Why are programs taking so long to uninstall?

Computer people often reserve the term erase for secure deletion, where a file is actually overwritten with random data so it can’t be recovered. That does take a long time. Uninstallation of a program usually involves only file deletion (marking the space as available), which is quick.

How long does it take to uninstall a program on computer?

In Windows, it can take up to an hour (rare, but times of ~15 minutes are fairly common). What is Windows doing that takes so long?

How do I uninstall a program that won’t uninstall?

So how to force uninstall a program that won’t uninstall?

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Search for “add or remove programs”
3. Click on the search results titled Add or remove programs.
4. Find the specific software that you want to uninstall and select it.
5. Click the Uninstall button.
6. After that just follow the onscreen instructions.

How do I stop an uninstall?

How to prevent users from uninstalling apps from Start using Group Policy

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.
3. Browse the following path:
4. Double-click the Prevent users from uninstalling applications from Start policy.
5. Select the Enabled option.
6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK.

How do I delete all programs from my computer?

Wipe software leftovers off your PC manually

1. Open your Start menu and locate the Control Panel option.
2. Click on Control Panel. Navigate to Programs.
3. Click on Programs and Features.
4. Locate the piece of software you wish to uninstall.
5. Click on Uninstall.
6. Get the all-clear to proceed and exit Control Panel.

How can I delete a program from my computer?

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type Control Panel and select it from the results.
2. Select Programs > Programs and Features.
3. Press and hold (or right-click) on the program you want to remove and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change. Then follow the directions on the screen.

How do I uninstall stubborn apps on Windows 10?

Use the uninstaller built into Windows 11, and Windows 10.

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Apps.
4. Select Apps and Features from the left-hand side menu.
5. Select the Program or App you want to uninstall from the list that appears.
6. Click the uninstall button that shows under the selected program or app.

How do you delete a program that says it’s open?

Go to Applications > Utilities and open up Activity Monitor. Scroll down until you find your application. Highlight it and click the “Quit Process” button in the upper left. Now it is no longer running and can be deleted from your computer.