Method 1: Attempt Uninstallation With Admin Rights
You need to locate the application’s uninstaller file and re-attempt the uninstallation with administrator privileges.
Step 1: Navigate to the program’s folder you want to uninstall.
Usually, all installed apps are located in the Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder, but they can be in another location or on another drive as well.
Step 2: Right-click on the uninstaller executable file and select the Run as administrator option.
Step 3: When the User Account Control window opens, click on the Yes button.
Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions and check if the program uninstalls completely.
Method 2: Enable the Built-in Admin Account
If granting administrator privileges to the uninstaller file doesn’t help, enable the built-in administrator account and try removing the program.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2: Enter the below command.
Net user administrator /active:yes
Step 3: Close the Command Prompt window.
Step 4: Press the Windows key and click on the User Profile icon. Select the newly activated Administrator user profile.
Step 5: Create a new password and sign in to the Administrator account. Try to uninstall the troublesome program.
Method 3: Restart Windows Installer Service
If there is a problem with the Windows Installer Service, you cannot uninstall a system program or a third-party app on Windows.
Step 1: Press the Windows key to open the Start menu, type services in the search bar, and press Enter.
Step 2: Locate the Windows Installer service and right-click on it. Select Restart.
Step 3: Close the Services utility and run the uninstaller once again.
Also Read: How to open Services on Windows
Method 4: Temporarily Disable User Account Control
User Account Control notifies you about a program that is making changes to your system. But if it becomes too overprotective, temporarily disable it and finish the uninstallation.
Step 1: Press the Windows key to launch the Start menu, type UAC in the search bar, and press Enter.
Step 2: Drag the slider to the bottom position and click on OK.
Step 3: Run the uninstaller executable file and remove the program from your PC.
Ensure to revisit the UAC settings page and re-enable it afterward.
Method 5: Uninstall the App Using Command Prompt
You can use Command Prompt to remove any program installed on your PC. However, you must know the exact path of the uninstaller file.
Step 1: Open the C: Drive and click on the Program Files Folder.
Step 2: Locate and select the uninstaller executable file and right-click on it. Select Copy as path.
Step 3: Open Command Prompt. Paste the copied path of the uninstaller file in Command Prompt and press Enter.
Step 4: The Program Uninstaller window will launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove it from your Windows PC.
Method 6: Take Full Ownership of the Uninstaller File
If you still see the “You must be an administrator to remove this application” error message, you must take Full Ownership of the installation folder and all the files inside it.
Step 1: Open the C: Drive > click on the Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder.
Step 2: Find the installation folder of the program that you can’t uninstall. Select and right-click on the folder > select Properties.
Step 3: Switch to the Security tab. Scroll down to find your username and click on it. Then, click on Edit.
Step 4: A new window will open. Select your username again. Click on the Full control checkbox to select it. Click on Apply and OK.
Run the uninstaller application and remove the program from your computer.
Also Read: How to remove residual files after uninstalling software on Windows
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Last updated on 09 July, 2024
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