How to remove antivirus on Windows – follow these easy steps!

February 23, 2023

Wondering how to remove antivirus on Windows? Whether you’re looking to install new antivirus software, want to speed up your computer’s performance or need to access files it’s preventing, it’s easy to remove an antivirus installed on your Windows device.

It’s always a good idea to protect your device from malware, viruses and malicious email attachments, but not all antivirus is equal. Some may not provide the protection you’re looking for, while others may hound you with safety notifications. What’s more, they may even interfere with your daily tasks at work.

That’s when it’s time to get rid of the antivirus installed on your PC and switch to one of the best antivirus software around. Whatever the reason, it’s simple to remove antivirus on Windows, and all you have to do is follow the steps below.

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How to remove antivirus on Windows

The best way to remove and uninstall antivirus from your Windows PC is to head into the Control Panel. From there, you can easily uninstall any program.

Uninstall with Control Panel

On your Windows PC, type in “Control Panel” in the search field located on the Task Bar.
Click on the Control Panel app.

A window will pop up. Under Programs, click on Uninstall a program.
A list of installed programs will show up. Right-click the antivirus you wish to uninstall, or double-click and select “Yes”.
Follow the steps the antivirus service provides to uninstall the antivirus.
Restart your device.

Uninstall in Safe Mode

Sometimes, an antivirus won’t be able to uninstall because it is running in Windows. If you’re unable to remove the antivirus, it’s best to uninstall it using Windows Safe Mode. Follow the steps below to use Safe Mode.

On your Windows PC, type in “Change advanced start-up options” in the search field located on the Task Bar.
A Settings window will pop up. Under Recovery options, click on Restart now next to Advanced startup.
In the next window, click Restart now.

A menu will appear. Click Troubleshoot.
Select Advanced options, then Startup Settings.
Click Restart.
Using the number keys, select Enable Safe Mode.

Use an uninstaller

If an antivirus is still unable to uninstall, the software may be corrupted or missing a file. In this case, you’ll need to download an uninstaller program from the antivirus company to remove all files. These can be found on the antivirus provider’s website. Below is a few notable antivirus companies with uninstallers.