Would it help to have the ability to remove apps that you don't need but can't be removed?

Chintan Gohel

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May 23, 2014
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This is has been one of the strange things about mobile os'. We have apps installed by the OS provider or manufacturer that we will never use but can't be removed since they don't have uninstall options.

Currently these apps are fixed in windows 10 mobile:

  • Alarms and clock
  • Calculator
  • Camera
  • Contact support
  • File explorer
  • Films and TV
  • FM Radio
  • Groove music
  • Maps
  • Messaging
  • Microsoft Edge
  • OneDrive
  • Onenote
  • Outlook calendar
  • Outlook mail
  • People
  • Phone
  • Photos
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Settings
  • Skype video
  • Storage
  • Store
  • Voice recorder
  • Wallet
  • Weather
  • Windows feedback
  • Xbox

I would like to remove the apps I don't want and won't use

These are
  1. OneNote
  2. Podcasts
  3. Skype video
  4. Weather
  5. Xbox

I'm sure I can save about 150MB of space and less updates to install if these were gone
 

Guytronic

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Nov 4, 2013
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Of course it would if possible.

In the past it was possible to run the date on a Lumia past 06/01/2106 then reboot.
This would disable many built in Nokia apps.
 

Maurizio Troso

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This is has been one of the strange things about mobile os'. We have apps installed by the OS provider or manufacturer that we will never use but can't be removed since they don't have uninstall options.

Currently these apps are fixed in windows 10 mobile:

  • Alarms and clock
  • Calculator
  • Camera
  • Contact support
  • File explorer
  • Films and TV
  • FM Radio
  • Groove music
  • Maps
  • Messaging
  • Microsoft Edge
  • OneDrive
  • Onenote
  • Outlook calendar
  • Outlook mail
  • People
  • Phone
  • Photos
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Settings
  • Skype video
  • Storage
  • Store
  • Voice recorder
  • Wallet
  • Weather
  • Windows feedback
  • Xbox

I would like to remove the apps I don't want and won't use

These are
  1. OneNote
  2. Podcasts
  3. Skype video
  4. Weather
  5. Xbox

I'm sure I can save about 150MB of space and less updates to install if these were gone

Sure you can.
On first store app update, they could be re installled by system itself, but if you remove them again they will not be updated and installed anymore
 

Harrie-S

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Sep 26, 2014
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I can kind of understand it but only if you have a 4GB internal memory phone. With 8 or higher the 150 MB "extra" space is peanuts.
 

peter leung 10586

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Dec 13, 2015
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This is has been one of the strange things about mobile os'. We have apps installed by the OS provider or manufacturer that we will never use but can't be removed since they don't have uninstall options.

Currently these apps are fixed in windows 10 mobile:

  • Alarms and clock
  • Calculator
  • Camera
  • Contact support
  • File explorer
  • Films and TV
  • FM Radio
  • Groove music
  • Maps
  • Messaging
  • Microsoft Edge
  • OneDrive
  • Onenote
  • Outlook calendar
  • Outlook mail
  • People
  • Phone
  • Photos
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Settings
  • Skype video
  • Storage
  • Store
  • Voice recorder
  • Wallet
  • Weather
  • Windows feedback
  • Xbox

I would like to remove the apps I don't want and won't use

These are
  1. OneNote
  2. Podcasts
  3. Skype video
  4. Weather
  5. Xbox

I'm sure I can save about 150MB of space and less updates to install if these were gone
"podcasts" can be uninstalled by normal method.

wp_ss_20160219_0003.png
 

nailzer

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Nov 22, 2015
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"podcasts" can be uninstalled by normal method.

View attachment 122519

Try in developer mode connected to computer via USB, you will be amazed what you can see in there (including errors) Cortana is logged as an instant error, messaging is also installed 3 times "WTF", no wonder the phone gets confused, I wonder if the Gods actually look at what this shows when connected to a computer, errors are errors , why allow this to happen ?
 

peter leung 10586

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Try in developer mode connected to computer via USB, you will be amazed what you can see in there (including errors) Cortana is logged as an instant error, messaging is also installed 3 times "WTF", no wonder the phone gets confused, I wonder if the Gods actually look at what this shows when connected to a computer, errors are errors , why allow this to happen ?
what exactly should i do in order to see those errors? i know how to setup the phone to dev mode. what should i do next?
 

peter leung 10586

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Dec 13, 2015
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Lumia 1020, cyan firmware, 10586.107, upgraded from 8.1 to 10851 then to 10586 and so on, no hard resets anywhere
mine is 950xl and using latest fw and just updated from 10586.107 to 14267 (fast ring insider). podcasts is uninstallable in my phone.. but to my memory, podcasts is not uninstallable in my 930 even if it had been updated to w10m tech preview.
 

xrs22

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mine is 950xl and using latest fw and just updated from 10586.107 to 14267 (fast ring insider). podcasts is uninstallable in my phone.. but to my memory, podcasts is not uninstallable in my 930 even if it had been updated to w10m tech preview.
True, same when I had my Icon.
 

nailzer

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Nov 22, 2015
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what exactly should i do in order to see those errors? i know how to setup the phone to dev mode. what should i do next?

Allow developer mode, Connect your phone via USB, open browser window and go to http://192.168.1.101/ it should ask you to pair, then you can see whats's inside the phone

developer01.jpg
developer02.jpg
 

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Last edited:

EspHack

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Jun 11, 2013
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the problem is that these apps are not a godsend, they fail as a fact of life, if they do and you're on a closed OS like this, then you're at microsoft's mercy for an update, if only we could remove and reinstall a groove app which wont start, or gets stuck by some nonsense, this forum would have fewer angry users, but... for some reason, Microsoft deems those apps too good and too necessary for them to have the option to be removed or even reinstalled

oh there was a time I had a problem with xbox music after 8.1 and what I did was simply send the install command from my pc, which forced the phone to reinstall said app, and problem solved. not anymore, that's just another feature taken away for the sake of change
 

Harrie-S

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Sep 26, 2014
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The OP wants to uninstall apps because he does not need/want them (and wants to free up space). This is basically something else than uninstall them so you can reinstall them because the app has a "problem".
In the first case, why should MS invest time in making this possible for all apps.

In the second case it would be more "useful" but would this always help?
To let this work it needs more then just a "uninstall" button.

In the past more apps where "baked" into the OS which resulted in "no updates" because a OS update was needed. Now apps are "less baked" into the OS so App updates can be done.

But there will never be a perfect OS ( with apps) which always will work even if there are hardware problems and user mistakes.
 

peter leung 10586

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Allow developer mode, Connect your phone via USB, open browser window and go to http://192.168.1.101/ it should ask you to pair, then you can see whats's inside the phone..
wow it's interesting. I'm playing with it now. thanks for your info. seems that a lot of essential apps can be uninstalled by this method.

seems you can cut the edge
cut edge.jpg

but actually you can't
can't cut edge.jpg
 
Last edited:

gahbmwm5

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Jun 21, 2011
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so we have a conclusion now: whether the podcasts app is uninstallable depends on your phone's model. some can, some can't.

my guess: the podcasts app is uninstallable only for those "x50" series such as 950, 650, 550.

Yes indeed, on my AT&T branded L-950, with Preview Release OS: 10586.107 Stock Firmware: 01078.00017.15454.xxxx, Podcast app has 'uninstall' option..
 

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