Software & Apps > Apps 288 288 people found this article helpful 19 Best Free Uninstaller Programs I recommend IObit Uninstaller above all the rest By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on November 6, 2023 Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Reviewed by Jerrick Leger Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years' experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. lifewire's editorial guidelines Apps Best Apps Payment Services Trending Videos Close this video player Uninstaller tools are great when a program won't uninstall normally (more common than you think) or when you suspect a program didn't uninstall completely (even more common). Here are the best free uninstaller tools around. If you're having trouble finding a tool to remove your antivirus program completely, see the last item on this page for some specific suggestions that should be very helpful. 01 of 20 IObit Uninstaller What We Like Includes several ways to start an uninstall Remove programs in bulk, one after another Monitors installations to make them easier to remove Identifies bundleware What We Don't Like Although you can see which programs were installed as bundleware, you can't remove all of them at once The installer might try to install other programs during setup Shows ads Our Review of IObit Uninstaller IObit Uninstaller is the app I prefer to use when deleting a program. There's a lot you can do with it, including a few things not supported in Windows' built-in app remover, including find and remove programs you hardly use, uninstall browser toolbars and plugins, and even see which of your programs could be updated to a newer version. In my opinion, the best feature in IObit Uninstaller, and the one I use most often, is the right-click context menu integration. You can right-click any program on your desktop and choose to remove it with this tool without ever having to find the program's uninstall utility yourself. A similar tool makes it easy to delete running programs. After a program is deleted, you can have the program scan the registry and file system for leftover data that the installer may have missed, which is a great way to keep your computer free of clutter. This is also true if you uninstall a program without using IObit Uninstaller—it will still prompt you to remove those leftover items. IObit Uninstaller can also create a System Restore point before making any changes, includes a file shredder, can force-remove a program, supports batch uninstalls, deletes bundled programs, and includes other useful tools, too. I regularly use this app on Windows 11, and I've tested it with Windows 10. It also works on Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Download IObit Uninstaller 02 of 20 Geek Uninstaller What We Like No need for installation (portable) You can view the registry entry for any program Lets you sort the list of programs by size It's easy to remove stubborn programs What We Don't Like Free version doesn't support batch uninstalls Our Review of Geek Uninstaller Geek Uninstaller has been a favorite of mine for a while. I like it because you can run it after downloading it without installing it. It has excellent features, all in a file less than 10 MB! It can sort programs by size or installation date, delete entries from the list of software, search through the programs, export a list of installed software to an HTML file, and look up information on any program in the Registry Editor, the installation folder, or the internet. This tool deletes both desktop and Microsoft Store apps. You can also forcibly remove a program by eliminating any reference in the registry and file system. Some features, like batch uninstalls, unfortunately only work in the professional version. I tested Geek Uninstaller with Windows 11, but it also uninstalls programs in Windows 10, 8, and 7. Download Geek Uninstaller 03 of 20 Bulk Crap Uninstaller What We Like A perfect solution for advanced users who like to tinker with really specific options It's portable, so installation is unnecessary What We Don't Like Relatively harder to use than most similar tools Quiet uninstallation doesn't always work As this screenshot indicates, Bulk Crap Uninstaller (aka BCU or BCUninstaller) is an advanced uninstaller tool. I don't recommend using this if you're easily overwhelmed by lots of options, but I do recommend it if you like to have lots of control over how your programs work. Beyond its ability to clean up leftover files, perform forced uninstallations, and detect portable apps are these advanced and rare features I want to mention: quiet uninstallations, prevent system shutdown during an uninstallation, create a restore point, bulk removal (no limit), quickly delete an app's registry entry, uninstall by window/file/folder, and run commands before and after uninstalling. There's also a startup manager and a shortcut to Disk Cleanup and some other related Windows tools. This is a wonderful program removal utility if you take the time to appreciate all its options. Check out the BCU Documentation page if you need help. I tested this app with Windows 11. It also runs on Windows 10, 8, 7, and older Windows versions, and you can use it in both private and commercial settings. Download Bulk Crap Uninstaller 04 of 20 PC Decrapifier What We Like Can remove programs in bulk Lets you make a restore point before uninstalling software Most programs can be uninstalled automatically It's a portable application What We Don't Like Doesn't let you search for a program from the list No filtering options (e.g., a size or name filter) Can't uninstall programs directly from File Explorer Support has been discontinued Our Review of PC Decrapifier PC Decrapifier takes up less than 2 MB of space and supports batch uninstalls. It can run without being installed, so it's a great