How to Remove a Suspicious Program from Windows

Published ✓ Verified ⏱️ 2 min read June 28, 2025 · by Ryan Bennett

You found a program on your PC that you don’t recognize and didn’t install, and you want to remove it safely.

Why: Unwanted programs (“PUPs,” adware, or bundled software) often arrive alongside free downloads and can cause pop-ups, redirects, or slowdowns. Most can be removed like any normal app — uninstall it, then run a scan to make sure nothing was left behind.

Fix 1: Uninstall it from Settings

Select Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Find the program you don’t recognize. (Sort by Install date to spot things that appeared recently.)
Select More (…) next to it, then Uninstall, and confirm.
Follow any prompts the uninstaller shows, then restart your PC.

Before removing anything, check the name carefully — search the exact program name if you’re unsure. Don’t uninstall drivers, your antivirus, or Windows system components you don’t understand.

Fix 2: Uninstall it from Control Panel

Some older programs uninstall more cleanly from Control Panel.

In the taskbar search, type Control Panel and open it.
Select Programs > Programs and Features.
Right-click (or press and hold) the program you want to remove and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
Follow the prompts, then restart.

Fix 3: Scan to confirm it’s gone

A suspicious program may have left malware behind, so confirm with a scan.

Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
Select Scan options > Full scan > Scan now and let it finish.
If you’re still concerned, run Scan options > Microsoft Defender Offline scan, which restarts your PC and scans before Windows loads — this catches threats that hide while Windows is running.

FAQ

The program won’t uninstall or isn’t in the list — what now? Try the Control Panel method in Fix 2. If it still won’t go, run the Microsoft Defender Offline scan, which can remove threats that resist normal uninstalling.

How do I tell if a program is actually bad? If you didn’t install it, don’t recognize it, and it appeared around the time problems started, it’s a strong candidate. Search the exact name before removing it so you don’t uninstall something legitimate.

It came back after I removed it — why? Another unwanted program may be reinstalling it. Run a full scan and an Offline scan, then re-check Installed apps for anything new.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows, Microsoft Support — Virus & threat protection in the Windows Security app