How to uninstall apps and programs in Windows 11

Martin Brinkmann
Mar 7, 2023
Updated • Mar 7, 2023
Windows 11 Help
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There are plenty of reasons for uninstalling programs from Windows 11 PCs. Besides freeing up disk space on the computer's drives, it is also done to keep the system tidy or remove entries from context menus or the Start Menu.

Windows 11 supports several uninstallation options. Not all offer the same functionality, and some are easier to use than others.

This guide offers step-by-step instructions for common and uncommon program uninstallation methods on Windows 11 devices.

Removing programs from the Windows 11 Start Menu

One of the first options that Windows 11 users may encounter is uninstalling applications from the Windows 11 Start Menu.

All it takes is to click on the Windows icon, or use the Windows-key on the keyboard, and locate the program that you want to remove. If it is not listed directly, select "All Apps" at the top to display the full list of installed applications and programs.

uninstall confirm

Right-click on the program and select the "uninstall" option from the context menu to start the removal process. A confirmation prompt is displayed and you need to select the "uninstall" button to proceed.

It is rather interesting to note that this prompt as no cancel option under "all apps", but has a cancel option from the main Start Menu screen.

Apps are removed automatically at this point, programs may launch a dedicated uninstallation program, which may need further interactions.

Uninstall Windows 11 programs using the Settings app

uninstall apps windows 11

The Settings application has its own dedicated uninstall page. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed Apps to display the list of installed apps.

A search and filter options are provided to find programs quickly. Just type the first few letters of the program name to find it quickly on the page.

Select the uninstall button to proceed with the removal of the selected application, or click anywhere else, outside of the prompt's box, to cancel the operation.

The main advantage of using the Settings application is that it supports a search and filters.

Uninstall programs from the classic Control Panel

control panel uninstall

The classic Windows Control Panel offers another option when it comes to the removal of programs. It is a bit more difficult to access, as it is not linked directly on the Start Menu or elswhere.

Open the Start Menu, type Control Panel and select the result. Now select "uninstall a program" in the main Control Panel window.

Windows lists all installed programs on the page, along with publisher names, their size on disk, version and installation date.

Left-click on an entry and select "uninstall" to remove it from the system. You may also right-click on an installed program and select the uninstall item from the context menu to start the removal process.

The main advantage of the Control Panel option is that it displays more information about the installed programs. The main downside that it does not list Windows apps.

Uninstall programs using Windows Terminal

winget uninstall

Windows Terminal offers several options when it comes to the removal of software on Windows 11 devices. To get started, use the keyboard shortcut Windows-X to display the admin menu. Select Terminal (admin) from the list to launch a new elevated Terminal window.

One uninstall option is provided by winget, the Windows Package Manager. It is a handy tool to remove, install or update installed Windows programs.

Run winget list to display all installed programs on the system. To remove a program, use the command winget uninstall NAME. Replace NAME with the exact name of the application, as provided by the list command.

A second option is provided by WMIC, Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line.  Run the command wmic to get started. The prompt changes, and you may now run the command product get name to get a list of installed programs.

Note that the response may take a moment. To remove a program, run the command product where name=”NAME” call uninstall. Replace NAME with the actual name of the program, as provided by the "product get name" command.

You need to confirm the removal, which is done with a tap on the Y-key on the keyboard.

Uninstall apps and programs with third-party solutions

oo appbuster remove windows 11 apps

First-party may be sufficient for most users, but there are third-party uninstallation programs available that offer a better feature set.

Notably, they may offer bulk removals of apps, which is the case for O&O's AppBuster application, or run a thorough clean-up after the removal to find and delete leftovers and traces. Programs like Revo Uninstaller Free or Geek Uninstaller provide this functionality.

Now You: how do you uninstall programs on Windows 11? (via PC World)

Summary
How to uninstall programs in Windows 11
Article Name
How to uninstall programs in Windows 11
Description
Here are five different methods to remove programs from Windows 11 devices.: from easy to expert.
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Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. TelV said on May 1, 2023 at 2:07 pm
    Reply

    I’ve been using the Settings app up until now. But I noticed there are some apps listed in ProgramData which don’t appear to be installed, but are present nevertheless in that folder. For example, “Norton” is present in there on my system along with “Norton Installer”.

  2. Anonymous said on March 7, 2023 at 7:15 pm
    Reply

    The NirSoft utility UninstallView

  3. chesscanoe said on March 7, 2023 at 1:26 pm
    Reply

    My last uninstall was with Settings – before that I always used Control Panel because I could not update Revo Uninstaller Pro for some undetermined reason.

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