Over time, your Windows 11 computer can accumulate applications that you no longer use or need. Removing these unnecessary apps not only frees up valuable disk space but also enhances your system's performance. Windows 11 offers several methods to uninstall both third-party and built-in applications. In this guide, we'll explore various ways to remove apps from your Windows 11 PC.

Uninstalling apps from Windows Settings

One of the most straightforward methods to uninstall applications is through the Windows Settings app.

Step 1: Press Windows key+I to open the Settings app. You can also right-click the Start button and select Settings from the menu, or open Settings from the Pinned apps in the Start menu.

Step 2: In the left pane, click on the Apps tab. On the right pane, select Installed apps.

Step 3: Scroll through the list of installed apps to locate the application you wish to remove. If you have trouble finding it, use the search bar above to quickly find the app.

Step 4: Click the three-dot menu icon (⋮) next to the app, and select Uninstall.

Step 5: Confirm the action by clicking Uninstall in the prompt that appears. Follow any additional on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.

Uninstalling apps from the Start menu

You can also uninstall apps directly from the Start menu for a quick and convenient method.

Step 1: Click the Start button on the taskbar to open the Start menu. If the app you wish to uninstall is pinned under the Pinned section, right-click it and select Uninstall.

Step 2: If the app isn't pinned, click on All apps at the top right corner to view all installed applications.

Step 3: Scroll through the list to find the app you want to remove. Right-click the app and choose Uninstall.

Step 4: A confirmation dialog may appear. Click Uninstall to proceed. If it's a desktop app, you might be redirected to the Control Panel to complete the uninstallation.

Windows Search allows you to uninstall apps directly from the search results.

Step 1: Click the Search icon on the taskbar or press the Windows key and start typing the name of the app you want to uninstall.

Step 2: In the search results, right-click the app and select Uninstall. Alternatively, you can click Uninstall on the right pane.

Step 3: If prompted with an Uninstall confirmation, click Uninstall to remove the app. For desktop apps, you may be redirected to the Control Panel's Programs and Features window to complete the process.

Step 4: In Programs and Features, select the app from the list, then click Uninstall at the top or right-click and choose Uninstall.

Uninstalling apps from the Control Panel

For traditional desktop applications, you can use the Control Panel to uninstall programs.

Step 1: Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel. Click on it in the search results to open.

Step 2: In Control Panel, set the View by option to Category if it's not already selected. Under the Programs section, click on Uninstall a program.

Step 3: Find the program you want to uninstall from the list. Click on it to select, then click Uninstall at the top of the list or right-click and select Uninstall.

Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions in the uninstaller wizard to complete the removal of the program.

Uninstalling built-in apps using PowerShell

Some built-in apps can't be uninstalled through the usual methods. Using Windows PowerShell, you can remove these apps.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, search for PowerShell, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator. Confirm any prompts that appear.

Step 2: To get a list of installed apps and their package names, type the following command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName

Step 3: Locate the app you wish to uninstall in the list. You can use the Find function by right-clicking the title bar, selecting Edit, then Find.

Step 4: Copy the PackageFullName of the app. Then, to uninstall it, run the following command:

Remove-AppxPackage

Replace <PackageFullName> with the actual package name. Example:

Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneMusic_10.21102.11411.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

Step 5: The app should now be uninstalled from your system.

Uninstalling apps using Command Prompt

You can also use the Command Prompt to uninstall applications with the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility.

Step 1: Open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. Confirm any prompts.

Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

wmic

Step 3: To list all installed programs, type:

product get name

Step 4: Note the exact name of the program you wish to uninstall. Then, run the following command:

product where name="Program Name" call uninstall

Replace "Program Name" with the exact name. Example:

product where name="Microsoft Visual C++ 2010  x86 Redistributable - 10.0.40219" call uninstall

Step 5: When prompted, type Y and press Enter to confirm the uninstallation.

Uninstalling apps using Winget

Winget, the Windows Package Manager, allows you to manage applications via command-line.

Step 1: Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) to open Windows Terminal with administrative privileges.

Step 2: In the terminal window, type the following command and press Enter to list all installed apps:

winget list

Step 3: Locate the app you want to uninstall from the list. To remove it, use the command:

winget uninstall --name "App Name"

Replace "App Name" with the exact name of the app. Example:

winget uninstall --name "Phone Link"

Uninstalling programs using third-party uninstallers

If standard methods fail, you can use third-party uninstaller tools to remove stubborn applications.

Step 1: Download a trusted uninstaller like Revo Uninstaller and install it on your system.

Step 2: Open the uninstaller application. In the list of programs, select the app you want to remove and click Uninstall.

Step 3: Follow the prompts to create a restore point if desired, and proceed with the uninstallation.

Step 4: Choose a scanning mode to search for leftover files and registry entries. After the scan, select all detected items and click Delete to fully remove the application.

Unable to uninstall applications on Windows 11?

If you encounter difficulties uninstalling an application, try these troubleshooting steps.

Closing app instances and processes in Task Manager:

Step 1: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.

Step 2: Go to the Details tab. Find any processes related to the app you're trying to uninstall. Select them and click End task.

Uninstalling in Safe Mode:

Step 1: Press Windows key+R, type msconfig, and press Enter.

Step 2: In the System Configuration window, select the Boot tab. Under Boot options, check Safe boot and click OK.

Step 3: Restart your computer to boot into Safe Mode. Then, try uninstalling the application using any of the methods above.

Cleaning up residual files after uninstallation

Even after uninstalling, some files and registry entries may remain. Step 1: Navigate to the following directories and delete any folders or files related to the uninstalled application:

  • C:\Program Files (x86)
  • C:\Program Files
  • C:\ProgramData
  • C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local
  • C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming

By utilizing these methods, you can effectively remove unwanted applications from your Windows 11 PC, helping to optimize performance and free up valuable storage space.