Looking for how to fix Windows when it won’t uninstall a program? Read this detailed guide to get rid of this issue, easily & quickly.
Windows’ installation & removal of apps sometimes don’t go as smoothly as they could. Sometimes it’s impossible to remove specific apps from the system, and users encounter irritating problems when attempting to do so.
This may occur for a variety of reasons, including a corrupted or disabled Windows Installer service or issues with the operating system. In this article, we’ll look at 3 troubleshooting techniques you can use if Windows won’t let you delete the software.
Best Ways to Fix Windows When it Won’t Uninstall a Program
Have a look at the methods explained below to quickly resolve Windows won’t uninstall a program issue.
Using Program’s Default Uninstaller
Several programs have their own uninstallers that work effectively when removing them. This uninstaller can be found in File Explorer’s official application folder.
In File Explorer, navigate to the folder where the uninstaller is located, then double-click it to launch it. You can look for an uninstaller on the official manufacturer’s website if you can’t find it in File Explorer. If you wish to uninstall several programs at once, you might need to think about using the best third-party uninstaller tools.
Reboot Windows Installer
The Windows Installer service is crucial to both the installation and uninstallation of programs on Windows. You may experience difficulties when removing programs from the system if the Windows Installer service is either deactivated or malfunctioning.
Since the Windows Installer service is mainly responsible for uninstallation issues, we will begin our troubleshooting process by restarting this program. If restarting does not solve the problem, we will attempt to register Windows Installer again and see if it helps. Use the steps mentioned below:
Step 1 : Open the Run box by pressing Win + R keys together from your keyboard.
Step 2 : Type the following command in the Run terminal and click on Ok.
services.msc
Step 3 : In the next window, search for Windows Installer service and click right on it.
Step 4 : Select Properties from the context menu.
Step 5 : After that, click the Stop button, wait for a while, and then click the Start button.
Step 6 : Ensure that Startup type is set to Automatic.
Step 7 : Click on Apply and then Ok to validate new changes.
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You can now try to uninstall a program and check if this works for you. If not, then you can try to re-register the Windows Installer service. To do so, simply follow these steps:
Step 1 : In the Windows search, type cmd and click Run as administrator.
Step 2 : Click on Yes in the UAC (User Account Control) window.
Step 3 : In the Command Prompt window, write the commands mentioned below and press Enter key after each in order to execute the command.
msiexec /unreg
msiexec /regserver
Step 4 : Lastly, close Command Prompt and try to uninstall the application that was causing the problem.
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End Process in the Task Manager
Users might be unable to delete or uninstall the application if its process is actively running in the Task Manager. This will interfere with the program uninstallation process and lead to some serious problems. Hence, ending the app’s process is recommended. For this, simply follow the procedure shared below:
Step 1 : Altogether press CTRL + ESC + Shift keys from your keyboard to open Task Manager.
Step 2 : In the Task Manager window, go to the Processes tab and search for the program you want to uninstall.
Step 3 : Next, right-click on End Task.
Step 4 : Once done, close the Task Manager window and test the issue.
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Final Words
You can delete any program that is no longer needed on your computer to create space for new and better options. So, if in case, a problem arises during this process, the solutions described above should enable you to quickly resume the uninstallation.
But, if the issue persists, you may choose to install a third-party uninstaller or think about getting in touch with Microsoft’s official team and reporting the problem to them. Hopefully, this will enable you to successfully uninstall the intended program.