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Revo Uninstaller – Uninstall Things That Won’t

Sometimes, you just need a bigger hammer.

Revo Uninstaller is a useful utility to remove things from your computer that won't otherwise uninstall or uninstall completely.
Revo Uninstaller
Revo Uninstaller (Screenshot: askleo.com)

One common scenario I hear involves incomplete or failed uninstalls. You attempt to uninstall a program and that process fails, leaving some data around and the program itself in a kind of in-between state. The program remains, but the uninstaller is either missing, non-functional, or otherwise useless.

This is where Revo Uninstaller comes in.

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TL;DR:

Revo Uninstaller

Revo Uninstaller, available in free and paid versions, is a solution for incomplete or failed uninstalls. It goes beyond standard uninstalls by scanning for leftover files and registry entries. It can also uninstall Windows built-in apps. I recommend it when dealing with any uninstallation problems.

Revo Uninstaller Free

Revo comes in two versions: free and paid. The free version performs basic uninstalls while the paid version does more exhaustive scans. A full feature comparison can be found on the download page.

It’s a quick and easy decision: if you’re having trouble uninstalling something, go grab the free version and give it a try.

Revo Uninstaller Main Screen.
Revo Uninstaller Main Screen. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

That’s the free version of Revo on my Windows 11 machine listing all the applications it’s found, not unlike Control Panel’s “Programs” section.

Uninstalling

Right-click on the item you want to uninstall, and you’ll be given a list of choices.

Revo Uninstaller options on Treesize Free
Revo Uninstaller options on Treesize Free. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Click on Uninstall to begin the process.

Revo will first confirm your choice.

Revo Uninstaller confirming an uninstall.
Revo Uninstaller confirming an uninstall. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Once you click Continue, Revo will run the application’s own uninstaller, if possible. This gives the application the chance to do its job without Revo needing to intervene.

However, Revo does more than a normal uninstall.

Scanning for more

Once the application’s own uninstaller has completed, Revo offers to scan for leftovers and asks you how deeply you want it to search.

Revo Uninstaller scanning for more.
Revo Uninstaller scanning for more. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

The choices are Safe, Moderate, and Advanced. I generally choose Moderate. More on this below.

Click Scan, and Revo will scan for leftover registry entries.

Left Over Registry Entries.
Revo reporting on leftover registry items. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

I generally Select All and then Delete.

Note: Leftover registry entries are not necessarily signs of a problem. Many applications leave settings and other information behind so that if you re-install the application later, those are preserved.

Next, Revo scans for leftover files associated with the program you’re uninstalling.

Revo scanning for leftover files.
Revo reporting on leftover files. Click for larger image. (Screenshot: askleo.com)

Once again, I generally Select All and Delete.

Also once again, leftover files are not necessarily a sign of a problem.

That’s it. Revo’s uninstalled your application.

But wait, there’s more

You know those Windows built-in applications for which the Uninstall command is disabled? Revo can uninstall them.

Revo Uninstaller on Windows built-in apps.
Revo Uninstaller offering to uninstall Windows built-in apps. Click for larger image. (Image: depositphotos.com)

As before, just right-click on the application and select Uninstall. (You may see PowerShell scripts flash by as they run. That’s one of the common ways to uninstall the uninstallable apps.)

When to run Revo

There are several approaches to running Revo Uninstaller.

  • You can use it all the time to uninstall anything, regardless of whether you’re having a problem or not.
  • You can use it to uninstall applications when you want to explicitly clean up anything normally left behind.
  • You can use it only when your attempt to uninstall something normally has failed.
  • You can use it to uninstall Microsoft’s built-in apps.

It’s a versatile tool.

Safe, Moderate, or Advanced?

How deeply to have Revo search for leftovers is a somewhat difficult question to answer, as it depends on the situation. As I described above, I generally select Moderate and leave it at that.

If you’re at all concerned, it’s always safe to create a full image backup before running Revo. That way, no matter what, you can always return to the state you were in at that time.

If you’re still seeing leftovers or problems after running Revo with Safe or Moderate selected, it could be worth the effort to run it again, selecting Advanced.

Finally, since the paid version offers more extensive tools and cleaning, that’s also worth consideration.

Do this

If you’re having problems with an uninstallation, Revo is a tool I point people at often. The free version is often enough to deal with the problem at hand.

I recommend it.

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13 comments on “Revo Uninstaller – Uninstall Things That Won’t”

  1. I’ve been using Revo Uninstaller for at least 8 years now. Recently when the portable version 8 was released I switched to that. When I first started using it I would use the Safe mode without any issues. I then used the Moderate a few times and didn’t have any issues. Now I always use the Advanced Mode but as Leo suggested I do an image backup because there is a first for everything. I like the portable because I only need one subscription and I have a desktop and a laptop with Revo Uninstaller on a thumb drive. I use it to uninstall even the software with a built-in uninstaller. It’s simple to use and I like it better than going through the control panel. If you even try the free version just remember what a wise man once said “backup first” even if you use the safe mode.

    Reply
  2. That was a mess. Let ne try that again:

    Of course, there are some programs you should never sic any such an application on, especially in its “advanced” (aggressive) mode. For example, you wouldn’t want to try to “uninstall” Microsoft Internet Explorer this way! <Shudder.>

    Reply
  3. Hello Leo and team
    Thanks for pointing me in the Revo Uninstaller direction. I see there is a special button to list Windows Apps. (MyASUS is included as a Windows App??)
    I’ve bought a new notebook (Win11 Pro) with trial version of Microsoft 365 (and all those apps) pre-installed.
    I use LibreOfffice and other non-Windows apps instead of MS Office, etc
    How do I safely remove the MS 365, Office and other MS apps
    Thanks.
    Chris

    Reply
  4. Leo, sometimes when uninstalling a program with REVO, the application’s own uninstaller when it is finished will ask you to RE-BOOT. If you Re-boot REVO, I assume REVO can not finish with it’s deep scan and remove left over items.
    What are your thoughts about Re-booting??

    Bill from Australia

    Reply
  5. Another good and free uninstaller is Geek Uninstaller. It can be found at geekuninstaller dot com. I have used both successfully for years, but use Geek more often. Geek does have a paid version also that offers some extra features. For both, I have only used the free versions.

    Reply

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