Many users have spotted that Windows 10 downloads and installs some games and apps automatically. Without the user even opening the Store, or asking for his or her permission, the operating system installs some apps like Candy Crush Soda Saga, Minecraft: Windows 10 edition, Flipboard, Twitter and some other apps. This is definitely unwanted behavior for most users because they never requested these apps. Here is how to prevent these apps from installing.
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Update: the trick described in this article does not work in Windows 10 Anniversary Update version 1607. thanks to Group Policy changes. For Windows 10 Anniversary Update, see this workaround:
Stop Windows 10 Anniversary Update from installing Candy Crush and other unwanted apps
The latest Windows 10 version 1511 includes a new feature that automatically installs apps from the Windows Store because it wants to promote some of them. These apps are installed for the currently signed-in user. When you are connected to the internet, Windows 10 will download and install a number of Store apps automatically. The Tiles for these Metro apps or Universal apps suddenly show up in the Windows 10 Start Menu with a progress bar indicating that they're being downloaded. After they finish installing they show up in the Recently installed section of the Start menu:
In my case, it was Candy Crush Soda Saga, which also started running in the background and was visible in Task Manager. It is surprising because this happened on one of my PCs running Windows 10 which had the Windows Store app uninstalled using the tutorial HERE. I had only Edge and the Settings app for that user account and out of nowhere, suddenly it started installing these apps. This indicates that Windows 10 can use an alternate mechanism to install apps besides the Store.
There are some apps Microsoft automatically installs using a script to promote them to certain users. These are not provisioned apps included as part of the Windows setup image or preinstalled apps but they are downloaded using the user's internet connection.
Besides Candy Crush Soda Saga, Twitter, Flipboard and Minecraft, users report that some other apps continue to be installed automatically, such as Photoshop Express, iHeartRadio and more.
Microsoft is again going too far with pushing apps and it's hurting the user experience.
Fortunately, there is a way to prevent this madness. Follow these instructions to stop Windows 10 from downloading and installing apps like Candy Crush Soda Saga automatically.
- Install all cumulative and other updates available for Windows 10 so you at least have the TH2 update. The most recent release as of this writing is Windows 10 build 10586.71. Having TH2 installed is necessary for the Registry values to work.
- Now, open Registry Editor.
- Go to the following Registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent
Tip: How to jump to the desired registry key with one click.
If you have no such Registry key, you need to create it.
- Create a new 32-bit DWORD value named DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures and set its value data to 1. Even if you are running 64-bit Windows, you still need to create a 32-bit DWORD value.
- Restart Windows 10.
Now you can say goodbye to Candy Crush Soda Saga and all the other unwanted apps that you never wanted to try.
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Thank you for this article.
Don’t mention it.
Sadly did not work for me, after a few restarts the bloody Candy Crush got itself installed again :(
I did just as you instructed. Running the latest version of Win10 Pro.
Great tips though but maybe MS changed it somehow.
everytime i get tempted to upgarde from windows 7 to windows 10 I read something like this and it reminds me why I dont bother , guess eventually microsoft will go like woolworths did and just become a corporate non entity.
I do not have such a key and am running 10586.71
Create it yourself.
It does not exist by default.
Lol, another MS surprise – unwanted app installs. :D
Windows 10 looks more and more like a bad joke.
Indeed.
Could this be happened because you use online account instead of local one?
Quite possible.
Yeah, I think so. I’m using Windows 10 since the 10240 build in local account. Now I’ve been running the latest build since the update is released and doesn’t see any modern app installed automatically.
I am running the latest 10 build and I don’t have that reg entry and I do not use the Microsoft account.
I just use a local account. The games you mentioned do not seem to appear on my computer.
Maybe the key is to not use a Microsoft account login.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone came up with a program called “Make my Windows 10 Work and Look Just Like Windows 7”.
Have it install all of the Win 7 games if you wan them.
Have it install the real start menu.
Have it disable and or uninstall all of this new Win 10 crap that I don’t want or need.
Cortana, gone.
Skype, gone.
Maps, gone.
Weather, gone
It could also have options that will allow the user to keep certain apps if they want them.
I hope it can be done. The developer could probably sell it for $15.00 to $25.00 and make a bunch of money.
Incorrect. For all the times I install and reinstall Windows 10 on my computer, I always choose “Local Account”. Yet, for some reason, this crap still gets installed.
