Windows guide
How to completely uninstall programs on Windows 11
Three ways to remove software on Windows 11 — Settings, Control Panel and the command line — plus how to clean up what's left behind.
By the Softvault team ·
From Settings
- Press Win + I and go to Apps › Installed apps.
- Find the program with the search box.
- Click the three dots next to it and choose Uninstall, then confirm.
From Control Panel
Some older programs uninstall more cleanly from the classic window: press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl and press Enter, then double-click the program.
From the command line
If you installed with Chocolatey or winget, remove it the same way:
choco uninstall vlc
winget uninstall "VLC media player"Remove leftovers
Uninstallers often keep your settings in case you reinstall. To clear them, press Win + R, type %appdata% and delete the program's folder if it remains; do the same for %localappdata%. Don't edit the registry unless the developer's documentation tells you to.