Summary :
What is the WindowsApps folder? How to access it? How to delete it? If you want to find the answers to the above questions, you should read this post carefully. This post from MiniTool provides detailed information for you. Now, keep on your reading.
What Is the WindowsApps Folder
What is the WindowsApps folder? The WindowsApps folder is a hidden folder on Windows, which contains the files that make up all the default applications. It is used to store every application you download from the Microsoft Store.
If you can’t install apps from Microsoft Store on your Windows 10 computer, you can read this post to get 4 effective solutions.
If you store your data on the external hard drive, Windows 10 will also create another WindowsApps folder to store files along with several other folders — WpSystem, WUDownloadCache, Program Files.
How to Access WindowsApps Folder
Due to security reasons, the WindowsApps folder is difficult to access. But don’t worry. If you really want to access it, there is a method available. Now, let’s see how to access the WindowsApps folder.
Step 1: Open File Explorer. Click Local Disk (C:).
Step 2: Then, click Program Files > WindowsApps.
Step 3: Then, right-click WindowsApps to choose Properties.
Step 4: Navigate to the Security tab and click Advanced.
Step 5: Click the Change link next to Owner. After that, enter the object name to select and click OK.
Step 6: Finally, in the Advanced Security Settings for WindowsApps window, check the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects option.
Step 7: At last, you just need to click the Apply button.
How to Delete WindowsApps Folder
If you want to delete WindowsApps folder, you can continue to read this part. If there are no important files stored in the drive, you can delete the WindowsApps folder by formatting the drive. It’s also recommended to back up your files on the external hard drive.
Step 1: Uninstall the Application
Although formatting the drive will delete the WindowsApps folder, you need to uninstall the application first to avoid leaving system entries. The instructions are as follows:
- Search for Control Panel in the Search box to open it.
- Navigate to the Programs and Features section and click it.
- Find the program in the list and right-click it to choose Uninstall/Change.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall it.
After the uninstallation is complete, you can start format the external hard drive to delete the WindowsApp folder.
Step 2: Format the External Hard Drive
- Open File Explorer. Click This PC from the left pane.
- Under the Devices and drives section, right-click the drive storing the Microsoft Store apps, and select the Format option.
- Use the File system drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.
- Use the Allocation unit size drop-down and select the 4096 bytes option.
- Under the Format options section, check the Quick Format option.
- Click the Start button and click the OK button.
Also see: How to Reformat Hard Drive Free in Windows 10/8/7 (Best 3 Free Ways)
Some users would like to delete WindowsApps folder from their computer, but they may end up in failure: have no permission to perform this action.
Final Words
To sum up, this post introduces what the WindowsApp folder is and how to access it. Besides, you can know how to delete it on Windows 10. I hope that this post can be helpful to you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Position: Columnist
She was graduated from the major in English. She has been the MiniTool editor since she was graduated from university. She specializes in writing articles about backing up data & systems, cloning disks, and syncing files, etc. She is also good at writing articles about computer knowledge and computer issues. In daily life, she likes running and going to the amusement park with friends to play some exciting items.
Originally published at https://www.minitool.com on December 8, 2020.
