on what I have typically removed from client systems

• An easy-to-print, downloadable version of the paid post.

• A downloadable one-page checklist you can print or use during cleanup

If you want peace of mind and a step-by-step plan, the full guide is written just for you.