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On Windows 11, Archive apps is a feature that has been designed to manage your apps automatically to save space and bandwidth. The feature works by archiving supported Microsoft Store apps that you don’t frequently use. It uses a process that uninstalls the app from the computer without completely removing it from the system. As a result, the app will no longer occupy space on the hard drive, nor will its services connect to use internet bandwidth.
The next time you open the app, it’ll connect to the Microsoft servers to redownload the bit again to install the app on demand. However, this will only be possible if the app is still available in the Microsoft Store.
In this Windows 11 guide, we’ll show you the easy steps to control the Archive apps feature on your computer.
- How to enable Archive apps on Windows 11
- How to disable Archive apps on Windows 11
How to enable Archive apps on Windows 11
The «Archive apps» feature should be enabled by default, but you can check or re-enable it using these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Apps.
- Click the Apps & features page on the right side.
- Click on More settings.
- Click the Archive apps setting.
- Turn on the toggle switch to enable Archive apps on Windows 11.
Once you complete the steps, the system will automatically archive those apps you rarely use. The next time you open the application again, it will connect to the Microsoft Store to redownload the bits again.
The only caveat is that if the app is no longer available, you will no longer be able to use it.
How to disable Archive apps on Windows 11
To disable Archive apps on your device, use these steps:
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- Open Settings.
- Click on Apps.
- Click the Apps & features page on the right side.
- Click on More settings.
- Click the Archive apps setting.
- Turn off the toggle switch to enable Archive apps on Windows 11.
After you complete the steps, Windows 11 will no longer automatically try to remove apps you don’t use. If you need to free up space or remove an app you no longer need, you will have to uninstall it manually.
More Windows resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
- Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
- Windows 11 help, tips, and tricks
- Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
We all install apps we intend to use, only to forget they exist later. However, despite you not using them anymore those apps still take up storage space and use our internet bandwidth. To prevent them from doing that, Microsoft introduced the Archive apps feature.
Here’s what you need to know about App archiving in Windows 11.
What Is the App Archiving Feature?
App archiving is a feature that automatically uninstalls apps that you rarely use while keeping their associated files and settings intact. Should you decide to open the archived apps again, Windows will redownload them from the Microsoft Store, and you can resume using them.
The Archive app feature only works on apps you’ve downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
Should You Enable or Disable App Archiving?
If you’re prone to installing large or too many apps and forgetting about them, the Archive app feature will serve you well. That way, you don’t have to bother with uninstalling apps yourself when you’re trying to free up space on your computer.
However, there are instances where an archived app is no longer available on the Microsoft store. That means you can potentially lose apps you may need in the future.
Now, suppose you’re afraid you might lose the archived apps and aren’t particularly concerned about them taking up space or using your internet bandwidth. In that case, we recommend disabling the Archive app feature.
How Do You Enable or Disable App Archiving in Windows 11?
You don’t have to enable app archiving in Windows 11 because it will be on by default. You can check this by right-clicking Windows and clicking Apps & features from the list of options. Then, expand More settings.
Click on Archive apps, and you’ll see that Windows has already set the toggle to On. You’ll also see apps that the OS has archived here.
By clicking on the toggle, you can turn app archiving on and off as you please.
Now You Know About Archiving Apps in Windows 11
Now that you’re familiar with the Archive app feature, you can enable or disable it depending on your needs. These needs usually revolve around how much storage space and internet bandwidth you’re trying to save. With that said, we’ll leave that part up to you to decide.
If your laptop or PC is running low on storage, checking all the apps you have installed should be your first port of call. That’s often where you’ll find large files which take up a lot of space – it makes sense to get rid of any you’re not using.
For apps that haven’t been touched in months or even years, deleting them is a no-brainer. But for those that you only use occasionally, the decision becomes much more difficult. Most people will end up keeping the app installed, using an external drive or cloud storage to free up space elsewhere.
However, there is an alternative. In
Windows 11, Microsoft can automatically archive apps you rarely used instead – this uninstalls it without removing all the system files from your device. If you ever need to use it again, the app can then be reinstalled on demand by connecting to the Microsoft servers. That means it’s only available for apps you’ve downloaded from the Microsoft Store, but there’s a much greater selection on offer in Windows 11 than Windows 10.
