O&O AppBuster is a free application by O&O Software GMBH. The program enables Windows 10 and 11 users to uninstall apps that Microsoft does not want users to remove from the system.
While some apps are critical components of Windows, the same can’t be said for all locked apps. Apps like Photos, Phone Link, Game Bar or Tips can’t be uninstalled from the Settings app.
PowerShell has long been the primary option to remove locked apps on Windows 10 and 11. It is a great option for system administrators and experienced users. You may check out my guide on uninstall the Photos app on Windows 11 as an example.
Regular Windows users may not feel comfortable enough running commands from PowerShell.
O&O AppBuster comes to the rescue. It has an easy-to-use interface to remove locked apps. Other features include mass removal of apps, including third-party apps, and more.
Tip: check out our review of O&O ShutUp10++ as well. This free program may improve your privacy.
O&O AppBuster: an overview
You can run the application right after the download. An installation is not required. The application has a clean interface that lists all installed apps and programs immediately.
The program lists all applications with their name and publisher, installation date, status, storage and also the number of users it is available for. A click on a column header at the top allows users to sort the list accordingly.
This is a handy option to sort by installation date or storage.
The Desktop and Windows tabs at the top lead to filtered listings:
- Desktop lists all user-installed programs.
- Windows lists all native apps and Store-installed apps.
A search allows users to find specific apps next to these. The search matches the name and publisher, which is an excellent option to quickly find multiple apps.
Using the program to remove Windows apps
One of the main applications of O&O AppBuster is the removal of native Windows apps. While Microsoft is making progress in this regard, by unlocking more apps for removal, it continues to lock some.
It is a welcome change of course, but slow-paced and not complete. O&O AppBuster supports other features that make it a good choice. First, by supporting mass uninstalls. Second, through an optional safety feature that relies on System Restore.
Here are the required steps to remove native Windows apps:
- Select Actions > Create a System Restore point to create a restore option.
- Pick “yes” when asked whether you want to create a system restore point.
- Switch to the Windows tab in the program interface.
- Check any of the apps that you want to remove.
- Activate the “Remove” button once done.
- O&O AppBuster displays a prompt immediately afterwards with three options:
- Current user — removes the app(s) only for the logged in user
- All users — removes the app(s) for all users that exist consequently.
- Computer — removes the apps from the entire machine.
- Select yes after you have made the selection.
- At this instant, O&O may display a prompt to create a system restore point. This happens only if you have not created one previously.
- Select Close to complete the removal.
Other features of O&O AppBuster
The program supports a number of other features furthermore. While the main focus is on the removal of Windows apps, it may also be used for other purposes.
You can use it to uninstall Win32 programs. This works a bit differently as the default uninstaller is spawned each time.
You need to be careful here, as some installers may prompt for a reboot.
Mass removal of apps and programs is a useful feature of the program. Just select all of them and hit the remove action afterwards.
Closing Words
O&O AppBuster is a useful program for Windows. It offers an elegant option to remove system apps from Windows as well as regular desktop programs.
Integration of System Restore ensures that you can go back to a previous state. Mass uninstalls is another useful feature, as it speeds up the process significantly.
Now You: do you keep or remove native Windows apps on your devices?