Many laptop manufacturers partner with third-party antivirus solutions like McAfee to keep your new purchases safe from online threats and fake files. While antivirus software was essential in Windows 8, it's no longer relevant in Windows 11. Microsoft has been improving its Windows Security app by leaps and bounds in the past few updates. You can now completely uninstall McAfee from your computer.
McAfee comes with a free 30-day trial. After that, you must pay for a subscription to enjoy full protection on your computer. If you don't want to deal with McAfee products, use the tricks below to completely uninstall McAfee Total Protection on Windows.
Why You Should Completely Uninstall MCAFEE on Windows
McAfee may seem like an unnecessary add-on to your home computer, given that you already get Microsoft Defender in Windows. Furthermore, if you rely mostly on the Microsoft Store to download apps and services, you don't need a third-party antivirus in the first place.
In the past, when the Windows Store (its former name) was dry, people relied on the web to install software. This wasn't the best practice in terms of security and privacy. Antivirus software scans these unverified files in the background to prevent fake files from accumulating on your computer.
This is no longer the case. The Microsoft Store contains popular apps, and the default Windows Security software is also very effective. Furthermore, apps like McAfee run at system startup and in the background all the time. This can also affect your system's performance.
How to remove all MCAFEE programs on Windows
Before you begin, make sure all McAfee services are turned off in the background. Otherwise, you may encounter errors during the uninstallation process.
Step 1: Right click on the icon START YOUR On the taskbar and select Task Management From the Power User menu.
Step 2: Find McAfee and click on it. finish the job above.
Repeat the same process for all McAfee-related services running on your computer. You're all set to remove McAfee using the tricks described below.
1. Use the Windows Settings menu
It's one of the most popular and easiest ways to uninstall any program on Windows 11. The Settings menu has recently received a major overhaul, and once you completely stop McAfee services in the background, the entire uninstallation process takes no more than a couple of minutes.
Step 1: Press the keyboard shortcut Windows + I to open Settings.
Step 2: Locate Applications From the sidebar, open Installed applications.
Step 4: Click on the three horizontal dots menu next to it and tap on uninstall.
Follow the on-screen instructions to completely remove McAfee and related files from your computer.
2. Use the Control Panel menu.
If you prefer Use the Control Panel menu To manage applications on your computer, follow the steps below to remove McAfee.
Step 1: press the . key Windows To open the Start menu, type Control Panel In the search bar, then tap Enter.
Step 2: Go to Programs And choose programs and features.
Follow the on-screen instructions to remove McAfee from your laptop.
3. Uninstall McAfee using the MCPR tool
Are you still having trouble removing McAfee antivirus from your Windows 11 device? It's time to get help from the McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool (MCPR). First, download the MCPR tool from the official website and follow these instructions:
Step 1: Find the downloaded file MCPR.exe On your computer, double-click it.
Step 2: Click on Next Check the on-screen instructions and verification method.
The program will identify and remove McAfee from your computer. You can restart your computer when prompted to completely uninstall McAfee.
Enable Windows security features
When you use a third-party antivirus application on your Windows PC, the system disables default Windows security features. Once you've removed McAfee from your PC, enable Windows Security using the steps below.
Microsoft also provides an option to run a periodic Windows security scan, in addition to your choice of antivirus software.
Step 1: Press the keyboard shortcut Windows + I to open Settings.
Step 2: Locate Privacy and security From the left sidebar, choose Windows Security from the right part.
Step 3: turn on Virus and threat protection.
if Windows Security failed to openPlease check out our dedicated guide to fix the issue.
MCAFEE is bloatware on your computer
Laptop manufacturers partner with McAfee and pre-install it on many Windows laptops. Whether you subscribe to and use McAfee is entirely up to you, but you can uninstall McAfee completely. Removing McAfee also requires enabling and using Microsoft Defender on your Windows PC. If you don't download software or apps from unseen corners of the internet, Microsoft Defender will be more than sufficient for your experience.
