How to completely remove programs on Windows

Programs on Windows do not always uninstall cleanly. Even after standard removal, leftover files, services, or registry entries can persist and cause performance issues, wasted storage, or conflicts with other applications. Many uninstall routines rely on incomplete or faulty processes that fail to remove these artifacts.

In some cases, partial uninstallation leaves active processes or startup items that continue running in the background. Missing or corrupted uninstallers complicate removal and may require advanced techniques such as Safe Mode or command-line tools for complete cleanup.

Manual methods, including editing the registry and removing hidden directories, can ensure all remnants are erased from the system. Additional care is needed to prevent accidental deletion of unrelated files or important registry keys. Proper cleanup keeps Windows optimized and reduces the risk of future software conflicts.

1. Open Settings by pressing Win + I.
2. Go to Apps and find the unwanted program under Apps & Features.
3. Select the program and click Uninstall.

   Some programs may fail to uninstall properly or leave residual data. If this happens, use the following methods to remove them completely.

4. Restart Windows in Safe Mode.

   Press Win + R, type msconfig, and enable Safe Boot under the Boot tab, then restart your system.

5. Open Apps & Features and attempt to uninstall the program again.
6. Open Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
7. Use the following command to list installed programs.

   wmic product get name
       Name
       Microsoft Edge
       Google Chrome
       Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

   This command lists all installed programs on the system. It is useful for finding programs that may not appear in Apps & Features.

8. Run the uninstall command with the exact program name from the list.

   wmic product where name="ProgramName" call uninstall
       Method execution successful.

   Replace ProgramName with the exact name of the software from the list. This forces the system to attempt uninstallation via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

9. Go to C:\Program Files\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\ and manually delete the program folder.

   Some programs create hidden files. Enable Show hidden items in File Explorer to find and delete any remaining files.

10. Open Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Run dialog.
11. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE and delete any registry entries related to the program.

    Editing the registry can cause system instability if done incorrectly. Back up the registry before deleting any entries.

12. Restart your computer to finalize the removal of all components.