Windows 10 by default, ships with certain apps that comes installed automatically. While some may prefer this setting many would not. For instance, in Windows 10 some playlists open with Groove Music even if you want it to open with Windows Media Player. Groove Music app in Windows 10 is brand new app that allows you to play your music collection and lets you make and listen to playlists.
Normally, you would remove this default app or disable it completely by simply performing a 2-click operation i.e. right-click an app in the All Apps list in the Start menu and select “Uninstall”. Sadly, Microsoft doesn’t allow you to easily uninstall this built-in Groove Music app in the usual way.
As the last option, you can resort to using a Windows Powershell cmdlet to have this application completely removed.
Read: Groove Music crashes frequently.
Remove or Uninstall Groove Music
Close Groove Music, if it’s running in the background. Click Start Menu, type Windows Powershell and open PowerShell with admin rights.
Next, In the elevated PowerShell prompt, enter the following command and then click Enter key to execute the command:
Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers
When done, look for Zune Music and copy the PackageFullName of ZuneMusic. You can right-click on the menu bar, select Edit > Find.
In my case it is Microsoft.ZuneMusic_3.6.12711.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe. You have to use the name as shown on your PC.
Now execute the following command to uninstall Groove Music from your Windows 10 computer:
remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneMusic_3.6.12711.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
In the above command, you should use the PackageFullName of Groove Music that you copied in the earlier step.
Finally, press Enter key to execute the command. that’s it!
The command should execute without any errors. When completed, go back to the Start Menu and look for the Groove music app. It will no longer appear there. This is how you can completely remove or uninstall Groove Music app from your Windows 10.
UPDATE: If the above command does not work for you, use the following command as suggested by Marco Paulan below in the comments:
remove-AppxPackage (Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers|Where{$_.PackageFullName -match "ZuneMusic"}).PackageFullName
10AppsManager for Windows 10 lets you easily uninstall and remove Windows Store apps from your computer.
Can you do the same thing for any of the other preinstalled apps, providing you know their name and version number
Yes of course. Also see https://www.thewindowsclub.com/10appsmanager-windows-10
Yet another great post from Anand! This works great for ALL unneeded Microsoft apps, not just for Groove. I’m going to try and remove Edge from my system, as this browser is complete junk; i.e. try opening SAP with it – you’ll agree – totally useless.
IMHO, I resent the fact that Microsoft is continually trying to cram junk applications down our throats and telling us that it improves the user experience. On the contrary; the underlying agenda is to capture telemetry metrics for the NSA. Microsoft moves up to the top position (above Apple and Google) as the primary player in the technology ‘Axis of Evil’. At some point, they will loose even more market share and their current CEO (also useless) will finally be ousted.
Or…just download and use iOrbit Uninstaller and get rid of all of the preinstalled rubbish with a few mouse clicks.
Also see https://www.thewindowsclub.com/10appsmanager-windows-10
Perhaps you should have just pointed to that link to start with…rather than bothering with this silly post.
I have mentioned this link towards the end of this post also. That is why I always urge readers to read the complete post first – and not just the title, via the Authors box. This is my way. Each to his/her own I suppose. 😛
I found this post extremely useful, helpful. I am a dinosaur from the DOS command prompt era, and enjoy blue or black screens with command prompts. Funny how under the skirt of the GUI is the same old familiar system of commands from a long-ago time. Great article. Thanks.
try
remove-AppxPackage (Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers|Where{$_.PackageFullName -match “ZuneMusic”}).PackageFullName
it is not working … groove music is still there – followed step by step – did it twice and no result
Same here
Thank you, this was a huuuuge frustration saver. Even though I’d set my preferred program for every file type to other things, this would still try to auto-run on doubleclicking files. While I could theoretically retrain myself to right click to ‘open with’? Most of the time I’m working on things as a performer and entertainer, and the time adds up.If I can even fit in one extra song into practice or editing from the saved time, it’s worth it.
if you install iobit uninstaller and after you install an open it ,on the left hand side you will see win manager click on that and you will see all apps install so just click on the app you want to uninstall and hit the uninstall button at the bottom
Don’t waste your time removing this ULTRA CRAPPY music player. Once Windows Updates run again the app is reinstalled. I HATEGROOVE MUSIC!!!!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Couldn’t get the other command to work. Even checking and triple checking. But I copied and pasted your command and presto. Groove is GONE!
