UNINSTALL

Windows does it all, or nearly so, out of necessity: it's simply easier to integrate system utilities with the system. Most of the time, the built-in Windows tools are all you need, but there are exceptions. One feature we've long entrusted to third-party tools is uninstalling software. Not that the Windows Control Panel's uninstaller doesn't get the job done; it does, most of the time. But the alternatives build on the Windows tool's capabilities to do a better and faster job of uninstalling programs, especially those stubborn apps that the Windows tool often can't … Read more

When looking for an app that does something in particular, you may find yourself installing a handful or two for a bit of trial and error. While space on your device may not be an issue, you won't want to keep all of the apps that fail to perform the way you need them to. At this point, you're faced with the fun task of either going to the Google Play Store, or opening the Applications menu in the Settings area, to remove the apps you don't want. How fun! OK, not really.

If this is a … Read more

Browsing and installing all of the free software we offer at Download.com can potentially bog down your computer over time. It can be hard to resist installing something just because it is new, looks useful, or simply, is free. It is a good idea to do a house cleanup and getting rid of junk that you don't need once in a while to improve the performance of your computer. But how do you know what to remove?

It can be easy to forget which program does what and why you have it installed, making PC cleanup a nightmare. … Read more

Uninstalling programs is one job we usually prefer to give to a third-party tool that improves on the built-in Windows feature found on the Control Panel. To make the cut, an uninstaller needs a few essentials, starting with the power to list all programs by installation date. You'd be surprised how many would-be contenders omit this simple but crucial capability, but more than once we've found programs we'd forgotten to remove by sorting the list by date -- and even some that other apps had snuck onto our system, like toolbars we thought we'd declined.

The … Read more

Moon Software's Font Xplorer is a freeware font manager that makes it easy to view, print, sample, and handle the many fonts installed on your PC -- and take it from us, there are more fonts in your system than you might realize. Font Xplorer's text compare mode makes it easy to pick just the right font, and it can also search your system to find duplicate fonts that you can remove to reclaim disk space and keep your Windows waistline trim. This tool can load, unload, install, and uninstall fonts by folder, search for uninstalled fonts, show … Read more

Uninstalling bloated programs and process-hogging applications is one of the most critical ways to keep your system's performance snappy. Unfortunately, the built-in Windows uninstaller is limited when it comes to removing leftover files and residue.

Wise Program Uninstaller takes it up a notch as an alternative solution. When you first fire up the program, you're greeted with some basic options and metrics. The bottom status bar lets you know how many running programs are installed and how much space is occupied. There are two main uninstall approaches: safe and forced.

Safe uninstall guides you through the default uninstallation … Read more

Dedicated uninstallers make up one of the most useful yet underrated classes of Windows utilities. A good one not only improves on the built-in uninstaller found in the Control Panel by removing programs the Windows tool won't, sometimes by forcing matters, but also cleans up the leftover files, folders, and even registry keys that uninstalled programs often leave behind. Your Uninstaller Pro from URSoft does all that and also includes useful extras like a File Shredder, Disk Cleaner, Startup Manager, and Trace Eraser. It also has some smart features that keep it from removing crucial programs. The trial version … Read more

The opening keynote for Google I/O 2012 just wrapped up, complete with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Nexus 7 tablet, the Nexus Q and an insane Google Glass product demo.

There were some changes brought to the Google Play Store as well. One of the changes wasn't even mentioned during the keynote -- the ability to update or uninstall apps on your Android device, directly from the Google Play Web site. A small feature, but one that is sure to come in handy to many users. Here's how it works.

Visit play.google.com on your … Read more

A good standalone uninstallation application can remove traces of programs that other uninstallers leave behind, and that includes the built-in Windows feature. Advanced Uninstaller Pro is a free tool that not only removes all detectable traces of the programs you uninstall but also automatically cleans traces from the Registry. Its unique installation-monitoring feature automatically or manually tracks what happens to your system when you install or uninstall programs. It not only ensures that all traces of installed programs are removed but also helps diagnose installation problems. Advanced Uninstaller Pro also packs a wide range of system maintenance tools and tweaks.… Read more