option if you like to keep fix-it-related tools on a flash drive. It's a good choice for inexperienced users because it provides an easy-to-follow wizard that walks you through the whole process, which includes choosing what to remove and creating a restore point before deleting anything. Some programs can be uninstalled automatically and very quickly. For others, you must uninstall them manually, clicking through their uninstall wizards like you would usually. While I was testing this program, four apps were selected for uninstallation. Only one required a walkthrough of a regular uninstall wizard, while the others were removed automatically without any prompts. Unfortunately, there's no way to filter or search through the list of software. PC Decrapifier should work fine with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and older versions. Download PC Decrapifier 05 of 20 Wise Program Uninstaller What We Like Has a clean and modern user interface Deletes rogue entries in the registry Includes a way to delete programs that failed to uninstall with other means Helps you identify which programs you might want to remove What We Don't Like Ads are sometimes shown Doesn't let you restore from a backup should a problem occur during uninstallation Wise Program Uninstaller, like some other uninstallers here, supports an easy way of removing programs via the right-click context menu in File Explorer. I like to mention this because it's just so incredibly easy to delete programs this way, especially ones that have desktop shortcuts. After deleting an app, it will automatically scan your computer for any remaining registry entries or files that may have been left over. I always like to see this feature in a software remover. Forced Uninstall is an option that can force a program to be removed if you've already tried using the software's regular uninstaller but were unable to get it removed properly. This uninstaller can also remove program entries from the list of installed software, instantly search through all the programs, sort by installation date or size, and delete software in batches. It even includes built-in reviews submitted by other users. I've used this to uninstall programs on Windows 11 and Windows 10, but it also runs on Windows 8, 7, and Vista. Windows XP users have to use the portable version. Download Wise Program Uninstaller 06 of 20 Advanced Uninstaller PRO What We Like Removes remnants often left after an uninstall Can delete the entire program because it monitors the install Works from File Explorer for quick uninstalls Lets you back up and restore whole programs Includes other tools you might like What We Don't Like Some of the tools included are not free to use No option to make a restore point before uninstalling software The other tools clutter the interface Our Review of Advanced Uninstaller PRO In some ways, Advanced Uninstaller PRO is a lot like the others in this list. Common features like scanning for leftover registry items, context menu integration, and a search utility are included. However, a feature called Monitored Installations drove me to include it in the list. What that does is take a snapshot of your computer before and after a program install. This allows Advanced Uninstaller PRO to quickly identify the changes that were made on the computer, thus allowing it to remove every single file the program modified during its installation process. One thing I don't like about this program is that it can seem very cluttered with all the extra tools, such as a registry cleaner and file shredder. Those are handy, but they shouldn't be packed into this program. 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are supported. Download Advanced Uninstaller PRO 07 of 20 Puran Uninstaller What We Like Can identify possibly malicious programs Applications can be removed in bulk Has a clean and uncluttered interface Lets you sort and search through the list What We Don't Like Hasn't been updated since 2013 The batch uninstall feature doesn't work as well as it does in similar programs Displays a persistent ad Puran Software, the maker of a few other popular system tools, also has a free uninstaller tool called Puran Uninstaller. It's similar to some of the other programs on this list. It supports instant searching of installed software, batch uninstalls, force uninstalls, and allows individual program entries to be removed from the list of software. One thing that sets it apart is that it can also verify a program's identity by utilizing code signing. If an application's signature is found to be different from the known signature of that particular program, it'll be identified as untrusted. I tested Puran Uninstaller in Windows 11 and Windows 10, but you can also uninstall software with it so long as you're running these versions (32-bit and 64-bit): Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP, Server 2008, or Server 2003. Download Puran Uninstaller 08 of 20 Absolute Uninstaller What We Like Organizes large programs into their own category Deletes invalid program shortcut Supports batch uninstalls Also deletes Windows updates What We Don't Like Setup tries to install another program Absolute Uninstaller is a free program remover that supports batch uninstalls, so you can check multiple programs to remove them consecutively. Newly installed programs are marked as such for quick identification. One thing I like is the AutoFix invalid entries option in the menu that can scan all the installed programs to find any that don't refer to an actual installed program. This may happen if you've removed a program in the past, but the entry remained in the list of installed software. While it does have a search function, it's not nearly as good as the ones in most other programs I've reviewed here. You can also modify the name of the listed programs, change