How to Delete Programs From a Hard Drive

Just like physical offices and work spaces, digital work spaces can become cluttered over time. If your hard drive is reaching its capacity, chances are there are a few old programs you can delete to free up space. A clutter-free hard drive can also help your computer run faster.

Instructions

1. Click "Start," then "Control Panel."

2. For Windows XP users, double-click "Add/Remove Programs." For Vista users, double-click "Programs and Features."

3. Go through your program list and delete any programs you no longer use. To uninstall a program, right click on it and select "Uninstall/change." Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstall process.

4. Restart your computer after uninstalling several programs. Restarting is needed to finalize changes made when uninstalling a program.

Tips & Warnings

• Certain programs, such as video games, will allow you to keep some files associated with the program in case you ever reinstall it. Sometimes deleting and then reinstalling a program will fix errors. For Macs, you can simply drag the folder containing a program to the trash bin to remove it.

References

• Removing programs
• Windows help for Vista