Uninstall a program or app in Windows

Windows has three places that uninstall the same programs: the Start menu, Settings and Control Panel. If one does not list the app, use another. Apps built into Windows cannot all be removed.

Time: A few minutes
Level: Easy
You need: An administrator account for programs installed for all users.

Before you start

Close the program first, including its icon next to the clock.
If you only want to fix a misbehaving program, try its Repair option first: many programs offer it next to Uninstall.

Windows 11

Steps written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.

Uninstall from the Start menu
Select Start > All apps and find the app. Right-click it (or press and hold) and select Uninstall.
Right-click the app in Start, then Uninstall. Screenshot: Windows 11 26H2
Or uninstall in Settings
Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Find the app, select More (the three dots) > Uninstall, and confirm.
Settings, Apps, Installed apps: the ... menu. Screenshot: Windows 11 26H2
Or uninstall from Control Panel
Some programs can only be removed here. Type Control Panel in the search box on the taskbar and open it, then select Programs > Programs and Features. Right-click the program and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change, then follow the program's own uninstaller.
Control Panel, Programs and Features. Screenshot: Windows 11 26H2
Restart if the uninstaller asks
Some programs finish removing their files only after a restart.

Steps checked against Microsoft Support: Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows (June 2026) on Oct 3, 2026.

Uninstall from the command line (winget)

Windows Package Manager can remove programs too, including many that were not installed with it. Open Terminal or Command Prompt and list what is installed:

winget list

Copy the program's ID from the list and uninstall it exactly by that ID:

winget uninstall --id <ID> --exact

If a program will not uninstall

Close it completely. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), select the program's process and select End task, then try again.
Use the other place. If Settings fails, try Control Panel, and the other way round.
Run Microsoft's troubleshooter. The Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter repairs problems that block programs from being removed. Download it from Microsoft Support, run it and follow its steps.
Use the vendor's removal tool. Antivirus suites and some drivers ship their own removal tool on the vendor's support site.

If the unwanted thing is a browser extension, or a program that changed your browser's start page or search engine, follow Remove a browser extension On 2-Spyware and Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine On 2-Spyware.

Apps that have no Uninstall option

Some apps are part of Windows and cannot be uninstalled from Start or Settings. If neither Start, Settings nor Control Panel offers Uninstall for an app, it is usually one of them.

Sources

Microsoft Support: Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows (read Oct 3, 2026)
Microsoft Support: Fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed (read Oct 3, 2026)
Microsoft Learn: winget uninstall command (read Oct 3, 2026)

Uninstall a program or app in Windows

Before you start

Windows 11

Uninstall from the Start menu

Or uninstall in Settings

Or uninstall from Control Panel

Restart if the uninstaller asks

Windows 10

Uninstall from the Start menu

Or uninstall in Settings

Or uninstall from Control Panel

Restart if the uninstaller asks

Uninstall from the command line (winget)

If a program will not uninstall

Apps that have no Uninstall option

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