6 Ways to Remove Residual Files After Uninstalling Software on Windows 

Quick Tips

• Uninstalling programs does not remove all its traces. App data, cache, registry data, etc., can be left behind.
• You can delete the registry keys and files in the Program Files and App Data folders associated with the uninstalled program.
• You can also use the built-in Disk Clean-up tool on Windows to delete any unwanted files from your PC.

Method 1: Delete Registry Keys

Registry keys are a database that includes an app’s configuration and installation data, such as the product key, custom install settings, etc. Deleting the registry keys for an uninstalled app removes its leftover traces.

Note: Be careful as you proceed to remove the registry keys. Ensure you know the name of the program whose keys you need to remove, especially when multiple versions of the same app are present. To prevent any mishaps, backup a copy of the registry keys.

Open the Registry Editor app from the Start menu. Right-click on the folder of the uninstalled app and click on Delete. Confirm the action when prompted again.

Method 2: Delete Temporary Folder

You can delete temporary files on Windows to remove the leftovers of the uninstalled application.

Step 1: Open Run from the start menu. Type %temp% and hit OK.

Step 2: This will open the temporary folder. Use Ctrl + A to select all the files. Now, right-click and select the delete option.

Step 3: Open the Recycle Bin later to delete the files permanently.

Method 3: Use the Disk Clean-up Tool

The Disk Clean-up tool is an easy one-click tool for deleting unwanted files from your system. Here’s a step-by-step procedure.

Step 1: Open the Disk Clean-up app from the Start menu. Select the drive and click on OK.

Step 2: In the Disk Clean-up window, check the box for Temporary files. Then, click OK.

Alternatively, you can also opt to Clean up system files to remove more such unwanted files.

Method 4: Check Program Files

Open the Windows Explorer, go to This PC, and open Windows (C:). Then, open the folder Program Files and Program Files (x86).

Check for any folders of the uninstalled app and proceed to delete them. However, check the contents of the folder before deleting it and if it contains any important files you wish to retain.

Method 5: Remove App Data

Removing the app data folder removes any leftover files and cache data from the uninstalled app.

Open the Run app from the Start menu and type %app data%. Look for the folder containing the name of the program you uninstalled and delete it.

Method 6: Use the Third Party App

Revo Uninstaller helps you uninstall programs on Windows along with all their traces and residual files. While the service is paid, you will get a free trial version for thirty days.

Step 1: Visit the Revo Uninstaller download page and click on TRY NOW. Install the app using the downloaded setup files.

Step 2: Open Revo Uninstaller, click on the app you want to uninstall, and select Uninstall in the left pane.

Step 3: Check the box for Automatically delete all found leftovers and click on Continue.

Step 4: Once the program is uninstalled, click on Scan. This will search for any leftover files.

Once the scan is complete, the program will also delete any leftover files and display the amount of deleted files along with their size.