What do these Apps do?

very_452001 · Jun 29, 2024

Hi,

I see these Installed Apps in Windows 11 Pro that seem to come out of nowhere, what do these Apps do each?:

- Microsoft Windows App Runtime Singleton
- Windows App Runtime Main

If it doesn't break functionality of windows then which one out of the above two I uninstall 1st?

- Windows CoPilot MSIX Pack

I turned off Copilot in taskbar settings, safe to remove the above?

Cheers,

Wisewiz · Jun 29, 2024

very_452001 said:
- Microsoft Windows App Runtime Singleton
- Windows App Runtime Main

Where do you see these things?

Marcus Vinicus · Jun 29, 2024

Microsoft recommends NOT removing the Windows App runtimes.

Remove outdated Windows App SDK runtime versions from your development computer - Windows apps

This article provides instructions for removing older versions of the Windows App SDK VSIX and runtime packages

learn.microsoft.com

Important

We recommend that you do not remove Windows App SDK runtime packages from end-user's machines after deployment. Doing so will break other applications that are taking a dependency on those packages.

EDIT
There is also this on how to check for versions of the Windows App SDK runtimes on a Windows PC using Powershell.

Check for installed versions of the Windows App SDK runtime - Windows apps

This article provides instructions for verifying the version of the Windows App SDK runtime installed on your development computer.

learn.microsoft.com

glasskuter · Jun 29, 2024

Completely Disable and Remove Copilot in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to completely disable the Windows Copilot preview feature and remove Copilot from the taskbar, Windows Search, and Microsoft Edge for all users in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Copilot in Windows provides centralized generative AI assistance to your users right from...

www.elevenforum.com

antspants · Jun 29, 2024

very_452001 said:
safe to remove the above?

Could you share; To what end? I mean why do you want them removed? What is it you think you will be gaining or achieving? (less maybe breaking something)

very_452001 · Jun 29, 2024

Wisewiz said:
Where do you see these things?

I see them in Settings > Installed Apps

Marcus Vinicus · Jun 29, 2024

antspants said:
Could you share; To what end? I mean why do you want them removed? What is it you think you will be gaining or achieving? (less maybe breaking something)

The other question is "Does the OP have a full system image backup of Windows before he makes any of these changes?".

very_452001 · Jun 29, 2024

antspants said:
Could you share; To what end? I mean why do you want them removed? What is it you think you will be gaining or achieving? (less maybe breaking something)

I might keep them after I know what they do and whether what they do is important and required to stay on the system.

Marcus Vinicus · Jun 29, 2024

The Windows App Runtimes help run UWP apps in Windows so it wouldn't be a good idea to start removing them.
They're regularly updated via the Microsoft Store.

What's a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app? - UWP applications

Learn about Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps that can run across a wide variety of devices that run Windows.

learn.microsoft.com

antspants · Jun 29, 2024

very_452001 said:
I might keep them after I know what they do and whether what they do is important and required to stay on the system.

Marcus Vinicus said:
The other question is "Does the OP have a full system image backup of Windows before he makes any of these changes?".

Marcus is right. Make a backup image before you attempt anything. But really, you only know they are there because you wen’t looking. There is zero point, in my opinion, to remove these things. But sure, remove them and we might see you again asking why something is broken

glasskuter · Jun 29, 2024

antspants said:
But sure, remove them and we might see you again asking why something is broken

So true.
The runtime environment acts as a bridge between the application and the underlying system, ensuring that the application can run smoothly and efficiently. Without a runtime environment, applications cannot be executed correctly.

It absolutely amazes me why some people would even think about butchering core parts of what makes the OS and apps work correctly. What's the point of it? I don't thinks folks have ever hear that old idiom "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Marcus Vinicus · Jun 30, 2024

glasskuter said:
So true.
The runtime environment acts as a bridge between the application and the underlying system, ensuring that the application can run smoothly and efficiently. Without a runtime environment, applications cannot be executed correctly.

