How to uninstall greyed out Windows 10 apps

March 2023 · 6 minute read
How to uninstall greyed out apps

We have all sorts of applications on our PC, but sometimes certain apps can become grayed out and unable to remove. This can be a problem, so today we’re going to show you how to uninstall grayed out apps on your Windows 10 PC.

Grayed out applications are somewhat common, and some applications are built-in into Windows, so that’s the reason they’re grayed out.

Sometimes applications you install can get corrupted, and that will prevent you from removing them. Speaking of grayed out apps, here are some problems that users reported.

How can I uninstall grayed out apps on PC?

1. Use a specialized tool

One way to uninstall grayed-out apps is to use dedicated software. A PC cleaning utility such as CCleaner offers many benefits when it comes to safely removing applications.

With a cleaning utility, you will make sure that the app you are trying to uninstall along with all its corresponding files are completely erased from your PC.

CCleaner is our top choice because it is easy to use, allowing users to uninstall and clean leftover files from one central window, so you will not have to jump between apps and setting panels.

The uninstallation feature is very simple. It displays a listing similar to what you find in Windows settings. You can either scroll until you find your app or use the handy search box to type its name.

Then you just have to select the app you want to remove, click the uninstall button and you are done. Afterward, perform a full PC clean and check your registry for files related to the app you want to remove.

Get CCleaner

2. Enter Safe Mode and try to remove the application

  • Open the Settings app and head to the Update & Security section (to open the Settings app quickly, you can use Windows Key + I shortcut).
    update and security settings grayed out apps
  • From the left pane pick Recovery. In the right pane, click the Restart now button.
    restart now button grayed out apps uninstall
  • Navigate to the Troubleshoot, then click on the Advanced options select the Startup Settings, and click the Restart button.
  • Select the Safe Mode with Networking by pressing the appropriate keyboard key after the reboot.
  • Once the Safe Mode starts, try to remove the application. If that doesn’t work, you might want to try removing the application’s installation directory manually.

    This method isn’t usually advised since it can leave registry entries behind, but if other solutions aren’t working, you might want to try it out.

    Expert Tip: Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.
    Click here to download and start repairing.

    If you can’t uninstall grayed out apps on your PC, perhaps there’s a certain glitch that is preventing you from doing that.

    However, you might be able to fix this problem simply by entering Safe Mode and trying to remove the application from there.

    In case you’re not familiar, Safe Mode is a special segment of Windows that runs with default settings, so it’s perfect for troubleshooting. To enter Safe Mode, follow the steps above.

    3. Use Microsoft’s troubleshooter

  • Download Microsoft’s troubleshooter.
  • Once the troubleshooter is downloaded, run it and follow the instructions on the screen.
  • After the troubleshooting process is finished, the issue should be resolved and you’ll be able to easily uninstall any application from your PC with ease.

    Many users reported that this method worked for them, so be sure to try it out.

    According to users, issues with certain applications can sometimes occur, and they can become grayed out and unable to remove.

    Microsoft is aware of this issue, and it has released its own troubleshooter to help you with this problem.

    4. Use PowerShell

  • In the Search bar enter powershell. Locate Windows PowerShell on the list, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
    search powershell grayed out applications
  • Run the following command: Get-AppxPackage | Select Name, PackageFullName
    powershell all apps grayed out apps
  • Find the application that you want to remove and copy its Package name. Let’s say we want to remove ZuneVideo, for example. The Package name for this application would be: ZuneVideo_10.18102.12011.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
    product name powershell grayed out
  • Enter Remove-AppxPackage <package name> command and press Enter to run it. In our example, the correct command would be: Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.ZuneVideo_10.18102.12011.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
    remove grayed out apps powershell
  • Be sure to replace the package name with the package name that matches the application you’re trying to remove.
  • After doing that, the problem will be resolved and you’ll successfully remove the selected application.

    If you’re having problems removing certain applications from your PC, perhaps you can try removing them using PowerShell.

    Bear in mind that this solution only works for Universal applications that are downloaded from the Microsoft Store or available in Windows by default.

    Before we start, we have to warn you that PowerShell is an incredibly powerful tool, so you can cause damage with it if you’re not careful, so use this solution and PowerShell at your own risk.

    Grayed-out applications can sometimes be a problem, and in this article, we showed you several solutions that can help you deal with them, so be sure to try them all out.

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