Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows 10

There are different ways to remove apps and programs, so if you can’t find the one you’re looking for, you can try another location. Note that some apps and programs are built into Windows and can’t be uninstalled. You can try to repair a program first, if it’s just not running correctly.

Uninstall from the Start menu

Select Start and look for the app or program in the list shown.

Press and hold (or right-click) on the app, then select Uninstall.

Uninstall from the Settings page

Select Start , then select Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Or just click the shortcut link at the bottom of this article.

Select the app you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

Uninstall from the Control Panel (for programs)

In the search box on the taskbar, type Control Panel and select it from the results.

Select Programs > Programs and Features.

Press and hold (or right-click) on the program you want to remove and select Uninstall or Uninstall/ Change. Then follow the directions on the screen.

If you get an error message when you’re uninstalling, try the Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter.

If you’re trying to remove malware, see Stay protected with Windows Security to find out how to run a scan. Or if you use another antivirus software program, check their virus protection options.

How Do I Completely Uninstall Software On Windows?

When you uninstall a program from Windows via Add or Remove Programs, or with the program’s uninstaller, it leaves a lot of remnants behind. Things left behind are folders, temp files, icons, registry entries, and more. If you want to completely uninstall all traces of a program, just follow this guide that I use to remove everything.

Keep in mind this method isn’t for everyone, especially the later part where I manually clean entries from the Registry.

For this example, I’m uninstalling Maxthon web browser – not because it isn’t a good browser but because I need to sacrifice an application to the uninstall gods for this article.

Revo Uninstaller

The “go to” app I use to uninstall software on Windows is Revo Uninstaller Pro. Revo also offers a free version that includes fewer options but still does a good job getting rid of extra entries of unwanted software.

Launch Revo Uninstaller and you’ll see a list of the programs you have installed on your system. It also lists programs that aren’t listed in Add/Remove programs in Windows. Right-click the program you want to remove and click Uninstall.

Then Revo will ask if you’re sure that you want to uninstall the program. By default the options to create a System Restore Point and Full Registry Backup before the uninstall. It’s good to allow it to do it automatically every time you uninstall a program. This is important because if something goes wrong with the uninstall, you can easily restore your system and Registry back. Click the Continue button.

After safely backing up your system and Registry, the native uninstaller for the program you’re uninstalling will kick-off. Simply follow the uninstall wizard.

After you complete the uninstall wizard, go back to Revo and click the Continue button.

Revo scans your system for leftover files and registry settings. You’ll be surprised how many entries native app installers leave behind.

Go through the list and check only the entries it found that are marked as blue. The other folders are system folders your system needs. This is why it’s so nice that Revo creates a restore point and Registry backup. After you select all the leftovers, click Delete.

A verification message will come up asking if you’re sure. Click Yes.

If there are other leftover files or folders you’ll click Next and delete those, too.

Voidtools’ Everything

Next, I use another one of my favorite utilities — Everything by Voidtools. Type in the name of the program you just deleted and remove all entries it finds. Another tip is to search for the name of the software company that made the app.

Manually Clean Registry

After that, the last thing I do to make sure all traces of the program are removed is to search the Registry and delete all entries of the program.

Hit the Windows key and type: regedit and

The Registry Editor comes up. Hit F3 on your keyboard to bring up the Search box. Type in the name of the program and click Find Next.

When an entry is found go ahead and hit Delete. Then hit F3 to Find the next one and continue.

Continue deleting entries until the full Registry has been searched. I prefer to clean the Registry myself versus using a Registry cleaner program. A lot of times a Registry cleaner utility can delete important entries you need for a program to work.

Be careful while in the Registry and deleting entries though. I don’t recommend this for a beginner at all. But if you’re a power user and know Windows really well, it’s an effective method.

Remove software leftovers on Windows 10 [COMPLETE GUIDE]

• As PC users, we install and uninstall programs all the time. And the Control Panel should normally suffice for the latter.
• But what if it doesn’t? Here are the most commonly used methods for completely removing software leftovers.
• To avoid PC performance issues you might also want to delete junk files that clutter your disk.
• Explore our Removal Guides for more useful tools, and recommendations to keep your PC clean and snappy.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

It’s a common practice for all computer users to install software programs regularly. As you know, whenever you install a piece of software, it creates files on the hard drive and usually adds registry entries to work efficiently.

As long as you are using the program and don’t forget about it, it’s perfectly fine.

Now, the problem comes when you opt to uninstall it because the program might not completely remove itself from your PC. That’s where software leftovers come into play.

To remove a program in Windows, we normally uninstall it from the Control Panel. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always completely eliminate it. As a result, your system continues to accumulate unused files that take up space.

Entries for the old programs can also remain in the Registry, which cuts back on the performance of your machine. These leftovers may not pose a major threat. But they tend to slow down your PC, so there is no point in keeping them.

Fortunately, there are various methods that can help you get rid of these leftovers.

In this guide, we are going to discuss the most commonly used methods for completely removing software leftovers.

How can I completely remove programs on Windows 10?