the uninstall command line string, and remove Windows updates. This program can be used with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and probably older versions of Windows, too, as well as Windows Server operating systems. Download Absolute Uninstaller 09 of 20 Ashampoo Uninstaller Free What We Like Useful filtering tabs Performs a deep cleaning after the regular uninstall Can log new program installs to make them easier to remove later Includes other cleanup tools What We Don't Like Must create a user account, and log in before you can use it Can't uninstall programs in bulk (just one at a time) Drops an unrelated shortcut on your desktop without asking Ashampoo's program uninstaller tool is easy to use and lets you remove regular programs and Windows apps and updates. There are also extra tools for browser cleaning, managing services, changing file associations, and wiping files. Like other programs in this list, this one will scan for leftover files after the standard uninstallation to make sure everything gets removed. I also like the super helpful ability to force a new program installation to be logged so that leftovers will be easier to delete when you want to remove the program. I often remove apps because I run low on hard drive space, so I was happy it had no problem finding the biggest programs on my computer. Other filtering options help locate recently installed programs and apps with negative reviews. You can do quite a bit by right-clicking a program in the list, like research it online, rate it for other users to know how you feel about it, and delete its entry in the list. However, you can't remove programs in bulk, so you have to uninstall each individually. It works with Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. Download Ashampoo Uninstaller Free 10 of 20 Uninstalr What We Like Batch removal with zero input. Detail of everything that will get deleted. Monitor new installations. Can be used without installation. What We Don't Like Stale user interface. Will automatically close all programs and reboot if you don't manually uncheck those options. It's a bit too thorough. Uninstalr is a relatively new software uninstaller from Macecraft Software. Still, there are many reasons to like it... and a few reasons I don't prefer this program over all the ones I've listed above. Some of the good: it supports unattended batch uninstallations (you don't have to click anything), it shows everything that will be deleted with the program, previously uninstalled software leftovers can be found, and it can keep track of new installations to ensure complete removal. This free program uninstaller also detects portable apps and lets you sort installed programs by size or installation date. One negative thing in this tool is that it will automatically shut down all your open programs during the uninstallation, and your PC will reboot when all the program removals are done. There are some checkboxes to turn those actions off, but it doesn't stick, so you have to do it each time you uninstall a new program. It is helpful to ensure that everything is deleted correctly, but I wish there were a way to prevent this from happening all the time. Also, because the whole removal process is automated, the program recommends not even using your mouse during the uninstallation. If you have a lot of programs to delete at once, this could take several minutes to finish, so plan to walk away during this process. Pay close attention to the list of items Uninstalr will delete if you proceed. Some users have reported that it tries to uninstall programs with a similar name as the one you chose to uninstall. Download Uninstalr 11 of 20 Revo Uninstaller What We Like Provides a unique way to remove programs Can scan for leftovers to remove everything A portable version is available Makes a restore point automatically Includes other useful free tools What We Don't Like Batch removal isn't supported Can't delete partially uninstalled programs Doesn't always work as advertised A unique feature I enjoyed using in this program is Hunter Mode, which lets you manipulate a program by simply selecting its open window. You can uninstall the software, view its installation folder, kill the process, and even stop it from running at startup using this mode. When uninstalling a program with Revo Uninstaller, you can run it in advanced mode. It scans the file system and registry for leftover items that are no longer needed but didn't get properly uninstalled with the built-in uninstaller. You can then delete some or all of the leftover items. Automatic restore point creation is a big plus in my book. Also, there's a junk file cleaner and privacy cleaner included, among other extra tools. I do like Revo Uninstaller, but because there's also a professional version, it lacks a handful of the same features you'll find in some other uninstaller tools from this list, like removing partially uninstalled applications and support for batch removals. There's both a regular installable version and a portable one. The official system requirements state that it works with Windows Server and Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Download Revo Uninstaller 12 of 20 CCleaner What We Like Sort programs by size to find the largest ones Search through the list of installed programs Rename and delete program entries Includes lots of other tools What We Don't Like Doesn't support batch uninstalls You have to run the uninstalls manually Only works from the program window, not File Explorer Our Review of CCleaner CCleaner is best known as a free registry cleaner and junk file removal program, but it can also be used as a free software uninstaller. You can search for installed software, remove and rename entries from the program list, and sort by name, installation date, size, or version number. It's a wise