Remove Mail App in Windows 10: Full Guide

This guide walks you through removing the built-in Mail app from Windows 10, either for individual users or across all accounts on the machine. You’ll learn the exact PowerShell commands, the registry tweak for blocking reinstallation, and how to get the app back if you change your mind.

What You’ll Need

• An account with administrator privileges (to run PowerShell as admin)
• Windows 10 version 1803 or later (the commands work on most recent builds)
• Optional: a backup of your email data if you plan to reinstall later

Step-by-Step

1. Close the Mail app completely. Right-click the Mail icon on the taskbar (if pinned) and select “Close window.� If it’s open in the background, check the system tray for the mail icon and quit it from there.
2. Open PowerShell as administrator. Click the Start button, type PowerShell, right-click “Windows PowerShellâ€� in the search results, and choose “Run as administrator.â€� Accept the UAC prompt.
3. Remove the Mail app for the current user. In the PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter:
   Get-AppxPackage *microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage
   This uninstalls the Mail and Calendar app package (they share the same package). Wait for the command to complete—there’s no success message, but you’ll see the prompt return.
4. Verify the removal. Click Start and type “Mail.� If the app no longer appears in the search results, it’s been removed for your account.
5. Remove for all users (optional). If you want to uninstall the app for every user on the PC, run this command instead:
   Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers
   Note: This may fail if the app is currently in use by another user. Ensure all other users are logged off.
6. Block automatic reinstallation (optional). Windows Update may reinstall the Mail app after a feature update. To prevent this, you need to add a registry key. Open Registry Editor (type regedit in Start, press Enter). Navigate to:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
   Right-click on Windows, select New → Key, and name it Appx. Inside the Appx key, right-click, select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowAllTrustedApps. Set its value to 0 (double-click it and enter 0). Close Registry Editor and restart your PC.
7. Restart your computer to ensure all changes take effect.

Common Mistakes

• Running PowerShell without admin rights: The Remove-AppxPackage command requires an elevated PowerShell session. If you run it as a standard user, you’ll get an error about access denied.
• Using the wrong package name: The Mail app’s package name is microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps. Using a partial name like “Mailâ€� won’t work. Always use the full name or the wildcard as shown.
• Forgetting that Mail and Calendar are bundled: Removing this package removes both apps. If you only want to remove Calendar, you’ll need a third-party tool or a more complex PowerShell script, as there’s no built-in way to separate them.
• Not closing the app first: If the Mail app is running, the removal command may fail with “The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.â€�

Tips

• If you want to keep your email data (accounts, signatures, etc.) for a future reinstall, back up the folder %LocalAppData%\Packages\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_8wekyb3d8bbwe before removing. Copy it to an external drive.
• To reinstall the Mail app later, you can run the same PowerShell command but with Add-AppxPackage and the package’s full path, or simply use the Microsoft Store to search for “Mail and Calendarâ€� and click Install.
• If you’re removing the app to declutter, consider also removing other bloatware like the Xbox app or OneNote, but be careful—some apps are system-critical.

Troubleshooting

Command fails with “Package was not found.â€� This usually means the app is already removed or the package name is incorrect. Double-check the spelling and try the wildcard version: Get-AppxPackage *communications* | Remove-AppxPackage.

Error “Cannot remove because the package is in use.� Close all instances of Mail and Calendar, including background processes. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), look for “Mail� or “Calendar� under Processes, right-click and select “End task.� Then try again.

App reappears after a Windows update. This is normal. The registry key from Step 6 should prevent it, but if it doesn’t, you may need to reapply the key after major updates. Also, check that the key is still present—some updates reset policies.

PowerShell says “Access denied� even as admin. Ensure you clicked “Run as administrator� and accepted the UAC prompt. If you’re on a corporate-managed PC, group policy may block removal; contact your IT admin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing the Mail app delete my email accounts?

No. Your email accounts and server settings are stored separately in Windows Credential Manager. Reinstalling the app will restore them automatically.

Can I remove Mail without using PowerShell?

No, the built-in Mail app is a system app and cannot be uninstalled from the Settings app or Control Panel. PowerShell is the only built-in method.

Does removing Mail affect other apps?

Only the Calendar app is affected, as they share the same package. Other apps like Outlook or web-based email are unaffected.

How do I get Mail back after removing it?

Open the Microsoft Store, search for “Mail and Calendar,â€� and click Install. Alternatively, run the PowerShell command: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers *microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps* | Add-AppxPackage (requires the package file).

Is it safe to delete the registry key I created?

Yes, if you want to allow automatic reinstallation of Mail and other trusted apps, you can delete the AllowAllTrustedApps DWORD or the entire Appx key. This is a standard policy key.

Why does the Mail app keep coming back?

Windows Update often reinstalls default apps after feature updates. The registry key in Step 6 is the most reliable way to prevent this, but it may not work for all users if a newer update changes the behavior.

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