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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To remove an AMD Radeon driver, use Windows’ normal AMD Software uninstall entry first, then restart. Windows 10 uses Installed Apps or Apps & Features; Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 7 use Control Panel > Programs and Features. If you need to remove only the display-driver package, use Device Manager. If the normal uninstall fails or leaves a conflict, run AMD Cleanup Utility. A brief black or blank screen during removal is expected, and the restart is required.
What “uninstall AMD driver” actually removes
AMD installs more than a single file. The Radeon package normally appears as AMD Software or, on older systems, Radeon Software. Removing that entry removes the AMD graphics software package and its associated display components. It is the right choice when you want a complete Radeon software removal before installing a different package or troubleshooting a conflicted installation.
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Device Manager performs a narrower operation. It removes the selected display device and, when you select the deletion option, its driver package. It does not necessarily remove AMD’s control software, and Windows may detect the hardware again and reinstall a driver immediately or after the next restart.
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Choose the method that matches your goal
| Method | Scope | Windows menu or program | What can happen afterward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal uninstall | Complete AMD Software/Radeon Software package | Installed Apps or Apps & Features on Windows 10; Control Panel on Windows 8/8.1 and 7 | Restart is required; the display can go blank intermittently while components are removed |
| Device Manager | Selected display device and, optionally, its driver package | Device Manager > Display adapters | Windows can rediscover the device and reinstall a driver |
| AMD Cleanup Utility | Previously installed AMD graphics and audio drivers/software | Downloaded amdcleanuputility.exe |
Use when the regular uninstall fails or a software conflict remains; chipset drivers are left alone |
For most users, start with the normal uninstall. Use Device Manager when you deliberately want a driver-only removal. Move to Cleanup Utility only when the first method does not resolve the problem.
Before you start
- Save work and close applications. The display driver can reset or disappear temporarily during removal.
- Expect a temporary blank or black screen. AMD documents intermittent loss of picture during its uninstall process. On the older procedure, AMD says this can last up to 10 minutes.
- Have administrator access available. Microsoft notes that administrator privileges may be required for device and driver removal.
- Keep the computer powered on while the uninstaller is running. Interrupting removal can leave a partial installation.
- Know what you are removing. The Apps/Control Panel method removes AMD’s software package; Device Manager targets the display device’s driver.
Windows 10: uninstall AMD Software from Settings
Windows 10 builds use slightly different labels. Search for Installed Apps first; if that does not appear, use Apps & Features.
- Save your work and close open programs.
- Open Start and search for Installed Apps. On a build that uses the older Settings page, search for Apps & Features instead.
- Find AMD Software. If several AMD Radeon Software entries are listed, AMD says to select each applicable entry rather than leaving an unwanted Radeon component behind.
- Select the entry and choose Uninstall. Confirm the Windows prompts and allow the AMD uninstaller to begin.
- Leave the computer alone while the package is removed. The screen may go black intermittently as display components are unloaded and replaced.
- Choose Restart when prompted. AMD documents the restart as required to complete removal; do not treat it as optional.
After Windows starts again, the AMD Software entry should no longer be present for the package you removed. If a Radeon entry remains, return to Installed Apps or Apps & Features and remove the other applicable AMD Radeon Software entry as well.
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- Save work and close applications.
- Open Control Panel. On Windows 8 or 8.1, right-click the Windows button and choose Control Panel.
- Select Programs and Features.
- Select AMD Software or Radeon Software, then click Uninstall.
- Confirm the prompt asking whether to uninstall the AMD driver.
- Wait through any intermittent black or blank display periods. AMD’s legacy instructions say the screen can remain blank for up to 10 minutes while the package is removed.
- Choose Restart Now when the uninstaller offers it. The restart completes the uninstall.
If more than one applicable AMD Radeon Software entry appears in Programs and Features, repeat the procedure for each entry AMD identifies as applicable.
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Windows 7: uninstall through Control Panel
- Save your work and close applications.
- Open Control Panel from the Start menu.
- Open Programs and Features.
- Select AMD Software or Radeon Software and click Uninstall.
- Confirm that you want to uninstall the AMD driver.
- Allow the process to run even if the display goes black or blank temporarily. AMD’s older procedure documents periods of up to 10 minutes.
- Select Restart Now to finish.
Windows 7 is also supported by AMD Cleanup Utility if the normal package removal does not resolve a conflict.
Remove only the AMD display driver with Device Manager
Use this route when you want to remove the driver package for the graphics device rather than the full Radeon control software. It is also useful when the AMD Software entry is missing but the device is still listed.
