How to forcefully uninstall an app on Windows 10, 11

This time, we will explain what to do when you cannot uninstall an app on Windows.

If you cannot perform a normal uninstallation, the registry information may be affected, so we have also explained what to do in that case.

There may also be cases where your computer has been infected with malware such as spyware or adware, and the problem persists even after uninstalling the relevant application.

This time, we will explain the forced uninstallation method and free software that can be used in such cases. It is a software that can also delete the remains after uninstallation, so please use it as a reference.

What to do when you can't uninstall an app on Windows

If you cannot uninstall an application on Windows, registry information may be affected.

The registry is a database that stores system information such as configuration information.

Every time your computer starts, it reads settings and other information stored in this registry.

Users like us rarely touch the registry. Carelessly modifying or deleting this registry may have serious consequences. Also, if the registry has been rewritten for some reason, uninstalling the application may not work properly.

In this way, there are some solutions that can be used when an application cannot be uninstalled due to the influence of the registry etc.

• Uninstall again after restarting your computer
• Uninstall after reinstalling the app
• Start your computer in safe mode and try uninstalling again

Uninstall again after restarting your computer

If you cannot uninstall an application on Windows, restart your computer and try uninstalling it again.

This is because the program or related data of the application you want to uninstall may be in use.

There is also a permanent app. A resident app is an app that continues to run in the background while your computer is running.

In such cases, you may not be able to uninstall the app.

Therefore, you may be able to uninstall the program by restarting your computer and ending those programs.

Uninstall after reinstalling the app

If you can't uninstall an application, try installing the app again and then uninstalling it. The problem may be resolved.

The reason is that the registry information is overwritten when the application is installed again.

The application may not be able to be uninstalled because the registry information has changed between installation and uninstallation.

In such cases, reinstallation may overwrite registry information, allowing you to uninstall as a result.

Start your computer in safe mode and try uninstalling again

If an application cannot be uninstalled, you may be able to do so using Safe Mode.

Safe mode is primarily a diagnostic boot mode, meant to diagnose problems with your computer. Only the minimum functions necessary for diagnosis are activated.

Therefore, using Safe Mode may prevent the thing that was blocking the uninstall from starting.

[How to uninstall in safe mode]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)"
2. Select "Settings (gear mark)"
3. Select "Update & Security"
4. Select "Recovery"
5. Select "Restart now"
6. Once restarted, select "Continue"
7. Select "Advanced options"
8. Select "Startup Settings"
9. Set safe mode with “4” or “F4” key
10. After booting in safe mode, uninstall the application.

3 free software that completely removes the remains after uninstalling

Even if you uninstall an application, its remnants may remain.

The free software below will completely remove the remains after uninstallation.

These free software are also effective in uninstalling spyware, adware, and other malware.

However, if you use these software to remove debris, be sure to check the names and only remove what you know.

If you delete everything because you don't know what to do, you may end up in an irrecoverable state. In particular, as mentioned in the first item, be careful when deleting the registry.

• Revo Uninstaller Free
• lObit Uninstaller
• Geek Uninstaller

Revo Uninstaller Free

Revo Uninstaller Freeis a multifunctional uninstallation support software.

It not only uninstalls it, but also checks the leftover debris and registry.

It also has various functions such as startup program management function and application usage history deletion function. This is an effective software if you want to completely uninstall it.

[How to uninstall with Revo Uninstaller Free]

1. Get "Revo Uninstaller Free" from the link above
2. Run "RevoUnin.exe" (portable version is "RevoUport.exe")
3. Installed applications are displayed in a list
4. To display in Japanese, select "Options" on the toolbar, select "Japanese" in "Current language" and select "OK".
5. Select the application you want to uninstall from the applications displayed on the list (search by entering characters is also possible)
6. Depending on your settings, a restore point may be created before uninstalling.
7. The uninstaller will start up, so continue
8. After uninstalling, the debris scan setting screen will appear.
9. Select the desired search method and select "Scan" (select from safe mode, standard mode, complete mode)
10. After scanning, if there are registry entries that have not been deleted, "Residual Registry Entries Detected" will be displayed.
11. Select the relevant data and select "Delete"
12. Select "Next"
13. Files that have not been deleted will be displayed on the "Detected residual files and folders" screen.
14. Select applicable data
15. Select "Delete"
16. Select "Done"

IObit Uninstaller

lObit Uninstalleris an uninstallation support software with a forced uninstallation function.

