How to Completely Delete a Game From Your Computer: A Step-by-Step Guide

To completely delete a game, uninstall it through the launcher or operating system that installed it, then decide whether to remove its separate saves, settings, mods, caches, screenshots, and other personal files. Cloud saves and account data require separate actions; deleting the local game folder does not automatically erase them.

The safest order is: back up anything you want to keep, close the game and related tools, run the official uninstaller, inspect the game’s known data locations, remove only folders that clearly belong to that game, empty the Recycle Bin or Trash after reviewing it, and verify the game is gone from the launcher and every installation drive.

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What does completely deleting a game mean?

There is no universal complete-delete button because a game can leave files in several places. The executable files, local saves, cloud data, account entitlement, mods, screenshots, and launcher records may all be managed separately.

For most readers, Level 1—uninstalling the game—is enough. Levels 2 and 3 are optional cleanup steps and can delete progress, custom settings, and mod setups permanently.

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Before uninstalling: protect saves and identify the installation

1. Decide what you want to keep. Consider saves, screenshots, replays, recordings, controller profiles, configuration files, mod profiles, load orders, and custom maps.
2. Back up personal files. Copy them to a clearly named folder, external drive, or other backup location. Do not assume that a cloud copy is the only copy you have or that it will remain available.
3. Check cloud synchronization. If the objective is only to reclaim space, leaving cloud saves enabled is usually appropriate. If you want a genuinely fresh profile, synchronization should normally be disabled before deleting local saves.
4. Record the installation path. Games are often installed on a second internal drive, an external drive, or a custom launcher library rather than the system drive.
5. Close everything related to the game. Quit the game, launcher, mod manager, overlay, recording software, and any game-specific updater. On Windows, also exit the launcher from the system tray when necessary.

The developer decides where a game stores its saves. They may be in Documents, Saved Games, AppData, the launcher directory, a publisher folder, or somewhere else. Steam explicitly notes that third-party game saves may be in Documents and that developers choose the save location for individual games; there is no universal save folder. See Steam’s save and installation-location guidance.

How to find the installation folder

• Windows shortcut: Right-click the desktop or Start-menu shortcut and choose Open file location. This may open the shortcut’s folder rather than the game’s actual folder, so check the shortcut properties if needed.
• Steam: Use the game’s library management or properties controls to browse to its local files. Steam commonly uses C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\, but alternate library folders and drives are fully supported.
• Epic, EA, Battle.net, Xbox, GOG, or Ubisoft: Open the game’s management, installation, or settings menu and note the library path.
• Standalone installer: Check the Start-menu entry, original setup location, or the game folder for an Uninstall.exe file.
• macOS: Check /Applications, ~/Applications, and the launcher’s library directory.
• Linux: Use the launcher, package manager, Flatpak or Snap information, or the game’s installation script to identify where its files live.

Do not delete the installation directory before running the official uninstaller unless the uninstaller is missing or broken. Removing the files first can leave stale entries, broken uninstall records, or a launcher that still thinks the game is installed.

Uninstall the game through the correct tool

Windows 11: Settings or Control Panel

For a conventional Windows game, use the operating system’s current uninstall path:

1. Open Start > Settings.
2. Select Apps > Installed apps.
3. Find the game, or search for its title.
4. Select the three-dot menu beside it.
5. Choose Uninstall.
6. Complete the game’s own uninstaller prompts.

Microsoft documents this route in its guide to uninstalling apps and programs in Windows.

If the game is absent from Installed apps, open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, right-click the game, and select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change. For a standalone game, the Start menu may also contain an uninstall shortcut, or the installation folder may contain Uninstall.exe.

Windows 10 note: The same general routes apply to Windows 10, but it is now a legacy platform: Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. Windows 11 should be the primary path for a current guide.

Steam

1. Open Steam and select Library.
2. Select the game and open its management menu. Depending on the Steam client version, this may be available by right-clicking the game or through the game’s settings controls.
3. Choose Uninstall and confirm.
4. Open Steam > Settings > Storage and check each listed library drive if you are unsure where the game was installed.

Steam stores game content under a library’s steamapps directory. The commonly used Windows location is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\, but this is not a universal path. Steam’s official documentation covers alternate library locations and explains why saves can be stored elsewhere.

Do not uninstall Steam merely to remove one game. Steam’s full Steam-removal procedure can remove Steam and game content from the Steam directory, making it excessive and potentially destructive for a single-game cleanup.