Aside from taking up barely any space compared to the full version, archived apps also don’t use any internet bandwidth. Most apps use Wi-Fi even when they’re not open, but archiving should make your connection faster and more reliable.
Without further ado, here’s how to use the Archive apps feature on Windows 11.
How to enable or disable Windows 11’s Archive apps feature
By default, Archiving apps should be enabled in Windows 11. Here’s how to make sure, or turn it off if you’d prefer not to use it:
- On your Windows 11 device, open Settings
- Click ‘Apps’ from the left pane, then ‘Apps & features’ from the menu that appears
- Click ‘Advanced app settings’, the second option in the list, then ‘Archive apps’
- The only thing you’ll find here is a toggle. Make sure it’s in the ‘On’ or ‘Off’ position, depending on whether you’d like to use the feature or not
Do bear in mind that Windows 11 will only be able to download archived apps if they’re still available at the Microsoft Store. If you might end up archiving an app that can’t be easily reinstalled, it’s worth keeping this setting off.
When turned on, Microsoft says it will automatically archive apps that you don’t use frequently. However, it’s not clear how often “frequently” means in this scenario.
In future, it would be nice to see Microsoft let you archive on an app-by-app basis. For apps that take up more space and internet bandwidth, it would make sense to archive more aggressively.
Until then, archiving remains a useful way to free up space on Windows 11. But the OS has plenty of other powerful tools to do just that, including Storage sense, Cleanup recommendations and Temporary files that you can often delete. Just head to Settings > System > Storage to see the available options.
Related articles for further reading
- How to stop Windows 11 apps from opening at startup
- How to customise the Windows 11 Start menu
- How to turn off automatic updates in Windows 11
Пользователи Windows 11 и Windows 10 могли заметить, что после недавних обновлений в списке приложений появился новый пункт «Программа архивации данных» (Windows Backup) — официальное приложение Microsoft для архивации файлов и настроек онлайн с синхронизацией между компьютерами.
В этом обзоре о том, для чего нужна «Программа архивации данных», как она работает и дополнительная информация, которая может быть полезной.
Использование и функции приложения «Программа архивации данных»
Новая «Программа архивации данных» или, в англоязычной версии — Windows Backup, предназначена для сохранения в облаке, восстановления после переустановки системы и синхронизации между компьютерами пользователя параметров системы и файлов пользователя и не представляет собой утилиту для полного резервного копирования (но такая в Windows 11/10 тоже присутствует, подробнее — в этой инструкции).
Запустить новый инструмент можно в списке «Все приложения» в меню «Пуск» или используя поиск на панели задач, сам процесс использования очень прост:
- Для работы программы архивации требуется использование учетной записи Майкрософт: данные сохраняются в хранилище OneDrive соответствующего аккаунта. Если учетная запись в Windows не используется, вам будет предложено войти в неё.
- В окне «Программы архивации данных» вы увидите несколько пунктов, отвечающих за резервное копирование ряда элементов, по порядку перечислю их все.
- Папки пользователя — Рабочий стол, Документы, Изображения. Можно выбрать, содержимое каких папок следует помещать в резервную копию, а каких — нет.
- Параметры приложений Microsoft Store, их закрепления в меню Пуск.
- Параметры Windows — оформление, языковые и другие настройки.
- Пароли к сетям Wi-Fi и другие учётные данные, хранящиеся в Windows.
- Внизу слева отображается «Оценка хранилища» — это число представляет собой не текущее состояние вашего хранилища OneDrive, а объем, который потребуется для архивации всех элементов, доступных для выбора в приложении.
- Для запуска резервного копирования достаточно нажать «Создать резервную копию».
В дальнейшем, если зайти в Windows 11 или Windows 10 с той же учётной записью Майкрософт после переустановки или на новом компьютере, соответствующие настройки и файлы будут загружены из резервной копии, при условии, что их синхронизация включена в параметрах системы.
Есть ли необходимость в новом приложении?
