There are different ways to uninstall a program in Windows 10. The simplest methods are via the Add or remove programs utility or the Settings app. However, sometimes problems occur that prevent third-party apps and programs from uninstalling using conventional methods.
In this article, we’ll take you through the steps for five other ways you can force an app or program to uninstall in Windows 10.
To force a stubborn third-party app or program to uninstall, try the following methods:
Use the App or Program’s Uninstaller
The registry file for the program you’re trying to uninstall may have been removed. Luckily, the majority of third-party apps and programs come with an uninstaller. This utility is essentially an uninstallation wizard; here’s how to use it:
- Go to the directory where the app or program is installed. The default directory for most third-party apps is X:\Program Files\(Program or App Name) or X:\Program Files(x86)\(Program or
App
Name).
- Look for the utility in the directory. It’s usually called “uninstall.exe” or “uninstaller.exe”; double-click
it.
- Complete the on-screen instructions. At the end, the wizard will uninstall the program.
Use Command Prompt
To uninstall a program or app via Command Prompt, you’ll first need to run Command Prompt as an administrator:
- In the Windows Search box, type
cmd.
- Select the Command Prompt
app.
- Right-click it, then click Run as administrator. Command Prompt will open with administrator
permissions.
- At the prompt, type wmic then press
Enter.
- You’ll see the wmic: root\clic> prompt to confirm that the Windows Management Instrumentation processes are ready to
use.
- To get a list of the programs you have installed on your computer, type in product get name, then press
Enter.
- All apps and programs will display. Run the following command to uninstall the program: product where name= “program name” call uninstall. Instead of “program name,” type the name of the
program.
- You’ll be asked to confirm whether you want to execute the command. Type Y to confirm or N to cancel, then hit
Enter.
- After a short time, you’ll receive a message confirming that the method has been executed successfully; thus, your program has been uninstalled.
Use the Registry Editor
Another way to uninstall a program or app is by deleting all traces of it from your PC’s Registry. Here’s how to use the Registry Editor:
- Open a Run dialog box by pressing the Windows logo key +
R.
- Type regedit then click OK.
- In Registry Editor via the left pane, go to the following directory: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE >
Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Uninstall.
- Under the Uninstall key in the left pane, find the sub-key relating to the app or program you wish to uninstall. Note: The sub-key may not have the same name as the app or
program.
- Right-click on it, then select
Delete.
- Choose Yes in the confirmation popup window.
- Once the sub-key has been successfully deleted, close the
Registry Editor and restart your
PC.
- Once it restarts, check that the app has been removed.
Use Safe Mode
Sometimes, third-party interference may be the reason you’re unable to uninstall a particular app. One of the best ways to solve this is by starting your PC in Safe Mode, where only standard apps are permitted to run.
- Open
a Run dialog box by pressing the Windows logo key + R.
- Type msconfig then
click OK to open the System Configuration utility.
- Select
the Boot
tab.
- Under the Boot options, check the Safe boot
option.
- Click Apply, then
OK.
- Select Restart from the popup dialog box to restart your
PC.
Once your PC restarts, it will be in Safe Mode. To uninstall the app, follow the steps outlined for any of the three methods described above.
Use Third-Party App
If none of the above methods have worked, you can try a third-party uninstallation program. There are a variety of programs specifically for Windows 10 to force uninstall persistent apps and programs. One of the best is Revo Uninstaller.
The Revo Uninstaller app is specifically designed to uninstall programs that are installed on a PC but not listed in installed programs. To uninstall using Revo Uninstaller:
- Install the
Revo Uninstaller
app.
- Launch the app, then click the Forced Uninstall button on the left
pane.
- In the Forced Uninstall window at the Program’s exact name text field, start to accurately type the program or app name. Alternatively, you can point to the file or folder’s path by clicking on the Browse for
button.
- If Revo Uninstaller finds a built-in uninstaller, it will display its path as another uninstall option. To try this method – if you
haven’t already – check the Run the selected built-in uninstaller option found in the lower-left corner. Or uncheck the option if the uninstall.exe file isn’t
working.
- If a trace log is found under the Found (number) log tab, then you can select it to uninstall that
way.
- To scan your computer for leftover program items, select one of the three modes: Safe, Moderate,
and Advanced. Each subsequent mode requires more time as it performs a more thorough leftover
scan.
- Click Next. Depending on the options you’ve selected, Revo Uninstaller will run the built-in uninstaller, use the trace log to delete the program or begin the leftover scan.
- The time taken to scan will
depend on your PC’s hardware, the total number and type of programs you have installed, and the program you’re
uninstalling.
- The time taken to scan will
depend on your PC’s hardware, the total number and type of programs you have installed, and the program you’re
uninstalling.
- Once the scan is complete, a list of leftover Registry entries will display, followed by a list of file
leftovers.
- Select the files you wish to delete, then click Delete.
- Only the bold entries will be deleted.
- If there are no Registry leftovers found, Revo Uninstaller will display the folders and files leftover list.
- Go through the items, then click the Select All button, then
Delete.
The program or app is now uninstalled.
Finally Getting Rid of Persistent Apps
At times, using the Settings or Add or remove programs applications aren’t enough to uninstall some third-party apps in Windows 10. There are several reasons this could be the situation. Luckily, there are also several other ways to successfully uninstall a hard-to-remove app.
Were you able to uninstall the program or app eventually? If so, what method worked? Let us know in the comments section below.
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