In the past, it was easy to do a clean install of Windows by wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch. Microsoft is however making it difficult to do this, with the company now preinstalling a variety of apps and services that many users don’t want or need.
A clean install of Windows 11 now includes Microsoft Edge, Teams, the Microsoft Solitaire Collection, and a variety of other apps. Microsoft also prompts users to sign in with a Microsoft account during the OOBE (out-of-box experience) process, which can be annoying for users who don’t want to do this.
The process once involved wiping the slate clean, installing a Windows operating system free of unnecessary software, and enjoying an original desktop environment. But, the advent of bundled third-party software (“bloatware”) and Microsoft’s own additions have complicated this practice.
In addition, Microsoft has been adding more and more bloatware to Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store. A clean install of Windows 11 now includes Spotify, Disney+, Prime Video, and Netflix, all of which take up space on the Start menu.
The sources for this piece include an article in ArsTechnica.