choice to use this tool for removing programs because you can quickly switch over to its file and registry cleaner to sweep up any residual files that an uninstaller may have left behind. In fact, this is the program I used to delete apps for years before I found some of the better options (the ones listed above), though I still use it from time to time if I'm already in the program when the need to uninstall something comes up. Open CCleaner's uninstaller from the Tools menu, where you can find other useful tools like a duplicate file finder, hard drive wiper, and startup manager. This one works with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. A portable version of CCleaner is also available. Download CCleaner 13 of 20 OESIS Endpoint Assessment What We Like Apps are deleted automatically (you don't have to click anything) Checks for and deletes any leftover remnants after each uninstall Lets you remove programs in batch No installation necessary (it's portable) What We Don't Like Not every program can be removed No File Explorer integration OESIS Endpoint Assessment includes a tool called the OESIS Removal Module (formerly titled AppRemover). Its biggest limitation is that not all installed programs can be removed. Programs identified as antivirus software, file-sharing applications, toolbars, and backup programs can be uninstalled, but nothing else. Despite that, it made my list because of the OESIS Removal Module, which uninstalls the above software silently, with no intervention on your part. It also supports batch uninstalls and automatically scans for leftover files and registry entries to ensure that the entire program, including all its references, is deleted. This is a portable program, which means you don't need to install it on your computer to use it. It should work with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Download OESIS Endpoint Assessment 14 of 20 Comodo Programs Manager What We Like Monitors installs to know how to uninstall the program Lets you restore deleted programs Integrates with File Explorer for easy uninstalls Able to delete Windows updates and drivers What We Don't Like Doesn't work in Windows 11 or 10 Was discontinued in 2011 You have to restart your computer after installing it Comodo is probably best known for its antivirus software, but it also has a decent program uninstaller called Comodo Programs Manager. Its main feature that certainly stands out is the way it monitors program installs. After installing Comodo Programs Manager, any new software install will be monitored in real-time to keep track of every registry and file system change. Then, when you're ready to uninstall the program, Comodo Programs Manager knows exactly where to look for a thorough cleaning. I love that it can restore a program from a backup if it was removed by accident. It'll also remove programs from the right-click context menu in File Explorer, view the installation folder of any program, and sort the list of installed software by name, company, size, frequency of use, install folder, and install date. Some of these filtering options are rare to find in other similar programs. Comodo Programs Manager can remove Windows Updates, drivers, and Windows features in addition to regular programs. This program is only compatible with Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP. You'll need a different program from this list if you're looking for one compatible with Windows 11 or 10. This is a significant reason I don't use it anymore, but I think it's an excellent option if you're running a compatible version of Windows. Download Comodo Programs Manager 15 of 20 MyUninstaller What We Like No installation necessary Can uninstall programs in batch Lots of sorting options Really easy to use What We Don't Like It was discontinued in 2017 Removing programs in batch doesn't work very well No File Explorer context menu option MyUninstaller is another free program uninstaller, although a bit simpler than the others in this list. It has an easy-to-understand interface that lets you export the list of programs to a file, remove application entries from the list, and sort all the software by name, version number, company, install folder, and install date. The program can also be switched to an advanced mode that supports batch uninstalls. Unfortunately, during my tests, the bulk removal procedure felt wonky, and too many windows opened at once. It definitely wasn't as smooth as some of these other better tools. It's completely portable and less than 50 KB in size. It can be used with nearly all versions of Windows, including Windows 11, 10, etc., through Windows 98. Download MyUninstaller 16 of 20 ZSoft Uninstaller What We Like Lets you search through the list of installed software Easy to use Monitors installs What We Don't Like Can't sort programs by size Hasn't been updated in many years Doesn't support batch uninstalls ZSoft Uninstaller can analyze your computer before you install a program and then re-analyze it afterward. This creates a section of missing time that the program can then use to find which changes were made to the computer during the install. This would be a great feature to ensure that the uninstaller can remove 100% of the program, but it's painfully slow. While testing it, the initial analysis wasn't complete even after an hour. The interface of ZSoft Uninstaller isn't organized very well. You can only sort the list of programs by name and install date, but you have to find the option in the menu to do so (and even then, the result isn't very satisfying). In short, this shouldn't be your first pick when choosing a good program uninstaller. I recommend trying any of the above programs before settling here. However, I keep the entry in this list because you might have better results. I tested ZSoft Uninstaller in Windows 10 and Windows 