Don’t like Windows 10 installing bloatware via Microsoft Store. Here’s a simple way to stop it from installing suggested apps automatically.
One of the stupid things about Windows 10 is that it automatically installs some suggested apps automatically. These apps include but not limited to Candy Crush, Microsoft Solitaire, Netflix, Hulu, etc. It doesn’t matter whether you like them or not. It just does it as soon as you connect to the internet. This happens every time you create a new user account or upgrade Windows 10. What’s more, you can’t stop the apps from being downloaded.
Now, you can easily uninstall these apps with just a few clicks. However, they shouldn’t be part of Windows 10 unless the user wants in the first place. So, in this quick post, let me show a simple way to stop Windows 10 from installing suggested apps automatically.
Block Windows 10 Suggested Apps Installation
Like many things in Windows, you need to make a quick Registry change to stop suggested apps installation. Though the process is pretty easy, I recommend you back up the registry before proceeding any further just to be safe.
The following are the registry changes you need to make to block Windows 10 suggested apps.
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First, open the start menu, search for “Registry Editor” and click on the result to open the Registry Editor.
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After opening the registry editor, copy the below path, paste it in the address bar and press Enter. This action will take you to our target folder.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager
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On the right panel, find the “SilentInstalledAppsEnabled” value. If there is no such value, right-click on the empty space, select “New → Dword Value” and name the value as SilentInstalledAppsEnabled.
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Double-click on the SilentInstalledAppsEnabled value. In the Edit Value window, type “0” in the Value Data field and click on the “Ok” button.
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To make the changes take effect, close the registry editor and reboot Windows.
That is it. From now on, Windows 10 will not install the suggested apps when you upgrade or create new user accounts. Keep in mind that if the suggested apps are already installed or if the installation is triggered, the above method will not help you. This is for future situations only.
To revert back, you can go through the same steps again and type “1” in the Value Data field in step 4.
Alternative Method
If you don’t like to edit the registry manually, download the pre-configured registry files from here. Once downloaded, extract the zip and double-click on the “disable-automatically-installating-suggested-apps.reg” file. In the confirmation window, click on the “Yes” button.
As soon as you click on the button, the value will be added to the registry to block the installation of bloatware apps. You will see an information window letting you know the same.
If you want to revert back, execute the “enable-automatically-installating-suggested-apps.reg” file.
Hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible.
I am very tech stupid, so I am stuck with this garbage on my pc as I am on my android phone. Why have we, consumers, put up with this behavior from a company who needs our business. I despise being bullied and forced to accept such manipulation.
But more and more the business world is ONLY available on line. What’s an oldie like me to do? Technology has good points, but my freedom of choice is no longer considered important. If I could I would throw phone and pc away. Life was simpler, safer, and cheaper before, everything went on line. Oh the cost of “progress.”