Uninstalling Visual Studio: A Guide

Visual Studio, the popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE) used by programmers worldwide, may need to be uninstalled from your Windows machine at times. However, it’s crucial to know that uninstalling Visual Studio will erase all related files, settings, and preferences from your computer. So, make sure to back up your essential data before starting the process!

Step 1: Close All Running Visual Studio Applications

To begin, ensure that no Visual Studio applications are open in the background. Access the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del, locate any running Visual Studio apps in the Processes tab, select them, and end the task.

Step 2: Uninstall Visual Studio

Now, visit the Windows Start menu, enter ‘Control Panel,’ and select that option from the displayed list. Once you’re in it, choose ‘Programs and Features.’ Afterward, scroll down the list of installed programs until you see ‘Microsoft Visual Studio.’ Click on it and select “Uninstall. Follow the on-screen instructions and keep program files, settings, and preferences.

Step 3: Remove Residual Files and Settings

After removing Visual Studio, some residual files and settings may still be left on your computer, causing trouble when you try to install a new version later. So it’s essential to eliminate all such remnants from your system. Access the Windows Start menu, type ‘regedit,’ and right-click on the Registry Editor to select ‘Run as administrator. Once in the Registry Editor window, go to:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio

Delete the ‘VisualStudio’ folder by right-clicking on it and selecting ‘Delete.’ Then navigate to this folder:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudioSetup

Delete the ‘VisualStudioSetup’ folder by right-clicking on it and selecting ‘Delete.’ Finally, go to this folder:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\VisualStudio

Delete the ‘14.0’ and ‘15.0’ folders by right-clicking on them and selecting ‘Delete.’

Step 4: Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer to finalize the uninstallation process. After the restart, your Visual Studio should be completely uninstalled.

Conclusion

Following these steps can help you uninstall Visual Studio quickly. Remember to back up all important data to prevent data loss, remove any residual files, and settings to avoid software issues when installing a new version.