Updated: 10 tips for removing a program that won't uninstall

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There are many reasons why you may need to remove programs from your PC from time to time. Some programs may not work properly, or you may simply want to remove some old programs in order to free up some extra space on your hard disk.

Windows includes a number of straightforward options for removing programs, and we'll look at those here. However, some programs can be a bit tricky to fully remove properly, so we've also chosen some useful tools that you can download to help you out as well.

1. Use System Restore

All versions of Windows going right back to XP include an option called System Restore that allows your PC to revert back to an earlier state. Windows XP hides this deep inside the Start menu – All Programs/Accessories/System Tools – but in later versions of Windows you can quickly locate it just by typing 'restore' into the Search tool in the Start Menu or the Windows 8 Start Screen.

Before you install any new piece of software you can use System Restore to create a new 'restore point'. If anything subsequently goes wrong with your PC you can use System Restore to turn back time and return your PC to the state it was in before you installed that new program.

2. Check Your Control Panel

When you install any new piece of software onto your PC, that program is added to a list that is stored in the Windows Control Panel. It's called Add or Remove Programs in Windows XP. In Windows Vista and Windows 7 and 8, you have to open Control Panel and then select View: Category. You will then see Uninstall A Program listed under the Programs heading.

You can then just double-click any program in that list to remove it from your PC. Most programs will be deleted automatically, although some may also provide options to repair or modify the program if it isn't working properly. If your first attempt to uninstall a program doesn't work, Microsoft suggests trying again for a second time.

Another option is to restart your PC using its special Safe Mode, which is often used for diagnosing and troubleshooting various problems with Windows. You can normally do this by holding down the F8 key while you restart your PC, and then selecting 'Safe Mode' from the screen that appears. You can then try removing the program using the Control Panel again while still in Safe Mode.

3. Searching For Files

Some programs may not show up in that list in Control Panel, but they may have a separate uninstaller program tucked away somewhere else. In Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 you can click on All Programs in the Start menu, and then look inside the program folder (if it has one – some programs may just show as a single file on their own).

Windows 8 does things slightly differently. Open the Charms bar by moving your mouse to the top-right corner of the screen. Click on the Search button and then type in the name of the program you want to remove. If the program shows up in the search list you can right-click on it and you'll see a menu with an Uninstall command that you can use.

4. Windows 8 Uninstall

Windows 8 also introduced another option that allows you to quickly uninstall programs that are listed on the new Start screen. Windows 8 displays programs as a series of rectangular 'tiles' on the Start screen, and you can just right-click on a program's tile to display a special toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

This toolbar includes an option for uninstalling the program, as well as showing the location of the file on your hard disk so that you can see if it has its own uninstaller program or help files.

5. Reinstall To Uninstall

If none of those options works then – believe it or not – reinstalling the program might do the trick. If you still have the original disk or the original download file for the program, you can use that to run the installer program again. Some installers include an option to repair or modify the program, which may solve your problem if the program is not working properly.

Running the installer again may also give you the option to completely remove the program as well. You can also check the support forums on the developer's web site to see if there are instructions for uninstalling the program.

6. Microsoft Office

The Microsoft Office suite includes many different programs and associated files, and it can sometimes be quite tricky to completely remove the entire suite. Fortunately, Microsoft provides its own Uninstall Troubleshooter program that can help here.

You can run the Troubleshooter directly from Microsoft's website (support.microsoft.com/kb/290301) and the website also has additional hints and tips on how to remove old versions of Office. However, the Troubleshooter isn't quite so effective when it comes to removing other types of programs.

7. IObit Uninstaller

If you're still having trouble then there are a number of free software tools that can help you remove troublesome programs. A good general-purpose tool that works with most types of programs is IObit Uninstaller.

This is a good tool for beginners, as it provides convenient lists of all recently installed programs, as well as large programs that are taking up a lot of space, or old programs that you don't use very often. For more advanced users there's also a Forced Uninstall option that allows you to locate individual programs or files and completely wipe them out.

8. Modern Apps

Windows 8 introduced a new type of software that Microsoft refers to as 'modern apps', which are designed to take advantage of new technologies such as touch-sensitive screens. There are several modern apps included as part of Windows 8, and they can take up a lot of space on your hard disk, so the latest version of IObit Uninstaller also includes a special option specifically designed for uninstalling modern apps.

Click the 'Windows Apps' tab in IObit Uninstaller and you'll see a list of all the Microsoft apps that are included with Windows 8, and a second list of apps from other software companies. You can then delete these just like any other app, simply by clicking the Uninstall button.

9. Windows App Remover

Some modern apps occasionally resist the standard uninstall options that we've mentioned here, so there is another heavy-duty option for dealing with modern apps that won't uninstall properly. Windows includes a tool called the Powershell, which allows you to delve more deeply into the Windows system. It's a bit complicated for beginners, but Microsoft provides a 'script' that can launch Powershell and help you to uninstall modern apps.

Just download the script (from https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Remove-Windows-Store-Apps-a00ef4a4) and unzip it. The script file is called RemoveWindowsStoreApp, and you can right-click on it and select Run With Powershell. The Powershell window will then display a numbered list of all your modern apps – for instance, the Amazon app is number 32 in the screenshot above. You can then uninstall multiple apps simply by entering the number for each app.

10. Security Software

Antivirus software and other types of security software can be quite difficult to remove as these programs are designed to resist attacks from viruses and other malware that might stop them from working properly.

If the normal options for uninstalling programs don't work then you can try AppRemover, which is specifically designed for removing various security tools and all their associated files. AppRemover can automatically detect any antivirus or security software installed on your PC and then delete that program and any other files that are associated with it.