Most laptop manufacturers bundle a general-purpose "assistant" or "support" app — Dell SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage, and similar tools from other brands. These apps aren't pure bloatware; they genuinely handle driver and BIOS updates that Windows Update sometimes misses. The trick is removing the marketing and diagnostic clutter without losing that useful driver update function.

Key takeaway: You can usually disable an OEM assistant app's background scanning, notifications and promotional modules from within its own settings, while keeping it installed so you can still check for driver updates manually when needed.

Before you start: Don't fully uninstall your manufacturer's assistant app if your PC has unusual or specialised hardware, like a fingerprint reader or a dedicated graphics switching feature, until you've confirmed Windows Update alone can supply working drivers for it.

Adjusting settings instead of uninstalling

  1. Open the manufacturer assistant app (Dell SupportAssist, HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage, or equivalent) from the Start menu.
  2. Go to its Settings or Preferences section.
  3. Turn off automatic background scanning, scheduled scans, and promotional notifications.
  4. Leave driver and BIOS update checking enabled, but set it to notify only rather than auto-running in the background constantly.

Removing just the bundled extras

Many of these assistant apps actually install as several separate entries in Settings > Apps, not just one. Look for suffixes or related names alongside the main app.

  1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps and search the manufacturer's name.
  2. Identify secondary entries, such as "Dell Optimizer," "HP Wolf Security" (consumer edition), or "Lenovo Now" — these are usually the promotional or telemetry-focused modules.
  3. Uninstall the secondary modules individually while leaving the core support/update app in place.
  4. Restart your PC and confirm the core app still opens and can check for updates.

If you decide to remove it entirely

  1. Uninstall the assistant app fully via Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
  2. Rely on Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates to catch most driver updates going forward.
  3. Bookmark your specific laptop model's support page on the manufacturer's website so you can manually check for BIOS updates every few months, since these rarely arrive through Windows Update.

Tip: Check your specific laptop model's support page every six months or so for a BIOS update, even if you've removed the assistant app — BIOS updates can fix battery, stability and compatibility issues that never show up as Windows Updates.

Spotting the difference between a driver tool and a marketing tool

Manufacturer software suites often bundle genuinely useful driver management alongside features that exist purely to promote the manufacturer's other products or services. A good habit is to open the app's settings menu once, before deciding what to do with it, and read through each section's name. Anything referencing "offers," "deals," "partner," or "recommended for you" is a marketing module rather than a hardware tool and is always safe to disable. Anything referencing "driver," "firmware," "BIOS," or "update" is more likely part of the genuinely useful hardware-support function and worth keeping enabled, even if you disable its automatic background scanning as described above.

This same distinction is worth applying to any pop-up notifications the app sends — a notification about a driver update is worth reading, while a notification suggesting you buy an extended warranty or a bundled antivirus subscription is safe to dismiss and disable from recurring.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need the manufacturer's assistant app?
It's optional but genuinely useful for BIOS updates and unusual hardware drivers that Windows Update sometimes doesn't carry. Many users are fine relying on Windows Update alone for everything else.
Will removing it stop my drivers updating altogether?
No, Windows Update still supplies most standard drivers such as graphics, network, and audio, through its own Optional updates section.
Can I reinstall the assistant app later if I change my mind?
Yes, all major manufacturers offer a free download of their support app from their official website, so you can reinstall it any time.

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