Epic Games Launcher

1. Open Epic Games Launcher.
2. Select Library.
3. Find the game.
4. Select the three dots beside the title.
5. Choose Uninstall.
6. Confirm Uninstall in the pop-up.

These are the steps in Epic’s current support instructions. If the game’s files remain afterward, inspect the library path shown in the launcher before deleting anything manually.

EA app

1. Open the EA app and sign in.
2. Select the game.
3. Choose Manage.
4. Choose Uninstall.
5. Confirm if prompted.

If the EA app cannot remove the game on Windows, EA’s fallback is Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program, followed by selecting the game. EA also documents a separate Mac procedure in its game and EA app removal guide.

Battle.net

1. Open the Battle.net desktop app.
2. Select the game.
3. Select the drop-down arrow beside the Play button.
4. Choose Uninstall or Uninstall Game.

If the game is not listed in Windows’ uninstall tools, Blizzard says to remove the installation folder manually and search for related files. Treat Blizzard’s examples as possibilities rather than a checklist to delete blindly. Possible locations include:

C:\Windows\Temp
C:\Program Files\<game>
C:\Program Files (x86)\<game>
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Blizzard Entertainment
C:\Users\Public\Games\<game>
C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Blizzard Entertainment\<game>

Delete only folders clearly tied to the removed game. See Blizzard’s Battle.net uninstall instructions for the current fallback procedure.

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Xbox app and Microsoft Store games

Start with Windows’ standard route: Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find the game, open its three-dot menu, and select Uninstall. You can also use the Xbox app or Microsoft Store’s own management controls when available.

Do not take ownership of C:\Program Files\WindowsApps or force-delete protected package folders as a normal cleanup step. These locations can contain managed files and permissions used by Windows and other games. Use Settings, the Xbox app, or Microsoft Store instead. Microsoft’s general guidance directs users to those uninstall tools rather than manual deletion of protected app directories.

GOG, Ubisoft Connect, publisher installers, and disc-based games

Launcher interfaces change, so use the game library’s current Manage, Settings, or Installation menu and choose its built-in uninstall command. If no launcher command exists, use Windows Installed apps or Control Panel.

For a publisher installer or disc-based game, use its Uninstall.exe, Start-menu uninstall link, or Control Panel entry. Manually delete the game folder only after the official uninstaller has finished or is demonstrably unavailable.

Remove leftover game files on Windows

After the official uninstall completes, check the original installation folder and any custom game-library drives. If a folder with the exact game name remains and contains only that game’s files, it may be an orphaned installation directory. Confirm its identity before deleting it.

Where local data commonly remains

Inspect these locations one at a time:

• %USERPROFILE%\Documents
• %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games
• %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games
• %LOCALAPPDATA%, normally C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local
• %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow
• %APPDATA%, normally C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming
• %PROGRAMDATA%, normally C:\ProgramData
• C:\Users\Public\Documents
• C:\Users\Public\Games

Microsoft documents the standard Windows known-folder and AppData locations. These folders belong to many applications, so remove only a subfolder that clearly matches the game title, publisher, developer, or a known game-specific identifier.

Also inspect the following if you want a clean local removal:

• Downloads containing old installers, patches, texture packs, mod archives, or setup files.
• Pictures, Videos, and game-specific screenshot or recording folders.
• Mod-manager download, staging, deployment, and profile directories.
• Steam Workshop or other launcher content associated with the game.
• Desktop, Start-menu, taskbar, and other shortcuts.

Some folders are hidden. In File Explorer, enable them with View > Show > Hidden items; Microsoft explains this in its hidden-files guidance.

Optional: search without deleting anything

PowerShell can audit likely user-data locations. Replace the pattern with the game’s title, publisher, or known folder name. This command lists matching directories but does not delete them:

$roots = @(
    "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents",
    "$env:USERPROFILE\Saved Games",
    $env:LOCALAPPDATA,
    "$env:USERPROFILE\AppData\LocalLow",
    $env:APPDATA,
    $env:ProgramData
)

Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath $roots -Directory -Force -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
    Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'GameName|PublisherName' } |
    Select-Object -ExpandProperty FullName

Get-ChildItem supports recursive and hidden-item searches through -Recurse and -Force; see Microsoft’s PowerShell documentation.

