New Acer and ASUS laptops are excellent value for money, but that value is often subsidised by pre-installed trial software and manufacturer utilities you never asked for. Between trial antivirus, registration nag screens, media players, and duplicate "gaming hub" apps, it's common to find a dozen or more unwanted programs on a brand-new machine.

Key takeaway: Most Acer and ASUS pre-installed extras can be safely removed, but keep any app with "Control Center," "System," or driver-related names, as these often manage genuine hardware features like fan control or keyboard backlighting.

Before you start: Create a System Restore point first. On ASUS laptops especially, avoid removing "ASUS System Control Interface" or "ASUS Armoury Crate" if you use function-key shortcuts, battery charge limiting, or per-key keyboard lighting.

Reviewing installed apps

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
  2. Click the "Sort by" dropdown and choose Install date, which groups the factory-installed software together near the bottom of the list.
  3. Read through the list and note anything you recognise as unwanted trialware, such as McAfee, Norton, or third-party game bundles you've never opened.

Safe to remove on most Acer laptops

  1. Acer Collection S / Acer User Experience Improvement Program — telemetry and app-suggestion tools, safe to remove.
  2. Norton Security or McAfee trial — safe to remove if you plan to use Microsoft Defender instead.
  3. Acer Product Registration — a one-time nag screen, safe to remove once you've registered or decided not to.
  4. Booking.com, Netflix, or other pinned "sponsored" tiles and apps — safe to remove entirely.

Safe to remove on most ASUS laptops

  1. McAfee LiveSafe trial — safe to remove if switching to Microsoft Defender.
  2. ASUS GiftBox — a promotional app store, safe to remove.
  3. MyASUS — useful for driver updates and warranty checks, but optional if you're comfortable updating drivers manually via Windows Update.
  4. Keep ASUS System Control Interface and Armoury Crate if you use hotkeys, Fn-key media controls, or battery health charging limits — removing these can disable real hardware features.

Tip: If you're not sure what an app controls, search "[app name] site:asus.com" or "site:acer.com" to find the manufacturer's own description before removing it.

Why manufacturers include this software in the first place

It's worth understanding the economics behind bloatware, mainly so you don't feel any guilt about removing it. Laptop manufacturers operate on famously thin profit margins, and software vendors such as antivirus companies pay them for the privilege of pre-installing a trial version on new machines, in the hope that a percentage of buyers will convert to a paid subscription once the trial expires. This arrangement helps keep the retail price of the laptop itself lower than it would otherwise be, but it comes at the cost of a cluttered, slower out-of-box experience for everyone who buys the machine, whether they want the trial software or not.

Understanding this also explains why some pre-installed apps nag you persistently with pop-ups or notifications urging you to "activate" or "upgrade" — they're designed to convert as many trial users as possible before the free period ends, which is precisely the behaviour that makes them worth removing on a machine you intend to keep for the long term.

Uninstalling step by step

  1. In Settings > Apps > Installed apps, click the three dots next to the app you want to remove.
  2. Select Uninstall, then confirm again if prompted.
  3. Follow any additional uninstaller window that appears — some manufacturer apps use their own removal wizard rather than the standard Windows one.
  4. Restart your PC once you've removed everything you intend to, to let Windows fully clear related background processes.

Frequently asked questions

Will removing bloatware void my Acer or ASUS warranty?
No. Uninstalling pre-installed software through Windows' normal uninstaller has no effect on your hardware warranty, which covers physical faults, not the software configuration.
Can I reinstall MyASUS or Acer Care Center later if I need it?
Yes, both are freely available from the manufacturer's support website if you later want driver update tools or warranty checks back.
Why does my Acer or ASUS laptop show bloatware again after a Windows update?
Occasionally, major Windows feature updates can reinstall a small set of manufacturer or Microsoft Store apps. Simply repeat the removal steps if this happens.

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