- Open Device Manager. You can search for it from the Windows Start screen or Start menu.
- If the device is not visible, open View and enable Show hidden devices.
- Expand Display adapters.
- Right-click the AMD display device and choose Uninstall device.
- In the confirmation dialog, select Delete the driver software for this device when that option is available.
- Confirm the removal. Windows may request administrator approval.
- Restart if Windows asks you to, then check Display adapters again.
Microsoft recommends physically unplugging a device before uninstalling it. That advice applies to removable hardware; an internal graphics adapter normally cannot be unplugged by the user. Device Manager removal is not a permanent guarantee that the system will remain driver-free: Windows can rediscover the hardware and install a driver immediately or after reboot.
Use AMD Cleanup Utility when normal removal fails
AMD Cleanup Utility is intended for a failed, incomplete or conflicted AMD graphics installation. AMD’s official description says it removes previously installed AMD graphics and audio drivers/software and prepares Windows for new graphics software and driver installation. It supports Windows 7 and later.
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- Download AMD Cleanup Utility from AMD’s support article and save the executable. Saving it in Downloads is sufficient.
- Locate and double-click
amdcleanuputility.exe. - Approve any Windows security or administrator prompt.
- Follow the utility’s removal prompts and allow it to finish without shutting down the computer.
- Restart Windows when the cleanup process requests it, then install the intended graphics package if that is your next step.
Cleanup Utility targets AMD graphics and audio software. It does not remove or modify AMD chipset drivers, including on AMD-powered systems. If your problem concerns a chipset driver rather than the Radeon display package, this utility is not the removal method for that component.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do when the screen goes black
During a normal uninstall
A black or blank display can be part of the expected process because Windows is unloading the active graphics driver. Wait for the uninstaller to return and for its restart prompt. AMD’s documented legacy procedure allows for a blank period of up to 10 minutes.
After the restart
Windows may start with a basic display driver or with no AMD control panel until a new package is installed. That does not mean the uninstall failed. Check Installed Apps, Apps & Features or Programs and Features for the AMD Software/Radeon Software entry, and check Device Manager to see which display adapter and driver Windows currently recognizes.
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If the regular uninstaller cannot finish
Restart Windows and try AMD Cleanup Utility. It is specifically intended to clear previously installed AMD graphics and audio components when a normal installation or removal is conflicted. Use the utility’s own restart request before attempting a fresh graphics-driver installation.
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How to verify what was removed
- Software package check: Open Installed Apps or Apps & Features on Windows 10, or Programs and Features on Windows 8/8.1 and 7. Confirm that the AMD Software or Radeon Software entry you targeted is gone.
- Driver check: Open Device Manager, expand Display adapters and inspect the AMD device. If you used Device Manager with the deletion box selected, Windows may still show the hardware with a different or newly installed driver after detection.
- Scope check: Do not assume that removing Radeon Software removed chipset components. Cleanup Utility explicitly leaves AMD chipset drivers untouched.
Common mistakes and the correct response
Removing only the driver when the goal was a complete AMD software cleanup
Device Manager is a driver-package route, not the full Radeon software uninstaller. Return to Installed Apps, Apps & Features or Programs and Features and remove the AMD Software/Radeon Software entry.
Expecting Device Manager to keep Windows permanently driver-free
Windows can rediscover the graphics hardware and reinstall a driver. Device Manager is appropriate for a targeted removal, but it cannot guarantee that the device will remain without a driver.
Interrupting the process because the display briefly disappears
AMD documents intermittent black-screen behavior during removal, including periods of up to 10 minutes in its older instructions. Save work first, then wait for the uninstaller to finish and present its restart option.
Using Cleanup Utility to remove chipset drivers
That is outside the utility’s scope. AMD states that Cleanup Utility removes graphics and audio drivers/software but does not remove or modify AMD chipset drivers.
Skipping the restart
The restart finalizes AMD’s documented uninstall process. If the uninstaller offers Restart or Restart Now, use it before judging the removal complete.
Which method should you use?
- Choose normal uninstall when you want the AMD Radeon software package removed in the supported Windows interface.
- Choose Device Manager when you need to remove the display device’s driver package and understand that Windows may reinstall one.
- Choose AMD Cleanup Utility when normal uninstall fails, leaves a conflict or cannot prepare the system for a new AMD graphics installation.
These methods are not interchangeable: they differ in scope, Windows menu, failure handling and the likelihood that Windows will automatically reinstall a driver.
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