What's useful is that you can view applications not only under "All Programs," but also by category, such as large size or infrequently used.

In addition, it also has startup program management and functions for deleting programs at once.

[How to uninstall with IObit Uninstaller]

1. Get "IObit Uninstaller" from the link above
2. Once obtained, install it (from "iobituninstaller.exe")
3. Start “IObit Uninstaller”
4. Select the trash can mark on the right side of the application or select the application and select "Uninstall"
5. A system restore point is created
6. Uninstaller will run
7. The scan will detect debris so you can remove it.

GeekUninstaller

Geek Uninstalleris a free software that can be used to uninstall software and clean up application debris after uninstallation.

It also has functions such as displaying a list of currently installed applications, searching by text, and searching each application on the web.

[How to uninstall with Geek Uninstaller]

1. Get "Geek Uninstaller" from the link above
2. Run "geek.exe"
3. Select the applicable application from the list of applications or right-click and select "Uninstall" (if this is not possible, use the forced deletion menu)
4. After uninstallation, the debris scan will begin
5. Objects judged to be debris will be displayed, so check the data you want to delete.
6. Select "Done"

Force uninstall using command prompt

Some methods of forcefully uninstalling an application use the command prompt.

At the command prompt, you can issue commands to the OS by typing characters. Does it seem like something special and difficult to operate? Actually, Explorer is a program similar to Command Prompt.

The difference is that Command Prompt allows you to operate using text, whereas Explorer allows you to operate intuitively using a mouse.

By operating this command prompt, you can directly uninstall the application.

[How to force uninstall using command prompt]

1. Type "cmd" in the Windows search box
2. Right click on “Command Prompt”
3. Select "Run as administrator"
4. Select "Yes" when User Account Control appears
5. Type “wmic” in the command prompt and press the “Enter” key to execute
6. When "wmic:root\cli>" is displayed, enter "product get name" and execute
7. A list of Windows applications will be displayed.
8. Check the application list and enter “product where name=”name of the app you want to uninstall” call uninstall in the command prompt.
9. A confirmation message for uninstallation will be displayed, so enter "y" to execute it.
10. Uninstallation is complete when "The method executed successfully" is displayed.

How to force uninstall Microsoft Edge

If you want to forcefully uninstall Microsoft Edge, please follow the steps below.

This is also an uninstallation method using the command prompt.

[How to forcefully uninstall Microsoft Edge]

1. Launch Microsoft Edge
2. Select the "..." mark
3. Select "Help and Feedback"
4. Select "About Microsoft"
5. Copy the version (number part)
6. Type "cmd" in the Windows search box
7. Right click on “Command Prompt”
8. Select "Run as administrator"
9. When User Account Control appears, select "Yes"
10. Enter "cd %PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft\Edge\Application\[Edge version]\Installer" on the screen and execute it (enter the version you copied earlier in the [Edge version] part)
11. Enter “setup –uninstall –force-uninstall –system-level” and run

Summary of how to forcefully uninstall apps on Windows 10

This time, we explained how to forcefully uninstall an application on Windows 10.

These methods are effective if you cannot uninstall normally.

There are ways to forcefully uninstall an application using free software or a command prompt.

Also, when you want to remove malware such as spyware and adware, forced uninstallation and removal of remnants are effective.

However, be careful when deleting leftover registry entries, files, and folders. If changing or deleting the registry affects programs such as the system, it may not be possible to recover.

Therefore, it is best not to delete anything you are not sure about.