If you’re one of the legions of Windows 10 users you may have recently noticed a new application on your machine. Rest assured that you didn’t get infected with some type of malware. The new app is part of a Windows 10 update. Specifically KB5005463. If your system is set automatically receive Windows updates it may have appeared that the new app showed up by magic.
PC Health Check is a new tool designed to help with troubleshooting Windows issues. A diagnostic suite to help keep your machine running smoothly. Although the new app is being designed for inclusion in Windows 11 Microsoft has made the decision to roll it out to Windows 10 users and force install it on users’ systems.
The company’s implementation here hasn’t been well received. Many users have taken to Reddit, Twitter, and other popular internet portals to blast the company for installing software they didn’t ask for and don’t necessarily want on their devices.
Microsoft’s response has been rather nonchalant responding that if people don’t want the new app it’s as simple as uninstalling it via the Settings app.
While that’s technically true users have been pointing out that it’s not a one time thing. They have to keep uninstalling the unwanted app because it keeps getting reinstalled every time a new OS update is applied. Worse there’s an issue in the Windows 10 uninstall app where the OS indicates that the update is not installed when it obviously is.
In short Microsoft hasn’t handled the situation terribly well.
The good news is that if you really don’t want the offending app there is something you can do though it involves modifying the Windows Registry.
Simply look for “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftPCHC” and set the value of this entry to ‘1.’ Doing this will ensure that the next Windows update won’t reinstall the app once you’ve uninstalled it.
