Unable to remove a pre-installed app / Uninstall button unclickable in Installed Apps

Emily Davis 20 Reputation points
2026-05-27T17:28:03.09+00:00

Hey team, I'm trying to clean up some storage on my laptop. I went to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps to remove some bundled bloatware programs that came with the device. However, when I click the three dots next to certain apps, the "Uninstall" option is completely grayed out and unclickable. Is there a PowerShell command I can use to force-remove these stubborn apps?

Windows for business | Windows 365 Enterprise
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Domic Vo 34,570 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-27T18:03:01.27+00:00

Hi Emily Davis,

Using PowerShell is the most reliable way to remove applications when the Settings menu is restricted. You can identify packages with Get-AppxPackage and attempt to remove them using Remove-AppxPackage. However, be aware that receiving an error like 0x80073CFA means the app is a protected system component essential for Windows integrity and these should not be forced off the device, as doing so can destabilize the operating system. If an app can't be removed, it is best to leave it in place to ensure shell functionality remains intact.

Hope this answer has brought you some useful information.

Domic V.

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