It looks like “Open Candy” is about to become a Microsoft Partner”
Worthless joins worthless
OT: I am waiting to see what they are going to collect for their “FREE Windows 10 upgrade) I am betting on a subscription service
i am going to stay away from Win10 TH2!
which linux distros you are using?
Arch Linux on my primary PC.
Linux Mint on my laptop.
oh ok
+1 for Mint, It is a fantastic distro
I use Xubuntu 18.04 was way more stable than Linuxmint Mate Edition that i broke in no time.
Xubuntu is working flawlessly, atleast on a desktop. For my Surface Pro 4 ( which also runs Xubuntu ) i had to install additional drivers and building a new kernel, there it stopped beeing trivial. But its a very good system for me.
This and TH2 uninstalling (almost) all of your apps… plus it introduces a brand new mechanism preventing third party themes for being installed… i was going to upgrade but i guess i’ll pass now, my build 10240 is fine :)
Is it Win10 home only or all editions by the way ?
for all consumer editions
That registry entry is also a group policy. This feature also breaks sysprep with the message “cannot validate windows”.
Sad news.
Build 14291 has changed this policy to Enterprise and Education limitted.
that’s a pity!
This solution still works in AU.
I have Windows 10 AU dual boot. Still OK but I prefer Windows 7 and Wndows 8.1 don’t wanna use Windows 10 as a main OS anymore.
I DISABLED ALL THOSE SHITTY APP AUTOMATICALLY DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING.
It probably works if you moved from 1511 to 1607 AU. Try a clean install of AU and watch junk automatically being downloaded and installed.
Hello,
I didn’t manage to resolve the problem with registry and even with gpedit. This is win 10 pro is a bad joke. I will call Microsoft to resolve problem.
That’s a pity.
I am trying but i get this error, and i dont even have the Windows App folder at C:\ so I guess Im screwed :( plementación con HRESULT: 0x80073CF9, Error en la instalación. Póngase en contacto con el proveedor de software. (Excepción de HRESULT: 0x80073CF9)
n adicional, busque [ActivityId] 237ea2ac-c8d7-0001-c143-8523d7c8d101 en el registro de eventos o use la línea de comandos Get-AppxLog -ActivityID 237ea2ac-c8d7-0001-c143-8523d7c8d101
C:\Archivos de Programa\WindowsApps\Micros …
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WriteError: (C:\Archivos de …ppxManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], IOException
DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand
Please please contact me at the email im providing i really need help. This happened after that Candy app missed my profile and windows forced me to use Temporary Profile, so i made a fix for that, which worked but it messed my Store and Edge apps
Fuck you Microsoft
I don’t know why but whenever I enable this feature on win-aero than restart my computer, it shows unchked liek if I hadn’t had it enabled.
Any reasons as to why?
Cepгeй, y мeня тa жe пpoблeмa. B Baшeй пpoгpaммe cтaвлю гaлoчкy нa “Ѕtор Unwаntеd Аррѕ”, зaпpaшивaeтcя пepeзaгpyзкa, гaлoчки нa “Ѕtор Unwаntеd Аррѕ” нeт, a дecяткa кaк кaчaлa, тaк и пpoдoлжaeт кaчaть aпдeйты (вpoдe Саndу Сruѕh Ѕоdа Ѕаgа). У мeня 1511 вepcия. Пpoбoвaлa (кpoмe Baшeгo coвeтa вышe) coздaть в вeткe НКЕY_LОСАL_МАСНІNЕ\ЅОFТWАRЕ\Роlісіеѕ\Місrоѕоft\WіndоwѕЅtоrе ключ “АutоDоwnlоаd” (32-bіt DWОRD) co знaчeниeм 2, нo ничeгo нe пoмoглo. Пoдcкaжитe, пoжaлyйcтa, чтo дeлaть!
А если вот так? https://winaero.com/blog/a-tweak-to-turn-off-automatically-installing-suggested-apps-in-windows-10/
Пoкa нe знaю, чтo и cкaзaть. Bнecлa Baшe измeнeниe в peecтp. Hecкoлькo paз “пepeгpyзилacь”. Зaмeтилa, чтo в плиткax “Саndу Сruѕh Ѕоdа Ѕаgа” и “Хbох” пoкa виcят. Toчнo знaю, чтo пocтoяннo oбнoвляютcя пpoгнoз пoгoды и Тwіttеr. Пeчaлькa :-\
Так если они до внесения твика появились, то и не исчезнут. Их вручную надо удалить.
