We cannot think of working on a computer without applications. Some are ingrained into our operating system whereas there are others that we install from a third-party source. And oftentimes when we get better software for a task, we uninstall the previous one.

But, here’s the question – even after removing the software, how sure are you that it is completely uninstalled? Think about this, when you install an application, it spreads its parts in other areas of the computer – the executable files go into the app folder, the license key goes into the registry, drivers are installed, so on and so forth.

Now, in case, the software is not completely uninstalled and if such remnants clutter your computer, you are going to see a dip in your storage. And, god forbid! If there was malicious software that you couldn’t get rid of completely, wouldn’t it be a disaster?

So, how to completely uninstall software? which means how to get rid of the software and its components.  Here we are going to discuss both the manual and automatic ways

Completely Uninstall A Software Using A Third Party Utility

Using a third-party utility is the most secure way to uninstall software on your computer and even get rid of its leftover as well. One such utility is IObit Uninstaller Pro. Here is how you can use this utility to completely uninstall programs and even their leftovers as well.

1. Download and install IObit Uninstaller Pro

2. Easily identify the program that you want to uninstall completely by using the left-hand pane of the interface. E.g. if you want to remove a recently installed program, click on Recently Installed and select the program

3. Click on the bin icon.

4. Choose if you want to create a restore point and remove any residues.

5. Click on Uninstall.

While the free version gives you access to most features, you can sign up for the premium version after which you will be able to –

• Get rid of malicious plugins
• Restore changes made by a software
• Clean all leftovers which other utilities cannot delete
• Uninstall the latest Windows 10 platform apps
• 24/7 technical support
• Auto-update to the latest version

Methods To Manually Uninstall Software Completely

In alliance with a third-party utility like IObit Uninstaller Pro, once in a while, taking the matter in own hands would help you keep your computer clean –

Get Rid of The Temporary Files

Let’s begin with the easiest way,  you can get rid of any leftovers from the software you have uninstalled and that is to clear temp files time and again –

1. In the Windows search box type %temp% and press enter

2. Press Ctrl + A  and hit shift + delete

3. Next type temp and press enter

4. Again press Ctrl + A  and hit shift + delete

This is something you can do once in a while as this step is completely harmless and it will help you get rid of traces from any uninstalled software.

Dive Into AppData Folder

The AppData folder is a folder that contains files, settings, and other data which is exclusive to the software on your PC.  You can therefore remove leftovers (if any) from a software –

1. Open the File Explorer

2. Type C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local in the address bar

3. Locate the software whose leftovers you want to uninstall

4. Press Shift + Delete

So, make sure that you, first, only locate the uninstalled software whose remnants you want to remove from your computer.

Manually Remove The Software From The Registry

At the outset, we’d like to warn you that tampering with the registry can have a serious effect on your computer. Deleting the wrong registry keys can meddle with the overall functionality of your computer. It is advisable to first take a backup of all your registries to an external drive so that in the event of an emergency, you will at least have a fallback option. You can also create a restore point before deleting any items in the registry.

1. In the Windows search bar type Regedit to open  the Registry Editor.

2. Press F3 and type in the name of the program.

3. Click on Find Next.

4. When you reach the registry key with the name of the software, hit Shift + Delete and move on to the next one.

Wrapping Up

 As a part of your computer cleanup strategy we hope, you will also ponder upon the question – how to uninstall programs completely. If you liked the blog, do give it a thumbs up and for more updates, keep reading Tweak Library. You can also follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and Flipboard as well.