Delete only an exact, confirmed folder

For a folder you have positively identified as belonging only to the removed game, preview the deletion first:

Remove-Item -LiteralPath "D:\Games\GameName" -Recurse -Force -WhatIf

If the preview lists only the intended game folder, run:

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Remove-Item -LiteralPath "D:\Games\GameName" -Recurse -Force

-Recurse removes child items and -Force can include hidden or read-only files. Use an exact path. Never aim this command at broad parent folders such as C:\Program Files, %APPDATA%, %LOCALAPPDATA%, or an entire Steam library. See Microsoft’s Remove-Item documentation.

Remove leftover files on macOS

Apple recommends checking for a bundled uninstaller first:

1. Quit the game.
2. Open the game’s folder in Applications.
3. If it includes an Uninstall or Uninstaller app, run it.
4. If no uninstaller exists, move the game from Applications to the Trash.
5. Review the Trash before emptying it.

A bundled uninstaller may remove login items, extensions, and data stored outside the application bundle. Simply deleting the application does not automatically delete documents or other files created by it. Apple’s macOS app-removal guidance also notes that deleting an app does not cancel an associated subscription.

Afterward, inspect these locations for folders clearly belonging to the game:

• /Applications
• ~/Applications
• ~/Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/Preferences
• ~/Library/Saved Application State
• ~/Library/Caches
• ~/Library/Containers
• ~/Documents
• /Users/Shared

These are places to inspect, not folders to delete wholesale. Application Support, Preferences, Containers, and caches may contain data for many applications. Apple provides additional information about finding and deleting files on a Mac.

Steam on Mac

Dragging Steam to the Trash is not the same as fully uninstalling Steam. Steam stores data under ~/Library/Application Support/Steam, and its SteamApps folder contains game downloads and some local save data. Deleting the entire Steam folder removes all Steam data, so do not do that when removing only one game. Use Steam’s game-level uninstall command instead. Steam explains the distinction in its Mac removal instructions.

Remove the game on Linux

The correct procedure depends on how the game was installed.

• Steam: Uninstall through Steam, then inspect the relevant Steam library and user-data directories if you want to remove local configuration or saves.
• Ubuntu App Center: Open App Center > Installed, select the application, choose Remove, and authenticate. See Ubuntu’s removal instructions.
• Flatpak: Find the application ID and run flatpak uninstall --delete-data <APP_ID> when you want Flatpak’s local application data removed as well. The --delete-data option removes the app data directory under ~/.var/app and its permissions. See the Flatpak command reference.
• Native Linux software: Use the same package manager that installed it rather than deleting arbitrary files from system directories.
• Wine games: Use the game’s Windows uninstaller or Wine’s uninstaller. Deleting only the visible game directory may leave its prefix, registry data, or launcher record behind.

For native applications, user data commonly appears under ~/.local/share, ~/.config, ~/.local/state, and ~/.cache. Individual games may use different subdirectories or ignore the standard. The XDG Base Directory Specification describes the purposes of these locations.

Delete local saves and cloud data separately

Local saves and settings

Deleting the installed executable files does not necessarily delete saves, settings, shader caches, crash logs, screenshots, replay files, or custom profiles. For a clean reinstall, locate the game-specific folders in the operating system locations above and remove them only after backing up anything wanted.

Do not delete a whole Documents, AppData, Library, or home-directory folder. A remaining save backup does not prove that the game itself is still installed.

Steam Cloud

Steam Cloud can replicate configured files to Steam’s servers after a game exits and download them before a later launch. Therefore, uninstalling the local game does not automatically delete its Steam Cloud data. Steam documents this behavior in its Steam Cloud documentation.

• If you only want to free space, leave cloud synchronization enabled unless you have a specific reason not to.
• If you want a fresh start, disable the game’s cloud synchronization before deleting local saves and configuration files.
• Deleting local saves while synchronization remains active can produce a conflict or allow older cloud data to return.
• Cloud controls and deletion options can change, so use the game’s Steam properties and current Steam support workflow rather than assuming that uninstalling is enough.

Other launchers and publisher servers

Cloud-save behavior differs by game and service. Check the launcher’s game properties, synchronization settings, or publisher account page. Some services offer a direct cloud-data control; others do not expose a simple delete button. A game may also store progress on publisher servers independently of the local installation.

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Removing local files normally does not remove your purchase entitlement, account, achievements, or account progress. Deleting a publisher account is a much broader action. For example, Blizzard warns that deleting a Battle.net account can permanently remove purchase history, game progress, purchased games, and account balance; it is not a game-uninstall method. See Blizzard’s account-deletion information.

