How to Manually Remove Programs from the Add/Remove Programs List

The information in this article applies to:
This article was previously published under Q247501
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article describes how to manually remove items from the Add/Remove Programs tool if the item is still displayed after you try to remove the item from Add/Remove Programs.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Programs that are compatible with Windows may have an uninstallation program or feature. The Add/Remove programs tool lists all of the Windows-compatible programs that have an uninstall program or feature. You may need to manually remove the program from the Add/Remove Programs list if you uninstall a program and the registry key that is used to display the program name is not removed correctly:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
  2. Locate and click the following registry key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

  3. After you click the Uninstall registry key, click Export Registry File on the Registry menu.
  4. In the Export Registry File dialog box, click Desktop in the Save in box, type uninstall in the File name box, and then click Save.
  5. Each key under Uninstall represents a program that appears in Add/Remove Programs. To determine which program that each key represents, click the key, and then view the following values:

    DisplayName - the value data for the DisplayName key is the name that is listed in Add/Remove Programs

    -and-

    UninstallString - the value data for the UninstallString key is the program that is used to uninstall the program

  6. After you identify the registry key that represents the program that is still in Add/Remove Programs, right-click the key, and then click Delete.
  7. After you delete the key, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  8. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
  9. In Add/Remove Programs, verify that the program for which you deleted the registry key is not listed.
  10. If the program list is not correct in Add/Remove Programs, you can double-click the Uninstall.reg file on your desktop to restore the original list of programs in the registry.
  11. If the program list is correct in Add/Remove Programs, you can right-click the Uninstall.reg file on your desktop, and then click Delete.
Last Reviewed: 10/10/2002
Keywords: kbdisplay kbFAQ kbhowto kbui KB247501