Is it a coincidence that after I removed most of this crap that I got a blue screen and had to restore my computer ( bringing them all back ). P.S. Latest Groove music update is scanning all your music in the background using massive amounts of Ram
You should really tell people to use grep instead of reading through a bunch of text…. Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers | grep -i zune
Omg finally got Groove Music off my computer. Thank you so so much for this post. It was really helpful.
How do you type the line between Users and Where? Thank you
Never mind. I found it. Always wondered where that was and it has been on my keyboard the whole time. Duh!
Thanks ! This works great
Merci <3
So, I mean, I’ll just remove it again.
Is there a way to get rid of groove and other default apps on windows 10 mobile?
Just had a windows 10 update today and now Groove Music has been reinstalled. Also tried typing Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers and is saying Access Denied… Has Microsoft gone and made it so we can’t uninstall their useless trash?
Try using this tool: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/10appsmanager-windows-10
marco paulan, excellent suggestion there! worked like a charm!
+1
I got that too. But I kept trying, and, knowing the name of the path, found it in C and tackled it directly. It can be done, it is worth it, hang in there.
This worked perfectly, and I am emboldened to try the model out on Edge, Advertising, that cloud thing, who knows what else. One by one. MANY thank you’s to Anand Khanse and whoever helped him if any.
I copied the Powershell original as a learning tool and backup if anything did go wrong, and I would share it (the one I got anyway) but I don’t see a dock for attachments. But that’s easy enough, highlight- copy-paste into Notepad- just for that confidence you can undo any of this. But you probably won’t care. Now I click on a song and instantly I have the Win Media Player doing it, with zero evidence Microsquish ever tacked on anything else. Kudos!
I notice that all the music that was on my memory chip has been removed why and with whose authority?
I followed instructions and got rid of Grooveplayer. Unfortunately it re-installed itself. I imagine this followed a Windows update. Would I be correct in thinking this?
Yes, that could be the reason.
Not only did it work, but since getting rid of it my external drive which holds my music (over 17000 files) has stopped constantly rumbling.
did you try the advertising and edge explorer? im curious on results of tackling those two.
I prefer to use powershell. No need to download anything that way. Thank you Anand 🙂
Hi Anand, I followed your instructions and managed to remove Groove but still cannot play music. When opening a music file from my computer I get the notification that Windows Media Payer encountered a problem when playing (which it never did). I also have trouble to listen to any youtube on the net. Been on the computer for 2 hours to fix it. Very frustrating. Any advise how to go about it? Thanks
Hi! I’ve tried this and at least it doesn’t give me an error, however, it just takes be back to prompt and it doesn’t say anything after I run the command… Any tips?
People have recommended using grep and some less straightforward text filtering methods. Easiest is probably just to use Select-String. This works great in powershell:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Select-String -Pattern ZuneMusic
Thank you, Windows Club! Microsoft support couldn’t help me, but you sure did!!!!
Thanks!
Worked a charm! Thanks for the tutorial.
Don’t know if you will ever see this but I wanted to thank you very much. All I had to do was open up powershell and copy and paste in your update command by Marco Paulan and press enter. Did not have to do anything else but those three steps!
remove-AppxPackage (Get-AppxPackage –AllUsers|Where{$_.PackageFullName -match “ZuneMusic”}).PackageFullName
press enter
it worked !!! thank you
Anand,
Great tip! THANK YOU. Worked perfectly.
cheers mate and ignore the haters, this is well handy
Worked Awesome!!!
Just don’t make the same mistake I did the first time I tried and when using the “Find” option, make sure you locate the “PackageFullName” and Not the “PackageFamilyName” like my dumbass did.
Thanks for this! It’s so sad that we constantly have to wrestle with Windows’ goofy decisions just to get by in our day-to-day, but good that folks like you are around!
I agree completely.
Finally groove it smoothly, Thx
“We want to move from people needing Windows to people choosing Windows, to loving Windows”… tough love.
Thanks to the latest update this appeared…and now it is gone thanks to this tip. Microsoft can stop peddling their garbage now…
Try “get-appxpackage *Microsoft.ZuneMusic* | remove-appxpackage”
I managed to remove Groove and Movies/TV apps using the method detailed above for one user, but the apps still show up in the app list via the Start menu and also in the App list in Settings and the Uninstall buttons are greyed out. How do you uninstall for all/multiple user profiles?
Thank you.
Thank you, the other way may indeed have been easier, I also only noticed it afterwards. However, I am glad I didn’t as following your tutorial was much more fun and I was able to learn something along the way. Certainly not a silly post. Please keep up the good work as it is much appreciated.