Handle mods, DLC, anti-cheat, and shared components

Mods and custom files

A normal uninstall may leave behind:

• Mods copied directly into the game directory.
• Vortex, Mod Organizer, CurseForge, Thunderstore, or another mod manager’s downloads and staging files.
• Profiles, load orders, deployed files, script extenders, plugins, ReShade, ENB files, and custom shaders.
• Steam Workshop subscriptions or downloaded Workshop content.
• External texture packs, custom maps, and configuration overrides.

Remove these only when you want a clean reinstall. Preserve mod profiles and load orders if you may return to the game. If you uninstall a mod manager, do not assume that it removes files it deployed into a game’s directory.

DLC

DLC may be stored inside the main installation directory, installed as a separate launcher-managed package, or retained as an account entitlement. Uninstalling the base game may not remove every DLC-related file or entitlement.

Do not manually remove DLC folders while the launcher is updating the game unless the publisher specifically instructs you to. EA’s documentation includes a separate Mac DLC-removal workflow and warns that automatic updates may need to be disabled before manually removing DLC folders.

Anti-cheat and shared runtimes

Some games install a separate anti-cheat program, launcher, driver, or Windows service. Remove a game-specific anti-cheat only when the publisher’s instructions identify it as safe to remove.

Do not delete Visual C++ Redistributables, DirectX components, Windows Gaming Services, graphics-driver components, shared anti-cheat software, or launcher runtimes simply because one game was uninstalled. Another installed game may depend on them.

Registry entries

Do not use registry-cleaning utilities or perform broad manual registry searches as a routine cleanup step. A normal uninstall followed by removal of clearly identified game folders is sufficient for most users. Registry editing can damage Windows or other software, and Steam treats manual registry removal as an extreme last resort for removing Steam itself—not as a normal step for removing one game.

Fix common uninstall problems

The game does not appear in Installed apps

1. Open its launcher and use the launcher’s uninstall command.
2. Check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
3. Search the Start menu for the game’s uninstaller.
4. Restart Windows and try again.
5. Use Microsoft’s Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter if a desktop program cannot be removed.
6. If the uninstaller is missing or corrupt, reinstall the same game or launcher version to restore its uninstall information, then uninstall it normally.

Microsoft says its troubleshooter can address corrupted registry keys and incomplete uninstall data that block program removal.

The uninstaller says files are in use

• Quit the game and launcher completely.
• Exit the launcher from the system tray or menu bar.
• Close mod managers, overlays, recording tools, and updater processes.
• Use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS to find remaining processes.
• Restart the computer and try again.
• Use Safe Mode only if an ordinary shutdown and restart do not release the files.

Apple similarly recommends quitting the app, restarting, or using Safe Mode when macOS reports that an app is in use.

The launcher still shows Play

This can happen when the game was deleted manually, the launcher’s install manifest is stale, the game is installed on another library drive, or a separate edition, beta, DLC package, or anti-cheat component remains.

1. Reopen the launcher.
2. Check every library drive and installation location.
3. Use Locate, Repair, or Uninstall if the launcher offers one.
4. Do not delete the entire launcher directory.
5. Remove an orphaned game folder manually only after confirming that it belongs exclusively to the removed game.

A launcher may continue to display a game in your account library even when its local files are gone. The important distinction is whether it offers Install or Play for that local installation.

Old saves return after reinstalling

Likely causes include cloud synchronization, a save folder left in Documents, Saved Games, AppData, or a macOS Library folder, a launcher or mod-manager profile, or a publisher-side save service. Disable synchronization before deleting local saves when the goal is a genuinely fresh profile, then confirm that the cloud copy has also been handled according to the platform’s controls.

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Disk space did not return

Check all of the following:

• The Windows Recycle Bin or Mac Trash.
• A second internal or external game-library drive.
• Mod-manager downloads and staging folders.
• Screenshots, recordings, replays, and video captures.
• Patch archives, installers, and texture packs in Downloads.
• Shader caches and DLC stored outside the main game folder.
• Shared launcher caches, if they clearly belong to the game and are safe to remove.
• A cloud-drive recycle bin if the game folder was synchronized.

Windows keeps ordinary deleted files in the Recycle Bin until it is emptied; Microsoft also documents that deleted files may remain recoverable in some circumstances. Apple likewise requires emptying the Trash to remove a deleted app bundle permanently from the normal user interface. Review the contents first, then use Windows’ Recycle Bin guidance or Apple’s instructions.

