Key Takeaways Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987 is testing the removal of Windows Maps and Movies & TV apps from clean installations
This change is currently being tested in the Canary Channel and may not be applied to all Windows 11 users.
Other changes in this release include improved driver installation and enhancements to Microsoft Store and Windows Share for better game installation and faster nearby share transfer speeds.
Microsoft is testing a big change to two legacy apps in Windows 11. Starting in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987, which is currently available in the Canary Channel, you’ll see that both the Windows Maps and Movies and TV apps will no longer be installed after you clean install the operating system.
For now, this change is only for Canary channel Windows Insiders, and the apps are not being fully moved on upgrade, just clean installations. Microsoft will also continue to make the apps available in the Microsoft Store should you want to download them. Still, this is quite an interesting move, to see the company ax the ease of availability of two legacy system apps that have been around since Windows 10. The company hasn’t said so, but it could be presumed that their metrics probably showed that these apps were not being used, and removing them on clean install could be a way to free up system space.
It’s still important to note, though, that this change is being tested in the Canary Channel. These builds are usually “hot off the presses” from Microsoft. So, changes here don’t always make it to the final Windows releases, Just because you’re seeing this change in Canary, it doesn’t mean it will apply to all Windows 11 users, including those who are running the stable version of the operating system.
There were a bunch of other changes in this release. Mainly, new ways to install drivers previously downloaded during the out-box experience, and some tweaks to the Microsoft Store which make it easier to specify where you’re going to install your games. Also released today was a new Dev channel build. It has the same Microsoft Store tweaks, as well as some tweaks to Windows Share, improving nearby share transfer speeds.