10 Ways to Uninstall Chrome Extensions That Won’t Uninstall

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Dealing with a stubborn Chrome extension that refuses to uninstall? Don’t worry, extensions can sometimes be tricky to remove, but there are several methods to tackle this issue. In this guide, I am listing all possible solutions to get rid of stubborn Chrome extensions.

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Note: Before following the below methods, make sure you are the administrator of the PC. The administrator can prevent extension removal using many methods, and standard users can’t work around them. Some of these methods will also not work without admin privileges.

1. Uninstall With Developer Mode Enabled

First, let’s make sure you are deleting it properly. Instead of removing it from the toolbar, go to Main menu -> Extensions -> Manage Extensions.

Enable the Developer mode toggle in the top-right corner and then click on Remove. The developer mode will let you see the Remove option if it isn’t showing. In some cases, you might have to open the extension’s Details page and click on Remove there.

If that doesn’t work, you should disable the extension and then try removing it again.

2. Disable All Extensions

There is a possibility another extension is preventing you from uninstalling Chrome extensions. You should disable all the Chrome extensions before removing the desired one. You can manually do this by going to the Extensions page in Chrome and toggling off each extension.

A faster and better way to do this is to use the Disable Extensions and Apps Chrome extension. It will automatically disable all other extensions and Chrome apps to make sure nothing interferes with the uninstallation process. After installation, either click on the extension icon or press Ctrl + Shift + E keyboard shortcut to enable/disable extensions.

3. Remove Chrome Policies

If your PC is a work or school PC, then the administrator could use Chrome policies to force the installation of certain apps and prevent their removal. However, these policies can also be manipulated by malicious extensions to prevent their removal.

If you get a “Managed by your organization” error when uninstalling an extension, you need to delete the new Chrome policies. You can use the Chrome Policy Remover app to delete all Chrome policies.

To run this app, right-click on it and select Run as administration. Afterward, select Run anyway on the warning from Windows and the app will delete all Chrome policies.

You should be able to uninstall the Chrome extension after the process.

4. Uninstall Associated App

If the extension is part of another software, then the software might be preventing installation or reinstalling it. You’ll have to uninstall the associated app first and then uninstall the extension.

In Windows Settings, go to Apps -> Installed apps and you’ll see a list of all installed apps. Look for the app that matches the name of the extension and uninstall it.

Furthermore, you should also uninstall any Chrome apps that are associated with the extension. Type chrome://apps in the Chrome address bar, right-click on the app you want to uninstall and select Uninstall.

5. End Associated Processes

There is also a possibility an extension may run a separate script to prevent uninstallation. You’ll have to manually end all processes associated with the extension before removing it.

Go to the Extensions page and enable Developer options as we did above. This will reveal the ID of each extension. Take note of the ID of the extension you want to delete.

Now press the Shift + Esc keys to open Chrome’s Task Manager. Select the process that has that extension’s ID and click End process to stop it. Repeat this for all processes with the extension’s ID and then try removing the extension.

6. Manually Remove Extension From Chrome Folder

If you can’t delete it from within Chrome, you might be able to delete it from your file manager. Manually find the Chrome folder where all the extensions’ data exist and delete the data.

First note the ID of the extension and then move to the following location in Windows File Explorer:

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions

The extensions are using their IDs as the folder names. Delete the folder of the extension you want to uninstall. This will not delete the extension from Chrome, but will make it inaccessible to Chrome. You can now uninstall the extension from Chrome and it should work.

7. Use a Third-Party Chrome Extension Remover

You might be able to delete the extension using a different app instead of Chrome’s built-in extension manager. You can use a third-party extension manager or a PC cleaner tool to uninstall Chrome extensions. Here are my recommendations:

Extension Manager

While Extension Manager is mainly used for grouping extensions for different browsing needs, it has a feature for you to disable or uninstall extensions. All you have to do is hover the mouse cursor over an extension to bring out the menu with the Uninstall option.

CCleaner

The popular PC cleaning tool CCleaner is able to uninstall Chrome extensions too. Launch the app and move to Tools -> Browser Plugins. Select the extension under the Google Chrome tab and click on Delete to uninstall it.

8. Scan PC for Malware and Rogue Extensions

Malicious extensions can use different methods to prevent their uninstallation. You can scan your PC for malware to possibly delete it and the associated extension.

Windows Defender, or your preferred antivirus software, might not be enough to deal with extensions-related malware. I recommend using an antivirus program with dedicated features to deal with extensions that aren’t uninstalling, like Malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes not only scans for malware but also finds and deletes rogue extensions. This includes PUPs that might install an associated extension.

Alternatively, you can also give the Avast Browser Cleaner tool a try that specifically cleans browser junk data and rogue extensions.

9. Use Windows System Restore

The System Restore feature in Windows can reset your PC back to a specific time period and delete any changes or apps installed in the process. If you recently installed the extension you can’t uninstall, then System Restore can help you go back to the time when it was not installed.

Press the Windows + R keys and type rstrui.exe in the Run dialog to open System Restore.

Select a restore time before you installed the extension and follow the steps to restore Windows.

10. Reset/Reinstall Chrome

If nothing is working, then resetting Chrome to the default state should fix the issue. You can first reset Chrome, and if that doesn’t work, then reinstall Chrome entirely.

To reset Chrome, go to Chrome Settings from the main menu and move to the Reset settings section. Click on Restore settings to their original defaults and confirm the prompt to reset Chrome.

Alternatively, uninstall Chrome from Windows Installed Apps and then download and install it again from Chrome website.

If Chrome extensions are synced with your Google account, then make sure you disable the Extensions option when Chrome asks to manage sync settings.

It’s worth mentioning that some security or parental control extensions also come with password protection features. You’ll need to provide the set password to uninstall them. If you don’t have the password, then manually delete them as we did above.

Image credit: All screenshots by Karrar Haider.

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Karrar Haider –
Staff Writer

Karrar is drenched in technology and always fiddles with new tech opportunities. He has a bad habit of calling technology “Killer”, and doesn’t feel bad about spending too much time in front of the PC. If he is not writing about technology, you will find him spending quality time with his little family.

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