Uninstalling apps on Windows 10 removes them from your system along with their programs list entries — freeing disk space and stopping unnecessary background activity.
Windows 10 offers six methods to uninstall apps: the Start Menu, Settings app, Control Panel, PowerShell, Command Prompt, and third-party uninstaller tools.
Quick Answer
Right-click any app in the Start Menu and select Uninstall, or open Settings ? Apps ? Apps & features, click the app, and hit the Uninstall button.
How to Uninstall Apps on Windows 10
Method 1: Uninstall via the Start Menu
The Start Menu is the fastest way to remove most apps — right-clicking an app shortcut shows an Uninstall option without needing to open any settings panel.
Click Start, scroll the app list or type the app name in the search bar to find it, then right-click the app and select Uninstall.
Note: Some pre-installed Windows apps do not show an Uninstall option when right-clicked in the Start Menu — use Method 4 (PowerShell) to remove those apps.
Method 2: Uninstall via Windows Settings
The Settings app shows every installed app with its size and install date, making it easy to identify large or unused programs and remove them cleanly.
Press Win + I to open Settings, go to Apps ? Apps & features, find the app in the list, click it to expand its options, and press Uninstall.
Method 3: Uninstall via Control Panel
Control Panel’s Programs and Features lists all traditionally installed desktop apps — useful when an app does not appear in the modern Settings interface.
Open Control Panel, click Programs, then Uninstall a program — right-click the app you want to remove and select Uninstall to launch its removal wizard.
Tip: Paste Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features into the File Explorer address bar to jump directly to the uninstall screen.
Method 4: Uninstall via Windows PowerShell
PowerShell can remove Microsoft Store apps and most pre-installed system apps — including ones whose Uninstall button is grayed out in the Start Menu and Settings.
Open PowerShell as Administrator, run the command below to list all installed packages, and copy the Name of the app you want to remove.
Get-AppxPackage | select Name, PackageFullName | Format-List
Now run the removal command, replacing AppleInc.iTunes with the Name you copied — this removes the package for your current user account.
Get-AppxPackage *AppleInc.iTunes* | Remove-AppxPackage
To remove an app for all users on the machine (requires Administrator), add -AllUsers to the pipeline: Get-AppxPackage *AppName* | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers.
Method 5: Uninstall via Command Prompt
The Command Prompt can uninstall apps installed via .exe or .msi installers using the wmic tool — note that wmic is deprecated in Windows 11 and may be absent.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator, then run these three commands in sequence: open wmic, list all products, and remove the one you want by name.
wmic
product get name
product where name="Python 3.12.2 Standard Library (64-bit)" call uninstall
Pro tip: Many third-party apps ship with an Uninstall.exe file inside their install folder — running it directly is often cleaner than using wmic for desktop apps.
Method 6: Uninstall Using Third-Party Software
Third-party uninstallers go further than built-in tools — they remove leftover registry keys, residual files, and orphaned entries that Windows uninstallers typically leave behind.
They are especially useful for removing grayed-out system apps like Cortana that cannot be removed through the Start Menu, Settings, or Control Panel by default.
Revo Uninstaller — launch it as Administrator, select the app, click Uninstall, and optionally create a system restore point before removal begins for safety.
After the standard uninstall completes, Revo’s Scan button searches for leftover files and registry keys so you can remove them from your system permanently.
IObit Uninstaller — works similarly to Revo and can also remove Microsoft Edge and other system-level apps that standard methods cannot touch.
Absolute Uninstaller (by Glarysoft) — intelligently removes related system files alongside the main app, keeping your installation clean without manual cleanup.
When to Use Each Method
Use Start Menu or Settings for everyday app removal — they handle most Microsoft Store and desktop apps in a few clicks with no technical knowledge required.
Use PowerShell when you need to remove grayed-out pre-installed apps, or when you want to script the removal of multiple apps in one automated pass.
Use a third-party uninstaller when you want a truly clean removal — especially for apps that leave behind registry entries and folders even after a standard uninstall.
Related Guides
These Windows guides cover other system management tasks you may need after cleaning up installed apps on a Windows 10 machine.