How to Uninstall Apps From Windows 7, 8, and 10

Remove old and unused apps to free space on your PC

By
Mark Baggesen
Mark Baggesen
Writer
  • Southern Methodist University
  • University of Massachusetts/Amherst
  • The University of British Columbia
Mark Baggesen is a former Lifewire writer who has 20+ years' experience and has in web development, communications, web analytics, and databases.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on September 11, 2020
Windows

What to Know

  • Use the Apps & features or Add or Remove Programs function from the Control Panel.
  • You can also open the uninstall function or program that may have come with the application.

This article explains how to remove specific apps you don't like or just don't use from a Windows 10, 8 or 7 operating system.

Remove an App With the Windows 10 Start Menu Option

The first way is the simplest and quickest method for removing an app.

  1. Select Start.

    The Start button in Windows 10

  2. Find the program you want to uninstall by scrolling down the All Apps list.

    The Apps list in Windows 10

  3. When you find the program or Windows Store app you want to get rid of, hover over it with your mouse, and right-click.

  4. From the menu that appears, select Uninstall.

    The Uninstall command

  5. In Programs and Features, scroll until you find the app you want to uninstall, select it, then click Uninstall.

    Windows 8 and 8.1 users can also use this method. Instead of right-clicking a program in the Start menu, however, you'd right-click from the Start or All Apps screens.

    The Uninstall command

Windows 10 Settings App Option

 Another option is to follow the Settings app method. Get started by navigating to Apps & features. A list of all the installed Windows Store apps and desktop programs will populate on this screen of the Settings app. 

  1. Select the Start button then go to Settings.

    The Windows 10 Start menu with Settings highlighted

  2. Under Windows Settings, select Apps.

    The Apps heading in Windows Settings

  3. Under Apps & features, scroll down to find the app you want to uninstall.

    The Apps & Features heading in Apps settings

  4. Select the app, and then select Uninstall.

    The Uninstall button

  5. Confirm removal by selecting Uninstall again.

    The uninstall confirmation button

  6. Follow the program's uninstall prompts.

    The uninstall wizard for Firefox in Windows 10.

Windows 8.1 and 8

Other than the right-click method listed in the Windows 10 section, Windows 8.1 has a similar way to remove apps through the Programs and Features control panel.

  1. Press the Windows Key or select Start on the lower left-hand corner to open the Start Screen.

  2. Locate the application you want to uninstall and right-click the app icon and select Uninstall.

  3. The Programs and Features control panel applet will open. Make sure the correct app is selected.

  4. Select Uninstall/Change and follow the uninstall wizard to complete removal.

You can also bypass and go straight to the Programs and Features control panel applet by doing the following:

Windows 8.1: Right-click the Start menu and select Programs and Features from the context menu.

Windows 8: Hover your cursor over the bottom left corner of your desktop until you see a small image of the Start Screen. Right-click on the context menu and select Programs and Features.

Windows 7

As of January 2020, Microsoft is no longer supporting Windows 7. You should upgrade to Windows 10 to continue receiving security updates and technical support.

Just as previous Windows systems, Windows 7 utilizes the Start menu to begin any uninstall.

  1. Select the Start button.

  2. Select Control Panel.

  3. Select Programs.

  4. Under Programs and Features, scroll to find the program you want to uninstall.

  5. Select the program then select Uninstall.

  6. Follow along with the uninstall prompts to complete the app removal.

Was this page helpful?