Microsoft allows IT admins to remove pre-installed apps on Windows 11

🚀 What’s new in Microsoft Intune (Late Sept – Mid Oct 2025) A few important updates rolling out lately 👇 🧩 PowerShell script support for Win32 apps You can now attach PowerShell scripts directly in your Enterprise App Catalog deployments — making app installs and custom logic much cleaner. 📱 Android Company Portal app update required Devices running versions older than 5.0.5421.0 will lose compliance or registration after Oct 1, 2025. Time to check those app versions! 💻 Windows 10 enrollment updates Post Oct 14, 2025, Windows 10 will remain allowed but without guaranteed feature parity. If you haven’t started migrating to Windows 11, now’s the moment. Read full details 👇 https://lnkd.in/gC8gRT_d https://lnkd.in/gmSCyZaB #Intune #Microsoft #EndpointManagement #Windows11 #Android #ModernWork

Microsoft is testing faster Quick Machine Recovery for Windows 11, enabling single-scan fixes for boot issues and easier Smart App Control toggling without reinstalling. Enhancing resilience post-outage. #Windows11 #QuickRecovery #SmartControl link: https://ift.tt/RrgOXjQ

IT Admins, Heads Up! Last month Microsoft started auto-installing new Companion Apps for Windows 11. As an IT admin, here’s what you need to know to manage the rollout and support your users. Control settings, uninstall options, and more, all covered in our latest blog. Check it out here https://lnkd.in/eDSb5kvT

Policy-Based Inbox App Removal in Windows 11 25H2 This new policy allows you to: ✅ Remove specific inbox apps at OOBE or user sign-in, ✅ Block reinstallation via Microsoft Store or sideloading, ✅ The policy is configurable per app. Administrators can select which apps to remove from a predefined list. Requirements: • Windows 11 25H2 (Enterprise/Education) • Devices must be MDM-enrolled to use the CSP policy or be domain-joined for Group Policy Object (GPO) to receive the policy. • Policy assigned via Settings Catalog → Windows Components → App Package Deployment Read more: https://lnkd.in/d9FzDcu2 #Intune #Windows11 #EndpointManagement #MEM #Microsoft365

🚀 New OneDrive App for Windows. What’s Changed & How to Get It..... Microsoft has rolled out a major update to the OneDrive app for Windows, and yes, you can access it now even though the official launch is slated for 2026. More 👉 https://lnkd.in/e3Xn_SRS 🔧 How to try it: If you’re on Windows 11 (24H2 / 25H2 or Insider build), you can already test it by launching OneDriveApp.exe, it’s hidden in your local OneDrive folder. #OneDrive #Windows11 #Microsoft365 #AI #DigitalWorkplace #Productivity #CloudStorage #Windows #Microsoft

WhatsApp on Windows 11 just got an update… and it’s not quite the glow-up users expected. Meta has replaced the native Windows app with a WebView-based version. In simple terms, WhatsApp Desktop is now the web client wrapped in a desktop window. Easier for development, yes but the experience feels noticeably heavier. What users are noticing: • RAM usage that suddenly behaves like WhatsApp is running a data center in the background • A UI that now feels like it’s “visiting” Windows instead of being built for it • Notifications that arrive slightly less confidently than before • Fans spinning harder than the group chats they’re powering The previous native build wasn’t perfect, but it was smooth, light, and well-integrated. The new version trades that for convenience on Meta’s side — one codebase to maintain across all platforms. From a product perspective: This is a reminder that platform decisions have real user impact. Aligning around a single codebase is efficient, but it can also create performance gaps, especially on desktop where users expect responsiveness and system-level integration. From a user’s perspective: When a messaging app starts taking over a gigabyte of RAM while idle, it’s hard not to feel like it’s preparing to run a machine learning model of your conversations. The broader trend: More major apps are shifting away from native Windows experiences toward web-wrapped versions. It’s cost-effective, but it raises an important question for teams building desktop tools: Is “good enough” actually good enough for your users? Read More: https://lnkd.in/d8uk6qxV

🧰 Microsoft Empowers IT Admins to Remove Pre-Installed Store Apps in Windows 11 Enterprise & Education Microsoft has introduced a new app management policy that allows IT admins to remove default Microsoft Store apps (aka in-box apps) from Windows 11 Enterprise and Education 25H2 editions. 🔧 Key Features: Available via Intune, Group Policy, and Configuration Service Provider (CSP) Eliminates the need for custom install images or fragile debloating scripts Automatically deletes app packages and local data once applied 📋 How to Use via Intune: Go to Devices > Manage devices > Configuration > Create > New policy Use: Category: Administrative Templates → Windows Components → App Package Deployment Setting: Remove default Microsoft Store packages from the system Value: Enabled Toggle apps to remove and assign to device groups ⚠️ Important Notes: Policy is disabled by default Only works on Enterprise and Education editions (not Pro) Does not support OEM/vendor apps 💡 This update simplifies app provisioning and reduces operational overhead for organizations transitioning to Windows 11. #Windows11 #MicrosoftIntune #EnterpriseIT #AppManagement #MDM #GroupPolicy #WindowsEducation #SysAdmin #EndpointManagement #ITOps #DeviceProvisioning #CSP #DebloatWindows

💡 We now have the ability to only customize the initial Start menu layout! 🚀 Customizing the Start menu layout on itself is nothing new, as it has been possible since the early days of Windows 11. It enables organizations to create a standardized layout for their users by pinning apps, removing default apps, ordering apps and more. 📖 To create a standardized layout for Windows 11, the IT administrator could use a JSON-file that contains the configuration of the Start menu layout. What makes it extra interesting is the added functionality with KB5062660 that introduced the ability to only apply the Start menu layout once, using the applyOnce property. That property will be ignored by earlier versions of Windows 11. For existing devices, it will overwrite the current Start menu of the user (thanks for verifying Michael Marable). So, be careful and only use it for new devices. For a lot more information, have a look at my latest post! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eC_JyZa6 #MSIntune #Windows #StartMenu

Windows 11 Store Gets Ninite-Style Multi-App Installer Feature: An anonymous reader shares a report: The Microsoft Store on the web now lets you create a multi-app install package on Windows 11 that installs multiple applications from a single installer. This means you can now install multiple apps simultaneously without having to download each one manually. The experience is similar to that of the third-party app Ninite, a package manager that lets you install multiple apps at once. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

🚀 Windows 11 25H2: Native GPO for Built-in App Removal Microsoft just made life easier for IT admins and architects! With the 25H2 update, Windows 11 now includes a Group Policy setting to automatically remove default Microsoft Store apps during new user profile creation—no need for custom scripts or post-deployment cleanup. 🔧 Policy Name: Remove Default Microsoft Store packages from the system 📌 Scope: Applies only to new profiles (existing users unaffected) 🏢 Editions Supported: Pro, Enterprise, Education 🧼 Removes: Microsoft Store inbox apps (not OEM bloatware) 📋 Bonus: Registry method available for Home edition (with caveats) This is a game-changer for enterprise environments aiming for clean, lean deployments. Perfect for VDI, AVD, W365 and zero-touch provisioning workflows. Windows11 #25H2 #GroupPolicy #AVD #EndpointManagement #ModernWorkplace #SysAdmin #Intune #VDI #TechUpdate https://lnkd.in/gwp7xb8y