I opened up Process Explorer (part of the Sysinternals Suite) before and it was clear to see the key role these runtimes play behind the scenes.

Bizarre · Jun 30, 2024

very_452001 said:
Hi,

I see these Installed Apps in Windows 11 Pro that seem to come out of nowhere, what do these Apps do each?:

- Microsoft Windows App Runtime Singleton
- Windows App Runtime Main

Those Apps are installed because of the Photos App. You can try to remove them, but the moment you open the Photos App, they will just be installed again.

BrianInEngland · Jun 30, 2024

They're new things, I saw them install recently. They don't cause any problems, they would more likely cause issues if you removed them

Marcus Vinicus · Jun 30, 2024

Bizarre said:
Those Apps are installed because of the Photos App. You can try to remove them, but the moment you open the Photos App, they will just be installed again.

These Windows App Runtime (WinRT) API's are in a number of UWP apps in Windows. This includes:

Windows Calculator
Microsoft Store
Mail and Calendar
Microsoft Edge

There are others as well.

EDIT: These WinRT API's were added to Windows in Windows 8 and Windows Server in 2012. They aren't new.

Windows Runtime - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

TM21 · Jun 30, 2024

I don't have those on MY PC. But then, I don't let MS mess with my Photos either.

A good rule is, "if you don't understand it, and why it's there, Leave It Alone!"

Bizarre · Jun 30, 2024

Marcus Vinicus said:
These Windows App Runtime (WinRT) API's are in a number of UWP apps in Windows. This includes:

Windows Calculator

Microsoft Store

Mail and Calendar

Microsoft Edge

There are others as well.

EDIT: These WinRT API's were added to Windows in Windows 8 and Windows Server in 2012. They aren't new.

Windows Runtime - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You are talking about these:

Note: I didn't include the other APIs because there are too many to list.

I was talking to @very_452001 about these:

This was also mentioned before:

Strange behavior of the Photos app

I'm running the latest release of Microsoft Photos (2024.11050.3002.0) and noticed that the Photo file association in Settings Default apps has changed to Microsoft WinRT storage API. When I click on a photo file, it opens in the Microsoft Photos application, only the size of the window has...

www.elevenforum.com

With that said, the Apps that I was talking to @very_452001 about only appeared when I updated the Photos App.
I also tried uninstalling them, but they simply re-installed themselves the moment I opened the Photos App.

very_452001 · Jul 1, 2024

Bizarre said:
You are talking about these:

Note: I didn't include the other APIs because there are too many to list.

I was talking to @very_452001 about these:

This was also mentioned before:

Strange behavior of the Photos app

I'm running the latest release of Microsoft Photos (2024.11050.3002.0) and noticed that the Photo file association in Settings Default apps has changed to Microsoft WinRT storage API. When I click on a photo file, it opens in the Microsoft Photos application, only the size of the window has...

www.elevenforum.com

With that said, the Apps that I was talking to @very_452001 about only appeared when I updated the Photos App.
I also tried uninstalling them, but they simply re-installed themselves the moment I opened the Photos App.

Yeah thanks for highlighting both of them. I can now confirm its the bottom highlight.

very_452001 · Jul 1, 2024

I notice in Setting > Installed Apps, the important apps that are required on your system for the overall functionality of windows to properly work and operate cannot be uninstalled, the uninstalled is greyed out. For example the Microsoft local language pack cannot be uninstalled.

The apps I listed can be uninstalled. If Microsoft knows that uninstalling these apps break the functionality of windows then Microsoft allow its users to uninstall them

?

Okay what about Windows CoPilot MSIX Pack?

XxXxX · Jul 1, 2024

there is an explanation on MSIX here.

Don't worry about the mysterious Copilot app that suddenly showed up on your Windows PC, says Microsoft

Microsoft has explained that the strange Copilot app recently installed on some Windows PCs is harmless.

www.xda-developers.com

it looks like MS will be removing themselves .. but .. unknown when.
hope this helps. Steve ..

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