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How to Uninstall Epic Games Launcher on Windows
Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team
Epic Games LauncherWindowsUninstallationRemovalSoftwareDeletionCleanupPCApplicationsSystem Management
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The Epic Games Launcher is an application that serves as a platform for digital distribution and manages access to games and software published by Epic Games. It acts as a hub where users can download, update, and launch games such as the popular "Fortnite" or "Rocket League". However, there may be times when users want to uninstall the Epic Games Launcher. Reasons for uninstalling may be to free up system resources, deal with technical issues, or simply no longer needing to access games provided through the launcher.
This detailed guide will introduce you to the process of uninstalling Epic Games Launcher from a Windows system. By the end of this guide, you will have a clear understanding of the steps required to completely remove the application from your machine, as well as any files that may remain afterward. Before diving into the process, make sure you have administrative rights on your computer as most software requires them to uninstall.
Step-by-step guide to uninstall Epic Games Launcher
Step 1: Close the Epic Games Launcher
You must close the Epic Games Launcher before you can uninstall it. If the launcher is currently running, it may prevent effective uninstallation. To ensure it is completely closed, use the following method:
- Move your pointer to the bottom-right corner of the taskbar and right-click on the Epic Games icon if it is visible. Select "Exit" from the menu. This will close the program and all processes associated with it.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select "Task Manager" from the menu that appears.
- Once Task Manager opens, go to the "Processes" tab. Look for "Epic Games Launcher" in the list of active applications.
- If you find it, click on it, and then press the "End Task" button at the bottom right of the Task Manager window. This will ensure that the launcher is not running in the background.
Step 2: Open the Control Panel
The next step to uninstall Epic Games Launcher is to access the Control Panel, which contains options to manage the software on your computer. Here's how you can access the Control Panel:
- Click the "Start" button, typically found in the lower-left corner of your screen. In Windows 8 and later, you can also access the Start screen by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
- In the search bar, type "Control Panel" and press "Enter" or select it from the search results.
- Once you open the Control Panel, you will see a list of options. Here, locate “Programs” and click on it. Within the “Programs” option, select “Programs and Features”. This section allows you to add, remove, repair, or change software on your Windows machine.
Step 3: Find and select Epic Games Launcher
Now you need to find Epic Games Launcher in the list of installed programs:
- In the "Programs and Features" window, scroll through the list to find "Epic Games Launcher". The list is usually sorted alphabetically, but sometimes you may need to sort by "Name" to make the search easier.
- Once you find the application, click once on “Epic Games Launcher” to select it.
- After selecting the application, pay attention to the options that appear at the top of the list. Click "Uninstall" to initiate the uninstallation process.
- A prompt will appear asking if you really want to uninstall the program. Click "Yes" to confirm that you want to proceed. This will begin removing the launcher.
Step 4: Follow the uninstallation prompts
Once you have confirmed your intention to uninstall, a few prompts will guide you through the process:
- A window will pop up showing the progress of the uninstallation. The time it takes to complete may vary depending on the speed and performance of your system.
- Follow any additional prompts that appear. These may include questions about file retention or shared components with other applications developed by Epic Games. Generally, it is safe to remove shared components unless you are sure they are required by other installed applications.
Step 5: Delete the remaining files and folders
After the main uninstallation process is complete, some small files or folders associated with the launcher may remain on your computer. These are usually located in the %AppData% and Program Files directories:
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type "%appdata%" and press "Enter". This command takes you to the Roaming folder inside AppData.
- In this folder, find the remaining Epic Games folders and delete them. Be careful not to delete any folders belonging to other applications.
- Repeat the Win + R process and this time type "%localappdata%". Again, search for any Epic Games-related folders and delete them.
- Go to the "Program Files" and "Program Files (x86)" directories on your main drive (often the C: drive) and check for "Epic Games" folders. If found, delete them.
Step 6: Cleaning the registry (optional)
Cleaning the Windows registry is an optional step, but it can be beneficial to keep your system tidy. This should only be done if you are comfortable editing the registry manually or if you use a reliable registry cleaning tool like CCleaner.
- Press Win + R and type "regedit" to launch the Registry Editor. Be sure to follow the prompts asking for administrative permissions.
- In the Registry Editor, press Ctrl + F to open the Search dialog. Type "Epic Games" or "Unreal Engine" and press "Enter."
- Carefully check and remove any keys associated with Epic Games. It is very important that you only remove what you are sure belongs to Epic and not any other important system component.
- Once finished, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to ensure all changes are applied.
Final thoughts
Uninstalling the Epic Games Launcher should be a straightforward process if you follow our steps. Before uninstalling, consider backing up any game save data or configurations related to games you played through the launcher, as uninstalling may delete them if they are not stored in the cloud.
If you want to play Epic Games or use their software again in the future, reinstalling the launcher is a simple process of downloading the installer from the Epic Games website and following the installation instructions. If at any point during the uninstallation process you encounter problems, basically restarting your system and trying again may resolve any temporary glitches.
Remember to perform these tasks carefully and make sure all the necessary files and folders are properly backed up in case you need them again. Managing software installation and removal carefully helps maintain a clean and efficient system environment.
This detailed guide to completely uninstall Epic Games Launcher from Windows system ends here. By following these steps, you can ensure that the removal process is thorough and any remaining files on your computer are cleaned up. Thanks for following along, and hope your future computing endeavors are both smooth and successful.
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