The built-in program uninstaller in Windows allows the user to delete one program at a time. If you try to uninstall multiple apps; it will display a message asking you to wait till the current program is finished uninstalling or being changed error.
However, this error can sometimes occur when no other program is being uninstalled. Which prevents you from uninstalling any app from your computer. Don’t worry, as I will show you a few troubleshooting steps to fix this error so that you can uninstall apps in Windows.
1. Uninstall Apps from the Settings Panel
In Windows 10 and 11, you can uninstall apps using the Settings panel. Unlike the Programs and Features uninstaller, uninstalling multiple apps from the Settings does not show the “please wait until the current program is finished uninstaller or being changed” error.
To uninstall apps from the Settings Panel, follow:
- Hit the Win + I key to open Settings.
- Open the Apps tab, this is in the left pane.
- Click Apps & features, here you can view all the installed apps.
- Scroll through to locate the app you wish to uninstall.
- Click the three-dots menu beside the app, then click Uninstall. Click Uninstall to confirm your action.
2. Restart the Windows Explorer Process from the Task Manager
An easy way to fix this issue is to manually restart the Window Explorer process. Explorer.exe is a program manager process, it controls the graphics interface for the programs you wish to access, that includes the Control Panel.
To end the Windows Explorer process via Task Manager, follow:
- Hit the Win + X keys to open the WinX menu.
- Click on the Task Manager app.
- In the Process tab, search and select the Windows Explorer process. Click the Restart button at the bottom.
Close the Task Manager. Try to uninstall the program to see if the error persists.
3. Restart Your PC
I mean, what is not solved with a quick reboot? Restart your PC to help fix errors triggered due to temporary glitches and program conflict, or any errors. As it is restarting, Windows will force close all the open apps that may be conflicting with the Windows installer.
After the restart, try to uninstall the program to check if the error persists.
4. Run Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter
You can use the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter to fix issues preventing your Windows from uninstalling apps. This will scan for common issues it also repairs corrupted registry keys necessary to uninstall apps.
- First, open the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter page, then click the Download troubleshooter link.
- Run the troubleshooter. Click Yes when prompted by UAC.
- Click Next, then click on Uninstalling.
- The troubleshooter will scan, then show a list of programs installed on your PC. Choose the app you want to uninstall, then click Next.
- Click on the option that says Yes, try uninstall. The troubleshooter will scan for common problems, it will also attempt to uninstall the selected app.
If the uninstallation is successful, the status message will show as Fixed. Close, then open Programs and Features to check if the app is uninstalled.
5. Re-Register the Windows Installer Service
The Windows Installer service facilitates the installation as well as the uninstallation of programs in the OS. If the Windows Installer service is disabled, this causes the aforementioned error.
To fix this issue, you can unregister, then re-register the service to terminate all the operations in progress. To re-register the Windows Installer service, follow.
- Press the Win key, then enter cmd. Right-click on Command Prompt, then click on the option that says Run as Administrator.
- In the Command Prompt, type the following command to unregister the Windows Installer service, then hit the Enter key to execute:
- msiexec /unreg
- Next, enter the following command to re-register the Windows Installer service and hit the Enter key to execute:
- msiexec /regserver
- Close the Command Prompt, now try to uninstall the program to see if the error is resolved.
6. Uninstall Apps in Safe Mode
In Safe Mode, Windows only loads an essential set of drivers as well as files. This will help determine if an error is triggered due to a system file or some driver. If not, there could be a third-party application conflict causing the problem.
To uninstall apps in Safe Mode, follow:
- Press the Win + I key to open Settings.
- Then, open the System tab in the left pane.
- Scroll down till you find Recovery, then click on it in the right pane.
- Click Restart for Advanced startup.
- Click the Restart now button to confirm your action.
- In the Recovery menu, click Troubleshoot.
- Click on Advanced under Troubleshoot.
- Then, click on Startup Settings, this is under Advanced options.
- Click on Restart in the Startup Settings screen.
When the Startup settings menu loads, hit 4 to enable Safe Mode. The PC will then restart in Safe Mode.
After it is restarted, you will be able to see Safe Mode pasted all over the screen. Now, try to uninstall the program and check if there are improvements.
After you’re done, restart your PC normally, this will exit Safe Mode.
7. Uninstall Using a Third-Party Uninstaller
If all else fails, as a last resort, you can use a third-party uninstaller to uninstall the program. Revo Uninstaller is a free uninstaller that is available for Windows OS. This application allows you to remove stubborn apps and clean up leftover files. To use it to remove apps from your PC.
- First, download and install Revo Uninstaller. You could also download the Portable version if you do not want another app on your PC.
- Then, launch Revo Uninstaller, and wait for it to scan the system for installed apps.
- Next, choose the app you wish to uninstall, then click the Uninstall button in the toolbar.
- Click on Uninstall to confirm your action.
- Next, click Continue, then click on Scan.
- Click Delete to remove the leftover files from the uninstalled program.
- Click Finish to finish and close the uninstaller.
The Programs & Features error when uninstalling is often triggered due to an app conflict. You can easily fix it by restarting Windows Explorer or by re-registering the Windows Installer service. If the problem continues, you can use third-party programs to uninstall the program.
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