7, so it should work with other versions, too, like Windows 11, 8, and XP. A portable version and a regular installer are available through the link below. Download ZSoft Uninstaller 17 of 20 Anvi Uninstaller What We Like Organizes programs into categories to better find what you want Includes a search tool Can be used without installation Deletes patches installed with Windows Update, too What We Don't Like Doesn't support batch uninstalls Won't scan the computer for file remnants Updates are no longer released Anvi Uninstaller is a very basic software uninstaller that has no unique features. It's completely portable, just a few megabytes, and can view all the installed programs in one list or see just the largest or most recently installed software. You can search for programs in the list, as well as view any of the installed programs in File Explorer to know precisely where it's installed. You can also remove Windows patches. A restore point is created before uninstalling a program, but that's the only other feature included. Batch uninstalls and scanning for leftover registry items, for example, aren't allowed. The official requirements are that you're running up to Windows 7, but it should work equally well on Windows 11, 10, and 8, too. Download Anvi Uninstaller 18 of 20 Free Uninstall It What We Like Has a unique way of removing troublesome software Restore points can be made before uninstalls Supports multiple ways to view the list of programs What We Don't Like A major feature in the program might not work for you Doesn't support batch uninstalls Free Uninstall It is another program that can forcibly remove an application if it can't be removed by normal means. It does so by scanning for registry and file items that refer to the program in question and then lets you remove them. One difference between this program and others I've reviewed that forcibly remove programs is that Free Uninstall It can remove software by an executable even if it's not listed in the list of installed programs. Fortunately, unlike similar apps, there's an option here to create a System Restore point before removing software. An installation monitor is included that's supposed to track how a program is installed to provide an easy way to remove it, but I wasn't able to get it to work correctly. This program should work with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Download Free Uninstall It 19 of 20 Free Uninstaller What We Like There's a search tool included Can remove programs in batch It's portable You can search an installed program online for more information What We Don't Like No longer gets new software updates or improvements You might notice a trend this far down this list, which is that these are very old programs that don't work quite as well as the newer options listed above. On that note, Free Uninstaller is a basic program that's no different from the built-in software uninstaller in Windows, except that it's portable and supports batch uninstalling, among a few other things. You can search for programs in the list, look up software online to find more information, remove entries from the list of programs, and open the registry item that refers to the program. Something I like that isn't included in most apps is that an HTML file can be created that consists of a lot of helpful information in a nice format, such as the name, publisher, size, frequency of use (even with the number of times you've used it), version number, EXE, icon file location, install location, and more. I tested Free Uninstaller with Windows 10 and Windows XP, but it should also work just fine with Windows 11, 8, and 7. Download Free Uninstaller 20 of 20 Antivirus Software Uninstallers © Steven Puetzer / The Image Bank / Getty Images If you plan on reinstalling one of these programs after uninstalling the current version, make sure you've safely backed up the license information to avoid having to repurchase a product key. All the programs listed above should be able to remove antivirus software, but if not, the developer's dedicated uninstaller should do the trick. Since antivirus programs are integrated much more tightly into Windows to protect it from threats, removing these programs can be especially difficult for the general programs in this list. The 8 Best Free Antivirus Software of 2024 These dedicated uninstaller programs are used for removing the listed applications only. Using one when you don't have the associated program won't do anything. Uninstall McAfee Products: McAfee AntiVirus Plus, McAfee Family Protection, McAfee Internet Security, McAfee Online Backup, McAfee Total Protection, etc. Download MCPR Uninstall Norton Products: Norton device security products Download Norton Remove and Reinstall Uninstall Bitdefender: Bitdefender has a different tool for each product that needs to be removed. Download Bitdefender Uninstaller Tools Uninstall Kaspersky Products: Kaspersky Small Office Security 2 for Personal Computer / for File Server, Kaspersky PURE / PURE R2, Kaspersky Anti-Virus (all versions), Kaspersky Internet Security (all versions), Kaspersky Password Manager (all versions), AVP Tool driver, and Kaspersky Lab Network Agent 8 Download kavremover Uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials Download Microsoft Fix It Uninstall Comodo Products: Comodo Internet Security, Comodo Firewall, Comodo Antivirus, Comodo Client Security, and Comodo Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) Download the Comodo Uninstaller Tool Uninstall AVG Products: AVG Free, AVG Internet Security, AVG Ultimate, etc. Download AVG Clear Uninstall Avast Products: Avast Free Antivirus and Avast Premium Security Download Avast Clear How to Properly Reinstall Software in Windows Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! 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