How to Uninstall a Program

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the Control Panel.

   Nearly all programs can be removed through the program manager in the Control Panel.
   
   There are a couple of different ways to access the Control Panel:
   Windows 7, Vista, and XP
   - Click the Start menu and select "Control Panel".
   
   Windows
   8.1
   - Right-click the Start button and select "Control Panel".
   
   Windows 8
   - Open the Charms bar and select "Settings".
   
   Click "Change PC Settings" and then select "Control Panel" at the bottom.
2. 2

   Step 2: Select "Programs and Features" or "Uninstall a program".

   This will launch the program manager.
   
   If you're using Windows XP, select "Add or Remove Programs". , This may take a few moments if you have a lot of programs installed or the system is older. , By default, the list will be sorted alphabetically.
   
   You can click the column headers to change the sorting.
   
   For example, clicking the "Installed On" header will allow you to see the latest programs that you installed.
   
   Clicking the "Size" header will show you which programs are taking up the most space. , Click the Uninstall button that appears in the toolbar. , Many programs have custom removal procedures.
   
   Read each screen carefully and follow the prompts to completely uninstall the program. , Some programs that tie into your system files will require a reboot after uninstalling.
   
   Save any work you have open and then reboot your computer. , Sometimes uninstalling a program will break a system file.
   
   This can cause your computer to crash or hang.
   
   The quickest way to fix this is to perform a system restore.
   
   This will not affect your personal files.Open the System Restore tool by searching for "restore" in Windows 7 and Vista, or "recovery" in Windows
   8.
   
   In Windows XP, you can find the System Restore tool in All Programs → Accessories → System Tools.
   
   Select a restore point from before the uninstallation.
   
   You can see all of the available restore points by checking "Show more restore points".
   
   Confirm that you want to restore.
   
   The restore process will take a few minutes.
   
   Your computer will reboot. , Many browser toolbars sneak onto your system during the installation of other software.
   
   They make themselves difficult to remove, and may reappear.
   
   You'll likely need the help of some anti-malware programs.
   
   Download and run Adwcleaner, Malwarebytes Antimalware, and HitmanPro.
   
   All of these tools have free versions which will scan your computer and remove malware infections.
   
   It's important to run all three scanners, as they all pick up things the others don't.
   
   Click here for a guide on removing malware and toolbars. , Windows 8 apps are separate and don't appear in the Control Panel program manager.
   
   These will need to be deleted in a different way.
   
   Open the Charms bar and select "Settings".
   
   Select "Change PC settings" and then select "Search and apps".
   
   Select the "App sizes" option and then select the app you want to delete.
   
   Click the "Uninstall" button and then click "Uninstall" again to confirm.
3. 3

   Step 3: Wait for the list of programs to load.

4. 4

   Step 4: Click the column headers to sort the list.

5. 5

   Step 5: Select the program that you want to uninstall.

6. 6

   Step 6: Follow the prompts to uninstall the program.

7. 7

   Step 7: Reboot the computer (if necessary).

8. 8

   Step 8: Uninstalling a program caused the system to become unstable.

9. 9

   Step 9: Browser toolbars won't uninstall.

10. 10

    Step 10: Can't find Windows 8 apps in the list of programs.

Detailed Guide

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