When deciding which free software uninstallers to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.
Additionally, even if the uninstall says it completed, Windows will often leave existing files, folders, and shortcuts in place meaning you have to delete these manually. It also doesn't always properly update the registry, either.
Third-party software uninstallers can do a more thorough job, quickly scanning your system for all installed programs, and letting you select several at once for removal. Once they've been purged, the software will then perform another scan to track down and wipe out temporary files and old registry entries, freeing up valuable space and ensuring you don't run into problems when installing a newer version of the same software later on.
Software uninstallers also provide a handy way to manage browser extensions and plugins, and remove any that you don't use. You'll also be able to empty your recycle bin with a single click, and delete your browser history.
IObit Uninstaller Free gets right down to business, scanning your system for installed software the moment it starts. Its smart, clear interface displays a list of all your installed software, with extra tabs if you're only interested in the newest programs (if you've tried something new and don't like it), and the biggest ones (which will have the greatest impact on system performance).
If you've already uninstalled a program but suspect it's left mucky footprints across your drive, IObit's deep scanner can hunt down junk including broken shortcuts and caches created when installing software updates.
IObit Uninstaller also takes a look at your web browsers to identify any plugins that could be uninstalled to speed up your surfing. It currently supports Firefox and Internet Explorer, but not Chrome or Edge. Each extension is accompanied by a user rating to help you decide whether to keep it.
It's a very quick and lean little uninstaller that scans your system for already installed programs and displays ratings to show you how other users feel about them. You probably know what you want to erase, but it's a thoughtful touch.
Safe uninstall is simply a way to access the program's own uninstaller, whereas Forced performs a deep scan to track down scrap files and broken registry entries. It shows you everything it's identified before deleting them, but this doesn't serve much purpose; you're unlikely to be able to pick out an individual Registry entry and say "Hang on, I need that!"
Revo Uninstaller Free's icon-strewn interface is colorful but cluttered, and includes tools like a startup program manager, plus links to Windows' own system tools (including defrag and on-screen keyboard). These really aren't necessary, and just distract from an otherwise solid free uninstaller.
Revo Uninstaller Free offers four uninstall options: built-in, safe (built-in with additional registry scanning), moderate (with extra scanning of common locations for leftover files) and advanced (moderate mode, followed by a thorough scanning of your whole system). There's also a strange 'Hunter Mode', which lets you uninstall programs by dragging their icons onto a crosshair on your desktop. It's much more work than selecting the program from a list - a metaphor gone rogue.
Unlike some uninstallers, Revo begins by creating a system restore point, which is reassuring. It can't log new installations, though - if you want that, you might like to give Revo's Pro version a whirl for 30 days. It's worlds away from the free edition's late-90s styling, and will give your drives a good scrubbing.
Another feature is the ability to back up and restore individual programs, so if a file or folder is deleted, corruption, or encrypted by ransomware, you can still repair the program quickly and easily.
On top of all this, Advanced Uninstaller PRO also comes with a paid-for upgrade option called Daily Health Check, which runs each day and makes recommendations on optimizing your PC, much like other PC optimizers also offer.
Geek Uninstaller is another free portable uninstaller. Although a 'Pro' version is advertised on developer's site, this is actually a completely different program called Uninstall Tool - Geek Uninstaller is completely free,
It performs a speedy system scan and provides the usual options: regular or forced uninstall. If you don't recognize something, Geek Uninstaller will Google it for you - a simple but welcome addition that saves you loading up a browser.
That's pretty much it - there's no deep scan for remnants of previously uninstalled programs, and no monitoring for new installations, but if you're simply after something to clean up as you go, uninstallers don't come smaller and simpler than Geek Uninstaller. It comes in over 30 languages too, which is undoubtedly a bonus.
To test for the best free software uninstallers we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.
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You can uninstall programs from Control Panel, but if you want to create a System Restore point before making any changes or you want to remove a program with dependencies like junk files and registry items, you can use applications that do it for you.
This program Lets you back up and restore whole programs, Removes remnants often left after an uninstall and delete the entire program because it has a feature called Monitored Installations, which takes a snapshot of your computer before and after a program install. This allows Advanced Uninstaller PRO to easily identify the changes an install made, thus allowing it to remove every single file that the program modified during its installation process.
With IObit Uninstaller you can search for installed software, find and remove the programs taking up the most space or the ones you hardly use, uninstall browser toolbars and plugins, remove downloads made from Windows Update, and even see which of your programs could be updated to a newer version.
Sort programs by their 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, install folder, or internet.
its ability to clean up leftover files, perform forced uninstallations, and detect portable apps are these advanced and rare features: 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.
This uninstaller can remove program entries from the list of installed software, instantly search through all the programs, sort by install date or size, delete software in batches, and includes built-in reviews submitted by other users.
PC Decrapifier is a portable program that takes up less than 2 MB of space and supports batch uninstalls. An easy-to-follow wizard walks you through the process of choosing what you'd like to remove and lets you create a restore point before deleting anything.
While testing PC Decrapifier, four programs were selected for uninstallation. Only one required a walkthrough of a regular uninstall wizard, while the others were removed automatically without any prompts whatsoever.
It's similar to some of the other programs from 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.
Absolute Uninstaller is a free program remover that supports batch uninstalls so that you can check multiple programs to remove them each consecutively, and newly installed programs are clearly marked as such.
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