New laptops are riddled with 'bloatware'

Free trials of Microsoft Office and McAfee antivirus software are by far the most common additions to new computers, according to Which? research. But just under a third of consumers actually use the software that comes pre-installed. We run through the usual suspects and explain how you can get rid of unwanted software on your computer. 

Whether it’s that new-shoe smell, or the feeling of pulling the plastic screen protector off the latest smartphone, the first time you unbox something is always a little bit special. It’s a pity, then, that the vast majority of laptops don’t feel quite so fresh. 

Of the 300+ laptops we’ve tested since June 2020, the vast majority have had some pre-installed software that doesn’t directly relate to the everyday functioning of the laptop. This is - perhaps uncharitably, depending on who you are - known as 'bloatware'. It includes promotional software, free trials and even icons on the desktop. 

Programs such as branded updater tools, such as ‘Lenovo Utility’ and ‘Asus Live Update’, are what you’d expect and make complete sense. But anything else is effectively an ad for a product you might not be interested in. 

Windows laptops, in particular, frequently come with a free trial of the Office suite, along with other software including McAfee antivirus, Skype, Dropbox cloud storage and the Spotify music service. 

Of course, this is nothing new; computers have shipped with ‘free’ stuff since the dawn of home computing. Antivirus, ClipArt, games and even CDs granting you a certain number of hours of free dial-up access were de rigueur for decades.

Read on to find out what we discovered, and how you can remove unwanted software.

Make the right choice with our expert pick of the best laptops 

What do laptop users think of bloatware?

To be fair to the manufacturers, this software isn’t universally hated by Which? members. When we asked 226 Which? members who bought a laptop with pre-installed software in the last five years, just under a third (31%) actually used it. 

However:

• Just over a third (34%) deleted the software as soon as possible 
• 14% removed it once it became annoying or they needed more space 
• A quarter (24%) simply didn’t use it, but didn’t bother to uninstall it either 

When we asked 653 Which? members about whether this software should be installed, 64% said that they thought that it shouldn’t be, with just 28% saying it should. 

The usual suspects: The most common 'bloatware' on laptops

Below are the apps that are the most frequently found pre-installed, or at least with an obvious presence on the device. We haven’t included software that is core to the functioning of the device and is free, such as updater tools or software found on all devices of a certain type (such as GarageBand on MacOS and Google Docs on ChromeOS).

Microsoft Office (365) trials: Found on 241 laptops

Microsoft’s famous productivity software is by far the most common pre-installed software. You can use it for free, usually for a month, before you’ll need to decide whether you want to pay for it.

Skype/Microsoft Teams: Found on 186 laptops

Microsoft’s Skype, and more recently its replacement, Teams, crop up a lot. These apps are free to use and helpful, but they’re far from the only video chat services available so you needn’t default to them. 

McAfee antivirus free trial: Found on 156 laptops

McAfee is the most prolific non-Microsoft product found on laptops. You’ll either get a month or a year of free service, and when that expires you’ll be asked to pay up through various notifications. 

Don’t feel the pressure, and check our recommended best antivirus software, including free software, to see which you should install.

Dropbox: Found on 137 laptops

This is the most common non-Microsoft/Google cloud storage option you’ll find on a laptop. This is usually a one-year free trial ranging from 25GB to 100GB of storage. If you start storing your files in Dropbox, you’ll likely want to renew come the end of the free trial, so ensure you have made your choice and organised your files well in advance of this happening.

Spotify: Found on 113 laptops

The music streaming service has no special deals; it's just the standard Spotify app and you’ll need to make an account. You’ll be able to use it for free, with ads and other limitations on what songs you can pick. 

For more advice on choosing a streaming service, head to the best music streaming services.

Amazon: Found on 55 laptops

This typically looks like an app, but often just acts as a link to the Amazon website. 

ExpressVPN: Found on 54 laptops

VPNs are a way to add extra privacy to your internet connection and can be useful to access streaming services from a different country. But most people with a secure home wifi network and safe web browsing practices probably don’t need a VPN. If your laptop has a trial of ExpressVPN on it, don’t feel compelled to pay up unless you’ve genuinely found it useful. 

Find out more with our VPN reviews.

WildTangent Games: Found on 50 laptops

This is a game-specific app store. There are free games to choose from, as well as those you have to pay for. It also offers a subscription service that unlocks the whole library of games and removes ads.

Booking.com: Found on 47 laptops

Like Amazon, it looks like an app but simply links to the Booking.com website. 

Check out this month's best laptop deals, hand-picked by our experts.

How to remove pre-installed software on Windows, Mac and ChromeOS

Fortunately, it's pretty simple to get rid of software on laptops these days. Follow the simple steps below to clean up your PC.

On Windows: 

Click the Start Menu (or press the Windows key on your keyboard). In the search bar, start type add/remove programs and click Add or remove programs when it appears. Scroll to the program you want to get rid of and click uninstall.

On ChromeOS

Go to the Launcher, which is the ChromeOS version of the Start Menu, and right-click on the app you want to uninstall. Select Uninstall or Remove from Chrome. 

On macOS

There are a couple of different ways to remove apps, depending on what type they are. Head to Apple’s Help page for the instructions.

Want to complete your desk setup with a screen? Take a look at our guide to the best computer monitors

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