These Windows Apps Are Outdated, Risky or Fraudulent
Every computer gets some junk over time: the little app you installed years ago and forgot about, or the cleanup utility you downloaded when you wanted to free up space but is still running in the background. Also, Windows comes with its own malware . No matter how old (or new) your Windows PC is, you should check your installed apps from time to time and decide which apps you can do without.
Here are some of the Windows apps that you should uninstall as soon as possible – either because they are outdated, a security risk, or because they are simply scams.
CCleaner and other cleaning tools
Windows 10 and 11 take great care of themselves. No more need for a cleaning app, especially CCleaner. CCleaner used to be a trusted Windows cleaning app. But in 2017, it was bought by Avast, which began adding unnecessary features and data monitoring tools. While the app does a better job of handling these things these days, there’s simply no need to use a cleaning utility like CCleaner these days.
Back-up technologies such as Flash, Silverlight, Java
Adobe Flash is no more. Thank God. But it may still be on your computer . The same may be true for older platforms and technologies such as Microsoft Silverlight, Java, and Shockwave. Go to your apps list and if you see any of them in the list kill it instantly.
A free screen capture utility like Lightshot.
Lightshot is a free utility for creating and uploading screenshots to the cloud. This is useful, but comes with a security risk. We recommend that you do not use any third party tool to take screenshots of personal data, especially something like Lightshot that connects to cloud storage where you have no control over the data.
Use Window’s Snipping Tool or ShareX, which we recommend as the best screenshot tool for Windows (and then only save screenshots locally).
Cortana
Cortana is one of those Microsoft projects that never really worked out. In Windows 10 it was already hidden, but in Windows 11 it is not there. However, Cortana hides in the background, taking up space and resources. Use the Windows10Debloater script in PowerShell to uninstall Cortana with one click.
Apple apps like Bonjour, QuickTime, iTunes and more.
If you installed iTunes once in 2014, you still have at least five different Apple apps installed on your computer. In the modern age, iTunes really isn’t needed, and if you want to backup or sync your iPhone to PC, you can use a third party tool (or just use iCloud).
Go to the application list and uninstall iTunes related applications such as Bonjour, Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Devie Support, QuickTime and iTunes.
Virus manufacturer
If you bought a Windows PC from anyone other than Microsoft, chances are it came preinstalled with free apps that you don’t need. Go to the list of applications and search for such applications. UseShould I delete this? website to find out which applications are malware and remove them immediately.
McAfee malware
McAfee is one of the antivirus applications that is insecure on its own. And it turned out that it is very difficult to completely remove a program on a Mac . It is mostly pre-installed on the PC and is not an easy-to-use application. However, on Windows, it’s easy to get rid of it – you can remove it from the list of applications in the settings.
Torrent apps like uTorrent and BitTorrent
uTorrent used to be the best torrent app for Windows; BitTorrent was second. But then uTorrent started getting ads and bloat – and BitTorrent followed suit. uTorrent even added cryptocurrency mining software without informing users. Ouch.
Remove those apps and switch to qBittorrent which is safe, free and open source.
WinRar
Everyone needs an application to extract archives, but it doesn’t have to be WinRar. This app hasn’t received a real update in 20 years and is constantly offering 40 day trials. It won’t block you if you don’t pay, but it will keep showing the annoying popup. Switch to the free and easy-to-use 7-Zip app.