The game was manually deleted first

Do not immediately delete more folders. Check the launcher for a Repair, Locate, or uninstall option, then check Installed apps and Control Panel. If the uninstall record is broken, reinstall the same version to restore it and uninstall normally. Only afterward should you remove a remaining folder that is clearly specific to the game.

Verify that the game is really gone

Use this checklist after cleanup:

• ☐ The game no longer appears under Windows Installed apps or in the macOS Applications folder.
• ☐ The original installation folder is gone, or only intentionally preserved files remain.
• ☐ Every custom library drive has been checked.
• ☐ The launcher shows the game as installable rather than playable, unless you intentionally kept it installed.
• ☐ Local saves and configuration folders were intentionally kept or deleted.
• ☐ Mods, mod profiles, Workshop content, and load orders were intentionally kept or deleted.
• ☐ Screenshots, recordings, replays, installers, and patch archives were handled separately.
• ☐ Game-specific anti-cheat or services were handled according to the publisher’s instructions.
• ☐ Shared runtimes and components were not removed accidentally.
• ☐ Desktop, Start-menu, taskbar, Dock, and Launchpad shortcuts are gone if you wanted them removed.
• ☐ The Recycle Bin or Trash was emptied only after review.
• ☐ The computer was restarted.
• ☐ A final search for the exact game title, publisher, and known folder name finds no unintended remnants.

Finally, check the free space on the drive that actually held the game. A remaining screenshot, save backup, cloud entry, launcher entitlement, or shortcut does not necessarily mean that the game’s executable files are still installed.

Is uninstalling enough before selling the computer?

No. Uninstalling a game and emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash is designed for ordinary storage cleanup, not forensic data destruction. Normal deletion can leave data recoverable until it is overwritten, as Microsoft explains in its Windows File Recovery documentation.

For a computer sale or transfer, back up what you need and use a full operating-system reset or an appropriate secure-erasure process for the device, storage technology, and privacy risk involved. Also remember that game files may exist in backups, cloud storage, screenshots, or launcher accounts that a local uninstall cannot remove.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling a game delete my saves?

Usually, not necessarily. The main uninstall normally targets the game’s installed files, while saves and settings may remain in Documents, Saved Games, AppData, a macOS Library folder, a Linux user-data directory, or cloud storage. Back up saves before uninstalling, and delete them separately only if you want a clean profile.

Can I just delete the game folder manually?

Use the official launcher or operating-system uninstaller first. Manual deletion is a fallback for an unavailable or broken uninstaller, and is safe only when you have confirmed that the exact folder belongs exclusively to that game. Deleting the folder first can leave stale launcher records and uninstall information.

Why did my saves return after I reinstalled the game?

Cloud synchronization, a remaining local save folder, a mod-manager profile, or a publisher-side save service may have restored them. Disable synchronization before deleting local data if you want a fresh start, then handle the remote copy through the platform’s current controls.

Do I need to clean the Windows registry after uninstalling a game?

Generally, no. Registry cleaning is risky and rarely necessary for a normal game removal. Avoid registry-cleaning utilities and broad manual deletion. Use the official uninstaller and remove only clearly identified leftover folders.

What if Steam, Epic, or another launcher still shows the game?

A launcher library entitlement can remain after local files are removed. Reopen the launcher, check every library drive, and use Locate, Repair, or Uninstall if offered. A game shown as Installable usually indicates that its local installation is gone; Play indicates that the launcher still detects an installation or stale install record.

Does uninstalling a game delete my account or purchase?

No. Local uninstallation normally does not delete the launcher account, purchase entitlement, achievements, cloud data, or publisher account. Account deletion is a separate and potentially irreversible process that can affect other games and purchase history.

How do I remove a game without deleting my screenshots?

Back up or identify your screenshots first. Game screenshots and recordings may be stored in Pictures, Videos, the game folder, Steam or another launcher’s capture folder, or a mod-manager directory. Remove only the executable and game-specific data you no longer want.

Is emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash secure erasure?

No. It removes files through the normal user interface but is not a guarantee against recovery. For a computer sale or sensitive-data disposal, use a full system reset or an appropriate secure-erasure method instead.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line: Uninstall through the launcher or operating system first. Then remove only confirmed game-specific saves, settings, mods, caches, screenshots, and orphaned folders—while leaving cloud data, shared components, and account records alone unless you deliberately intend to remove them. Review the Recycle Bin or Trash, restart, check every library drive, and verify that the launcher no longer detects playable local files.

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