It’s crashing, it’s failing to catch malware, and it’s slowing down your computer. You’ve had enough. You want to remove your antivirus for giving you such a bad experience. You can uninstall antivirus like any other software, but sometimes the usual methods don’t work. Fortunately, alternative removal options are also available.
Preparations
Before you uninstall your antivirus, restart the computer and log into Windows using an administrator account. Standard user accounts do not have privileges to uninstall the majority of software. Should the steps in the succeeding sections fail to remove your old antivirus, try doing them after rebooting Windows in Safe Mode.
If you ever backtrack on your decision and want to reinstall your antivirus in the future, you’ll need your product or license key. Make sure you obtain this important piece of information before you continue with uninstallation.
It’s best that you do not connect to the Internet by the time you no longer have an antivirus installed in your system. If you do, you’ll be exposed to malware and other dangers of the Internet! If your reason to uninstall is to replace your current antivirus, download a standalone installer client of your replacement prior to uninstalling your current antivirus. Alternately, if you no longer plan to use a third-party antivirus, ensure that the built-in security tool Windows Defender reactivates. It should be automatic, but check to be sure.
Use the Uninstaller in the Start Menu
Press Start, go to All Apps (or All Programs) and find the app folder that contains your antivirus. This folder should have a name similar to your antivirus (or the security vendor). Along with shortcuts to help documentation and tech support, the folder should have a shortcut to the antivirus uninstaller. Click it, and read and follow the step-by-step instructions on the screen.
Uninstall the Antivirus Through the Control Panel or Settings App
Press Start, type “uninstall” in the search box, and select Change Or Remove A Program in the search results. Find your antivirus in the list of programs in the Programs and Features window, right-click it, and select Uninstall. Read and follow the step-by-step instructions on the screen.
If you use Windows 10, you can also uninstall your antivirus through the Settings app. Press Start, and select Settings. Go to System in the Settings window, and select Apps & Features. Wait for the list to populate, find your antivirus, click it, and press Uninstall.
Use the Removal Tool by the Security Vendor
In many cases, your antivirus does not uninstall completely through the usual uninstallation methods stated above. You may need to grab a special removal tool from the security vendor, or follow the vendor’s official uninstallation instructions, to delete any remaining antivirus files in your computer. This is particularly useful for when you want to do a full, clean reinstall of the same antivirus. Any remnants of an uninstalled antivirus (or other software for that matter) may cause future problems to your computer.
Click the link below to your vendor’s website to download the uninstallation tool:
- Avast
- AVG
- Avira
- BitDefender
- ESET
- F-Secure
- Kaspersky
- Panda
- Symantec (Norton)
- Trend Micro
In general, these removal tools require you to restart Windows in Safe Mode. It is important that you do not do other activities on your computer while using the tools. When the process is complete, restart your computer.
Use a Third-Party Uninstaller
The official tools by security vendors should be enough to remove their software. After all, the vendors know their software best. But in the rare case that their tools don’t work, or no official removal utility is available for your antivirus, consider using a third-party uninstaller. Examples include the ESET AV Remover, IObit Uninstaller, and Revo Uninstaller. Results may vary, so backing up your data or creating a restore point beforehand is recommended before proceeding with uninstallation.
