A program that you no longer need on your computer? We explain how to effectively uninstall and remove software that you do not use!
To clean up your PC or to free up storage space, it is quite common to want to uninstall a Windows program, software or application. Accumulated over the months, often to meet a specific need, programs and software for Windows often clutter the computer unnecessarily, with a direct impact on the performance of the machine. Many PC owners wishing to regain the full power of their device seek to get rid of word processors, web browsers, audio file players, etc., which they no longer need. The good news is that the procedure for uninstalling a Windows program is accessible to as many people as possible, even the most computer novice. However, it differs significantly depending on the version of Windows (Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, etc.). Here is a summary of the procedure for uninstalling a program depending on the version of Windows you have.
Uninstall a Windows 11 program
For users of Windows 11 who wish to uninstall a program or software from their PC, the procedure is as follows:
- launch the “”Start”” menu;
- go to “Settings”;
- in the sidebar that appears on the left of the screen, select “”Applications and features””. Then choose the application concerned to uninstall it;
- the selected application, click on the three vertical dots, then on “”Uninstall””.
The uninstallation then continues automatically. Note that only programs installed by the user can be uninstalled. All applications, software and programs directly integrated into Windows 11 cannot be removed.
Uninstall a Windows 10 program
To uninstall a program on Windows 10, nothing very complicated. Just follow the same procedure as described above to uninstall a program on Windows 11. The only difference is when selecting the application. The three vertical dots do not appear on Windows 10. On the other hand, you retain the possibility of directly selecting the “”Uninstall”” function. Note that there is an alternative, faster method to uninstall software, a program or an application on Windows 10. This boils down to:
- select the “”Start”” menu;
- locate the application or program to be uninstalled in the list that is displayed;
- press and hold (or right-click) on this application and select the “”Uninstall”” option.
Uninstall windows 8 program
Marketed in the fall of 2012, the Windows 8 version of Microsoft’s operating system still equips a significant number of devices. For those who use this version and want to uninstall a program from Windows 8, the process is again extremely simple. All you need to do is:
- Launch the “”Start”” menu at the bottom left of the screen;
- go up in the list that is displayed to select the “”Programs and features”” menu;
- browse the list of programs displayed until you find the one to uninstall;
- select the program concerned and click on the “”Uninstall”” option which is displayed above the list of programs.
Depending on the programs to uninstall on Windows 8, the operation may take more or less time. It sometimes requires some intervention on your part (mainly confirmations before the total removal of the program and the content that may be linked to it).
Uninstall windows 7 program
For PC owners who are still using the Windows 7 operating system, the process of removing a program or software comes down to six steps:
- click on the Windows icon;
- select “”Control Panel””;
- in the “”Programs”” menu, click on “”Uninstall a program””;
- the screen then displays the list of programs that can be uninstalled on Windows 7. All you have to do at this stage is to select the one you want to uninstall;
- confirm your desire to uninstall the chosen program when prompted by the uninstaller.
The uninstallation process begins. Once the latter is finished, you are informed of the result of the procedure and asked to validate it by clicking on “”OK””.