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Efficiently finding and selecting the right applications is key to using Bulk Crap Uninstaller effectively. This guide covers all selection, filtering, and search capabilities.

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Selection Methods

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Single Selection

Click any application in the list to select it. The selected application is highlighted, and you can:
  • View its properties
  • Perform operations on it
  • See details in the properties panel (when enabled)

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Multiple Selection

Select multiple applications using standard Windows selection methods:
  • Ctrl+Click - Add individual applications to selection
  • Shift+Click - Select a range from last selection to clicked item
  • Ctrl+A - Select all visible applications
  • Toolbar buttons - Use Select All, Select None, or Invert Selection
When many applications are selected, the status bar shows the total count and combined size of selected items.

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Checkbox Mode

For easier batch selection, enable checkbox mode:
  1. Go to Settings > Display
  2. Enable Use checkboxes for selection
  3. Check boxes next to applications you want to select
Checkbox mode is particularly useful when:
  • Selecting many non-contiguous applications
  • Building a selection list over time
  • Working with filtered views

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Searching Applications

The search box in the settings sidebar provides instant filtering:
  1. Press F3 or Ctrl+F to focus the search box
  2. Type any part of the application name, publisher, or other fields
  3. The list updates in real-time to show matching applications
Search is case-insensitive and searches across multiple fields including name, publisher, version, and install location.

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Search Operators

The search box supports different comparison methods:
  • Contains - Default, finds partial matches (“fire” matches “Firefox”)
  • Starts with - Matches beginning of field (“Moz” matches “Mozilla Firefox”)
  • Equals - Exact match only
  • Regex - Use regular expressions for complex patterns
Change the search method using the dropdown next to the search box.

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Advanced Search Examples

Using regex mode, you can create powerful search patterns: 
^(Adobe|Autodesk)  # Applications starting with Adobe or Autodesk
\d{4}$             # Applications ending with a 4-digit year
(?i)microsoft      # Case-insensitive search for Microsoft

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Filtering Applications

Filters help you focus on specific types of applications.

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Basic Filters

Located in the settings sidebar and View menu:
  • Hide Microsoft - Hide applications published by Microsoft
  • Show Updates - Display Windows updates
  • Show System Components - Display system components
  • Show Protected - Display protected applications
  • Show Store Apps - Display Microsoft Store applications
  • Show Windows Features - Display Windows Features
  • Show Tweaks - Display registry tweaks and configurations
System components and protected applications are typically essential for Windows. Only modify them if you understand the consequences.

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Display Filters

Control which application types are visible:
  1. Open the settings sidebar (View > Display Settings Panel)
  2. Check or uncheck filter options
  3. The list updates immediately
Common filter combinations:

User Applications Only

  • Hide Microsoft: On
  • Show Updates: Off
  • Show System Components: Off
  • Show Protected: Off

Everything

Enable all “Show” options to see every installed component including system items.

Large Applications

Sort by Size (descending) and use the tree map to identify space consumers.

Recently Installed

Sort by Install Date (descending) to see newest applications.

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Advanced Filtering

For complex filtering needs, create custom filter lists:
  1. Go to File > Load Uninstaller List
  2. Create a new list or load an existing one
  3. Define custom filter rules based on:
    • Application properties
    • Publisher information
    • Installation location
    • Certificate status
    • Size criteria
    • Install date ranges
Save frequently used filter combinations as list files for quick access.

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Sorting Applications

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Column Sorting

Click any column header to sort by that field:
  • First click - Sort ascending
  • Second click - Sort descending
  • Third click - Return to default sort
The sorted column is indicated by an arrow showing sort direction.

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Multi-level Sorting

Applications are automatically sorted with a secondary sort:
  • Primary sort is the column you clicked
  • Secondary sort maintains alphabetical order within groups

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Grouping

Enable grouping to organize applications into categories:
  1. Go to Settings > Display
  2. Enable Use groups
  3. Applications are grouped by the primary sort column
Groups can be collapsed/expanded by clicking the group header.
Grouping is particularly useful when sorting by publisher, application type, or certificate status.

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Intelligent Selection Strategies

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Finding Orphaned Applications

To find applications with missing uninstallers:
  1. Enable Show Orphans in settings
  2. The orphaned applications are highlighted in purple
  3. These often indicate incomplete uninstalls or manual installations

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Identifying Large Applications

To find disk space hogs:
  1. Click the Size column header to sort by size (descending)
  2. Enable the Tree Map view for visual representation
  3. Hover over rectangles to see application names and sizes

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Finding Invalid Entries

Invalid entries indicate problems:
  1. Enable Test for invalid entries in Settings > Advanced
  2. Enable Show invalid entries filter
  3. Invalid entries appear in red
  4. These can often be safely removed

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Certificate Validation

Check application authenticity:
  1. Enable Test certificates in Settings > Advanced
  2. Applications are color-coded:
    • Green: Valid, trusted certificate
    • Orange: No certificate or untrusted
    • Red: Invalid or revoked certificate
Use the color legend (View > Show Color Legend) to understand the color coding while working.

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Selection Tips and Tricks

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Selecting by Publisher

  1. Sort by Publisher column
  2. Enable Grouping
  3. Click the group header to select all applications from that publisher
  4. Or use Ctrl+Click to select multiple publishers

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Excluding Specific Applications

  1. Select all applications (Ctrl+A)
  2. Ctrl+Click to deselect specific applications you want to keep
  3. Or use the Invert Selection button after selecting keepers

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Working with Store Apps

  1. Enable Show Store Apps filter
  2. Store apps appear with blue highlighting
  3. These can be uninstalled or exported to PowerShell scripts
BCU can detect related applications:
  1. Select an application
  2. Start the uninstall process
  3. The wizard will suggest related applications to uninstall together
  4. This is based on publisher, install location, and naming patterns

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Saving and Loading Selections

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Export Application Lists

Save your selection for later:
  1. Select the applications you want to export
  2. Go to File > Export Selected
  3. Choose a location and filename
  4. The list is saved as XML with full application details

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Load Saved Lists

Restore a previous selection:
  1. Go to File > Load Uninstaller List
  2. Browse to your saved list file
  3. The list loads and filters the view
  4. Matching applications are automatically selected
Saved lists are portable - you can use them on different computers to identify and uninstall the same set of applications.

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Keyboard Selection Shortcuts

Speed up selection with keyboard commands:
  • Ctrl+A - Select all visible
  • Up/Down arrows - Navigate selection
  • Shift+Up/Down - Extend selection
  • Ctrl+Space - Toggle selection (in checkbox mode)
  • Home/End - Jump to first/last application
  • Page Up/Down - Scroll by page

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Best Practices

Start Broad, Narrow Down

Begin with all applications visible, then apply filters progressively to focus on what you need.

Use Multiple Views

Switch between list view and tree map to get different perspectives on your applications.

Save Common Filters

Create and save filter lists for common tasks like “bloatware removal” or “outdated applications.”

Double-Check Selection

Always review your selection before performing bulk operations, especially with system components visible.

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