1. Use third-party software to remove software leftovers

Revo Uninstaller Pro

Revo Uninstaller Pro is a premium program that delivers all the features you need to effectively remove software leftovers. The Uninstaller tool lists all the installed programs and components for all users and current accounts.

With a context menu and a choice of view, you can see all the information in one place. This includes registry entries, program properties, and links to the manufacturer’s website.

Revo Uninstaller Pro uses advanced algorithms that are fast, precise, and effective in searching for leftovers of Windows services, file extensions, drivers, program settings, and more. And for your convenience, a portable version is available.

Revo Uninstaller

IObit Uninstaller

IObit Uninstaller is a fast cleaner for your computer that works its magic on any unwanted programs, Windows apps, and plug-ins. It provides a simplified uninstall and auto leftover scan to ensure thorough removal.

Below you can read the most important features of this software:

• Removes unwanted programs to free up disk space and boost the PC’s overall performance
• Detect all malicious programs including adware in real time, and it allows you to get rid of them easily
• Automatically remove all remnants of programs
• Removes stubborn leftover files that cannot be deleted by other uninstallers
• Updates all your software
• Monitors all system changes while a program is being installed

IObit Uninstaller

2. Manually remove the software leftovers

This method is convenient as it doesn’t involve installations of third-party applications. Basically, you are manually cleaning entries from the Registry.

Nonetheless, care should be taken. A small mistake here might adversely affect the functioning of your machine.

Note: It’s important to do a backup before deleting anything from the Windows registry so that if something goes wrong, you can restore the system to its earlier state.

To do a backup, right-click on the key you want to delete and select Export. It will save a REG file with the backup of that key.

2.1 Uninstall software using Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel
2. Double-click on Programs
3. Choose the program you want to uninstall and click on the Uninstall button. This will remove the program.

2.2 Delete the remaining files and folders

Even though you have successfully uninstalled the program, some file fragments may be left in a few system folders.

To remove them, you’ll need to check the program files and app data. Check the following folders for leftovers.

• %programfiles%
• %appdata%

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

Just type the above text one at a time in the search box and press enter. This will open the folders directly. If you find any folder with the name of the program you just uninstalled, delete it.

2.3 Remove software keys from the Windows Registry

1. Open the Start menu, type regedit in the search box and press ENTER. It will launch the Registry Editor.
2. Type the following keys one by one:
   • HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftware
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARE
   • HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTSoftware
3. Look for a key with the name of the program you just removed. If you find a key, delete it. You can also use CTRL+F to search for such keys.

You will need to be very careful when performing this procedure. When you uninstall a software program, in most cases, the uninstaller does not remove the program from the Windows Registry.

This increases the Windows Registry size. To completely remove the software, you need to remove its key from the Windows Registry.

2.4 Empty Temp Folder

The final step is to clean the Temp folder. This is the folder that contains all the temporary files and cleaning it is safe. To empty the folder, open the Start menu and type the following commands one by one:

• %temp%
• temp

This will open the Temp folders. You can now empty them. If the system displays an error message when deleting some files, leave them. The files might be in use by Windows services or some running software.

After following all the steps above, you will be able to completely uninstall a program without leaving a trace on your machine.

3. Use Absolute Uninstaller (Freeware)

Absolute Uninstaller is an enhanced tool for Windows that you can use to remove all the software leftovers. Consequently, the program can wipe off all the junk files in seconds after uninstalling the software.

Absolute Uninstaller offers a more user-friendly way to remove software leftovers and improve your computer efficiency. What’s more, Absolute Uninstaller supports batch uninstall. This means you can even remove multiple applications in just a single click.

It also allows you to make backups so you will never lose important programs in case of mistakes.

GlarySoft also has a very useful Registry repair tool to scan computers, clean registry junks, and fix registry errors.

It performs comprehensive and deep analysis for Windows Registry. It also repairs invalid entries or references that cause computer freezing, system crashes, instability, blue screen, and PC slowdowns.

4. Use GeekUninstaller (Free version)

GeekUninstaller takes care of stubborn programs very well and can even uninstall programs that other programs can’t. Since the tool is portable, you can download it on a USB to help fix buggy PC’s on the go.

The tool performs deep scanning and removes all the junk files and other software leftovers. It also features an efficient user interface and instant startup. GeekUninstaller offers both clean uninstall and forced uninstall.

Compared to the manual methods, third-party programs are easier, faster, and safer to use. They also come with a friendly interface that allows you to see even the registry entries as well as the link to the manufacturer’s website.

1. Download this PC Repair Tool rated Great on TrustPilot.com (download starts on this page).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues with Patented Technologies (Exclusive Discount for our readers).

Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Have you used any of the methods described above? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comments section below. Also, leave there any questions you may have and we’ll surely take a look.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove registry entries from uninstalled programs?

Use a third-party uninstaller from the list above to remove leftovers, including registry entries left behind by programs. You can also use these tools to monitor changes in the Windows registry.

How do you delete registry keys that cannot be deleted?

There are a few easy steps you can follow that fix errors while deleting registry keys.

Where are my leftover files after uninstall?

The leftover files might be in the installation path, Documents, or AppData folders. To auto-delete leftovers, use the best uninstaller software.