As computers age, more and more files accumulate on our hard drives. Removing some of those files – viruses – is the job of antivirus software. Some of those files – for example, loggers and spyware – are removed by anti-loggers and anti-spyware software. However, some classes of files don’t fall into any of those categories: bloatware is one of them.
What Is Bloatware and How Does It Work?
Bloatware is essentially a PuP (potentially unwanted program) that can be found on a PC or a smartphone as well. Bloatware usually finds its way into our computers either by being pre-installed by the manufacturer after being pre-installed on the PC, by us downloading files without performing the necessary research or by us keeping files we downloaded years ago.
Getting Rid of Bloatware
It’s rather easy for bloatware to find its way onto our computers – to make sure our computers are clean, perform these steps:
- If you’ve just received your PC, perform thorough research on the apps that came pre-installed with it. If you find yourself using Windows, open up the Apps & Programs application (search for it in the search bar – it’s rather easy to find), then have a look through the applications that are installed on your PC. If you see an application that you think is not supposed to be on the list, do your research on it, then delete it if necessary.
- If you’ve been using your PC for a while, perform a sweep with scanners like Malwarebytes or similar – these kinds of scanners are easily able to identify malware, spyware, and bloatware as well. One click will remove them all!
Finally, keep in mind that every new PC or laptop might come pre-installed with applications that you do not intend to use at all – there’s no need to worry, but just keep in mind that it’s a good idea to have a look through the list and remove the apps that aren’t necessary or not install unnecessary stuff that you do not intend to use. Also, if you’ve been using your PC for a while, it’s a good idea to have a look through the list as well – you can be almost certain that you will find something that’s been used years ago and you have no use for!
Summary
The reasons why bloatware ends up on our computers are numerous – in many cases, it’s the result of us downloading stuff that we don’t use anymore (think about the things you’ve downloaded 5-6 years ago – do you use them all?), but in some cases, bloatware ends up on our PCs because those who create bloatware might pay wholesalers of computers to install it.
To remove bloatware, either have a look through the list of applications and programs that are installed on your computer and remove those apps that you don’t use, or sweep your computer with reputable anti-malware scanners like the one provided by Malwarebytes. Finally, keep mindful of the apps installed on your PC and remove them as soon as you’re done using them if you’re sure you won’t need to use them ever again. We hope that this blog has been informational, stick around for more content, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates, and until next time!