Если вы хорошо знакомы с настройками вашей системы, то могли обратить внимание, что всё то, что делает «Программа архивации данных» уже есть в «Параметрах» Windows: если вы зайдёте в Параметры — Учетные записи — Архивация Windows, вы увидите экран, где присутствуют настройки для тех же пунктов:
По той же причине, впервые запустив «Программа архивации данных» вы можете увидеть, что часть или все элементы уже имеют резервную копию: при использовании учётной записи Майкрософт их резервное копирование выполняется и без дополнительных приложений.
Как итог, целесообразность появления новой программы мне не ясна. Единственная возможная причина, приходящая на ум — желание обратить дополнительное внимание пользователей на возможность резервного копирования файлов и настроек в OneDrive.
Можно ли удалить «Программу архивации данных»?
Программа архивации данных устанавливается не как обычное стороннее или встроенное приложение Windows, а как часть обновления компонентов — Windows Feature Experience Pack, а потому простых и работающих долгосрочно способов её удаления нет, кроме отказа от соответствующего обновления.
Файлы приложения Windows Backup находятся в папке
C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\WindowsBackup
однако даже если вы решите удалить их, следует учитывать следующее:
- Пункт «Программа архивации данных» не пропадёт из меню Пуск, для этого вам потребуется редактировать файл AppxManifest для компонента Client.CBS и повторно регистрировать его в системе.
- Приложение будет автоматически появляться при установке очередных накопительных обновлений.
- Нет гарантии, что остальные функции, включенные в Windows Feature Experience Pack, будут работать исправно.
Возможно, в будущем появятся простые и рабочие способы удаления этого приложения, но на момент написания этого обзора их, похоже, нет.
We all download apps that we expect to use just to forget about them later. Even though you are no longer using them, those apps continue to take up storage space and consume our internet connection. Microsoft added the Archive applications functionality to prevent them from doing so. Only apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store are supported by the Archive app functionality.
What Is The Purpose of The App Archiving Feature?
App archiving is a feature that allows you to delete apps you don’t use very often while saving their files and settings. If you choose to reopen the archived apps, Windows will redownload them from the Microsoft Store and allow you to use them again. The Archive app functionality only works with apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. It employs a method of uninstalling the software from the computer without totally removing it. As a result, the software will no longer take up disk space, and its services will no longer connect to use internet bandwidth.
Should App Archiving Be Enabled or Disabled?
The Archive app function will come in handy if you have a habit of installing huge or numerous apps and then forgetting about them. When you’re attempting to free up space on your computer, you won’t have to worry about removing apps manually. In some cases, though, archived software is no longer available on the Microsoft Store. As a result, you risk losing apps that you might require in the future. Let’s say you’re worried about losing the archived apps, but you don’t mind them taking up space or consuming up your internet speed. In that scenario, we suggest turning off the Archive app.
Steps On How To Archive Apps On Windows 11?
The “Archive apps” option should be enabled by default, however, you can double-check or re-enable it by following these instructions:
Step 1: Open the Settings menu.
Step 2: Go to Apps and select it.
Step 3: On the right side, go to the Apps & Features tab.
Step 4: Select More Settings.
Step 5: Select the Archive apps option.
Step 6: To enable Archive apps on Windows 11, turn on the toggle button.
Once you’ve completed the instructions, the system will archive any apps you don’t use very often. The application will connect to the Microsoft Store to redownload the bits the next time you open it.
How Do I Turn Off The Archive Apps In Windows 11?
The only drawback is that you will be unable to use the app if it is no longer available.
Follow these procedures to turn off Archive apps on your device:
Step 1: Open the Settings menu.
Step 2: Go to Apps and select it.
Step 3: On the right side, go to the Apps & Features tab.
Step 4: Select More options from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: Select the Archive apps option from the drop-down menu.
Step 6: To stop Archive apps on Windows 11, turn off the toggle switch.
After you’ve completed the instructions, Windows 11 won’t try to delete programs you don’t use any longer. You’ll have to manually uninstall an app if you need to clear up space or remove one you don’t use any longer.
The Final Word On How To Archive Apps On Windows 11?
If you’re running out of space on your laptop or PC, the first thing you should do is go through all of the apps you’ve loaded. That’s where you’ll typically discover enormous files that take up a lot of space, so get rid of anything you’re not using. You can now enable or disable the Archive app function based on your needs now that you’re familiar with it. These requirements are usually related to the amount of storage space and internet bandwidth you want to conserve.
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