Where to delete MS Store Apps without "uninstalling" them?

Question

Environment:
Windows 10 Pro, Domain-joined.

Context:
Remotely remove <SELECT APP> downloaded via MS Store by a user that no longer has access to MS Store. I've already disabled both MS Store and <SELECT APP> from running, but I want to remove it from showing in the Start Menu apps.

What I've done:
Deleted directories:
\<COMPUTER>\c$\Program Files\WindowsApps\<SELECT APP>
\<COMPUTER>\c$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\<SELECT APP>
\<COMPUTER>\c$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\<SELECT APP>
\<COMPUTER>\c$\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\Packages\<SELECT APP>
\<COMPUTER>\c$\users\<user>\AppData\Local\Packages\<SELECT APP>

Deleted contents:
\<COMPUTER>\c$\users\<user>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperience_\Settings\
\<COMPUTER>\c$\users\<user>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_*\Settings\
**Relative Cortana Directory non-existant as she's turned off on our domain.*

I've deleted the user account from c$\users\ and Regedit (HKLM..ProfileList), and rebooted, re-created profile (sign-in).

The program remains in the Start menu for only that user. However, the icon is missing, so I'm close.

Any pointers to get the whole thing?

Answer 1

So I'm assuming what you're looking here is for the apps in question to be gone from the start menu entirely, not simply just not appearing in tiles on the right?
If so, I don't believe there is a way of doing this short of fully uninstalling them.

I've found it to be more reliable to remove the apps from the starting installation materials (using DISM on the mounted install.wim) rather than attempt to remove them after installation. That way, they're never there in the first place, and you can ensure that they can't reinstall themselves.
e.g. something like this:

dism /Image:[folder where install.wim is mounted] /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxApp_48.48.7001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe

Repeat for all the apps you want to remove. Use dism /image:[as above] /Get-ProvisionedAppxPackages to list them and get the names. The downside to this is that you have to do this to the starting installation materials and then wipe&re-install the PCs from that image. One other thing - you mention roaming profiles. These can interact strangely with the start menu such that you may get different results on a user's first login (where they actually went through profile creation), compared to subsequent logins or logins on a different PC. The setting as to whether to keep cached copies of roaming profiles will also affect this, as it determines whether files in appdata\local are persistent per continued use.
Alternatively, LTSC lacks all these applications in the first place, which makes life a lot easier (and is something I would generally recommend anyway for other reasons for student use). NB, Microsoft's recommendation would be different, but I would recommend LTSC cause to me it seems to be a good fit for your needs.
Alternatively if you don't want to use DISM to customized your own image, then i would use (powershell), the key is after you remove those apps by following Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -online | Out-GridView -PassThru | Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Out-GridView -PassThru | Remove-AppxPackage You need to set group policy to shut down your store as well. Note I have found out that this has to be run as a local admin and not as a domain admin etc.

Answer 2

"So I'm assuming what you're looking here is for the apps in question to be gone from the start menu entirely, not simply just not appearing in tiles on the right?"

• Correct.

"I've found it to be more reliable to remove the apps from the starting installation materials (using DISM on the mounted install.wim) rather than attempt to remove them after installation. That way, they're never there in the first place, and you can ensure that they can't reinstall themselves.
e.g. something like this:
dism /Image:[folder where install.wim is mounted] /Remove-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackageName:Microsoft.XboxApp_48.48.7001.0_neutral_~_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Repeat for all the apps you want to remove. Use dism /image:[as above] /Get-ProvisionedAppxPackages to list them and get the names. The downside to this is that you have to do this to the starting installation materials and then wipe&re-install the PCs from that image."

• That's a great tip! My current situation is more of a cleanup effort, as a student violated policy by downloading some apps from the MS Store before I caught it and disabled MS Store. This post is mostly curiousity on my part.

"One other thing - you mention roaming profiles. These can interact strangely with the start menu such that you may get different results on a user's first login (where they actually went through profile creation), compared to subsequent logins or logins on a different PC. The setting as to whether to keep cached copies of roaming profiles will also affect this, as it determines whether files in appdata\local are persistent per continued use."

• I don't think I mentioned roaming profiles, but that's good food for thought, and I appreciate you mentioning that.