а Xbox это вообще системное приложение.
Так они же постянно обновляются?!
не очень уловил суть вопроса.
итак.
1. вносим твик
2. удаляем канди краш и иже с ним
больше их не видим.
Если последовательность действий будет другой, приложения продолжат обновляться.
xbox поставляется в составе системы, и продолжит обновляться, твик на него не влияет.
A пoчeмy тoгдa y мeня пoгoдa и Tвиттep пpoдoлжaют oбнoвлятьcя?
Я xoчy вooбщe зaбить эти дoлбaнныe oбнoвлeния :(
Погода – приложение системное.
Твиттер можно удалить в Настройках – система – приложения
This did not work for me. Windows 10 still auto installs lots of garbage games.
What about this one?
Have you tried it?
the secpol.msc trick no longer works, at least on my systems as of 3/21/17
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “ContentDeliveryAllowed” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “OemPreInstalledAppsEnabled” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “PreInstalledAppsEnabled” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “PreInstalledAppsEverEnabled” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “SilentInstalledAppsEnabled” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager” /v “SubscribedContentEnabled” /t REG_DWORD /d “0” /f
reg delete “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager\SuggestedApps” /f
lets see if this works, I’ve been trying to rid my computer of this cancer since I bought it last year. Each fix I do seems to work then a few days later candy crush and farmville try to reinstall. I’ve destroyed everything else, but these two viruses just keep trying to download.
I love how microsoft is totally pro rape as they don’t consider my consent to be something that is needed.
Each time I see them trying to install, I’m triggered.
lets see if this works, I’ve been trying to rid my computer of this cancer since I bought it last year. Each fix I do seems to work then a few days later candy crush and farmville try to reinstall. I’ve destroyed everything else, but these two viruses just keep trying to download.
I love how microsoft is totally pro rape as they don’t consider my consent to be something that is needed.
Each time I see them trying to install, I’m triggered.
EDIT: NOPE IT DIDN’T WORK. Didn’t try to install for about 4 days (since I posted this, and then bam today, once again, my consent was not required.
If you have the time, everybody should just call Microsoft support about this and ask how the bug of auto-installing apps can be fixed. Maybe when a few dozen support representatives are spending their days exclusively explaining to people that this is by design, someone will get the message that it’s a stupid and disrespectful idea.
To remove all installed apps I always use Powershell run as Administrator, then “Get-AppXPackage | Remove-AppXPackage”. This cleans ALL additional apps (i.e. also the appbased calculator).
Actually, this kind of behavior (doing and putting things on computers without users consent) has been around for awhile already. They even have a name for this kind of software. It’s called a malware.
This windows thing has made me supremely angry. I’ve been in the process of setting up a windows 10 pc to run some AV software at my place of worship. I spent ages uninstalling unwanted bloat from the machine (software like games featuring witches, wizzards and the occult – something that is not appropriate for a computer in use in a christian place of worship) only to find that the following day microsoft had installed it all back on there again without my permission. it’s absolutely unacceptable for a software company to do that.
Your god gave them permission, and since u rely on gods word you have to obey him and Microsoft. Now prove me wrong, religious retard.
So this is not a big deal to uninstall the apps, but I agree they shouldn’t be installed in the first place. How hard is it for users who want these apps to download them from the app store? First we got bloatware from PC makers, now we deal with similar crap from Microsoft. Personally, I don’t consider apps part of Windows and I certainly don’t care for apps being installed I have no interest in using.
Not sure what changed (I didn’t touch anything) but as of today Windows keeps reinstalling those @%$ apps again and again, even if I remove them (Spotify, Bubble Witch, Disney Magic Kingdoms etc. etc.). Infuriating.
1709 (16299.431)
Two weeks ago, I used the following script to remove a large number of MS apps from Version 1709:
Get-AppxPackage -allusers NameOfApp | Remove-AppxPackage
I was assured by the person who recommended it that this would completely remove the apps for me and for any future user accounts I added to my computer. But all it did was remove them from the Apps & features list and the A-Z list on the Start menu. The app folders, in their entirety, remained in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps. When I created a new user account today, all the “uninstalled” apps were there, plus some additional ones Windows threw in.
This makes me wonder if Microsoft’s new policy to make its apps un-uninstallable by any means.