Manage Apps in Windows 10
Windows 10 comes with a variety of pre-installed apps, but you can also add more
from the Microsoft Store or other trusted sources. Additionally, the operating system
allows you to configure, modify and remove apps to personalize your Windows
experience. In this article, we will look at how you can manage both native and
3 party apps in Windows 10.
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Accessing Apps in Windows 10
• Search for the app in the Windows Search box and click it from the results to
open.
• You may click the “Apps” tab to limit your search to the apps category.
Search &
Open
• Alternatively, click the Windows Start button and click the “All Apps” option.
This will list all the installed apps in their alphabetical order.
• At the top of the list, you may find apps that you use frequently or those you
have used recently.
• Scroll down the list looking for the app you want and click it to open.
Apps List
How to Install Apps in Windows 10?
If you don’t find the app you need in the apps list, most likely it is not installed on
your PC. Fortunately, you can install any Windows 10 compatible app or program.
Installing Apps from Microsoft Store
Windows 10 comes with Microsoft Store app comparable to Apple’s or the Android’s
Google Play, which allows you to download and install a variety of both free and
paid apps.
• To install apps from the Microsoft Store, go to Start, look for “Microsoft Store”
in the app list and click the app to open.
Open Microsoft Store
• You will find a collection of apps under the “Apps” tab. You can also search for
an app by typing the search phrase in the search box at the top.
Store Apps
• Click the “Top apps” button to sort/filter the apps further. Here you can click
the down-facing arrow to sort the apps by “Charts”, “Category”, “Ratings” and
“Platform”.
Filter Apps
• Pick the app of interest to see more details about the app. At the bottom of the
resulting page, you can check the apps system requirements, reviews and
other related apps.
• Click the “Get” button on the resulting page to acquire the app.
App Info
• You will see a notification at the top of the page, “Now you own this app” and
the install button on the right of this statement.
Acquire App
• Click “Install” and wait for Windows to automatically download and install the
app. Once done, you can click the “Launch” button to start running the new
app.
Launch App
Installing Apps from Other Sources
You may need to install apps from other sources/vendors such as installation disks
or web-based software vendors.
• Get the app’s executable (.exe) file by downloading it from a website,
transferring from another PC or DVD installation.
• Double click the app setup (.exe) file or right-click and select “Run/Open” to
start the installation process.
Run Setup
• Confirm the action if prompted to give allow the program to install.
• You may have to select the language, installation mode as well as accept the
license terms to start the installation.
• Follow the instruction on the installation wizard to complete the process.
Mostly, the installation is a straightforward plug and play process.
Install New App
• Once the installation finishes successfully, you can now run the app from the
Start menu.
How to Uninstall Apps in Windows 10?
You can remove/delete apps from your computer in 3 ways:
Uninstall Apps from the Windows Start Menu
• Click the Start button and go to all apps.
• Right-click the app you want to delete, click the “Uninstall” option and confirm
the action on the pop-up prompt.
• Windows will automatically remove the app from the list.
Start Uninstall
Uninstall Apps from the Control Panel
• Open the Control Panel and go to “Program and Features”. Here you will see
a list of your installed apps and sort the apps by name, installation date,
publisher, version or size.
• Click the app you want to remove and click the “Uninstall” button at the top of
the list.
• Wait for the wizard to uninstall and remove all the program files for the app
and then click the “Finish” button.
Uninstall Apps from the Windows 10 Settings App
• Press the “Win + I” keys to open the Settings App, select “App Settings” and
click “Apps & Features” on the left pane.
• Scroll down to the list of installed apps. You can look for the app you want to
remove or search in the search for it in the search box.
• Select the app to expand the options and then click the “Uninstall” button to
delete.
Settings
Uninstall
How to Restore Apps in Windows 10?
If you have deleted/uninstalled an app accidentally or you intentionally removed the
app temporarily, you may need to restore the app to continue using it.
• If you deleted an MS Store app, visit the MS Store and click the three dots
located at the top left corner of the window.
My Library
• Select “My Library” on the drop-down menu and pick the “Ready to install”
category.
• Look for the app you want to restore and click the “Install” button.
Restore App
• For non-store apps, you can re-install the app by running the setup/executable
file.
• Another option to restore apps using the Windows 10 System Restore, which
allows you to restore the system to a specific time. However, this is not an
effective method as it may remove other recently installed apps.
System Restore
Additional App Settings in Windows 10
You can configure more app settings to personalize your Windows 10 PC. Some of
the options include settings default apps and blacklisting non-Windows Store apps.
How to Blacklist Non-MicroSoft Store Apps?
You can limit installation to apps from the Microsoft store only to enhance your
device security.
• To do so, go to the “Apps & Features Settings” page and click the arrow under
the “Choose where to…” heading.
• Choose “Microsoft Store Only (Recommended)” and confirm the action when
prompted.
