Issue
- You have used the ESET Start Menu uninstaller and continue to have problems uninstalling or reinstalling your ESET product for Windows
- Your ESET product for Windows remains active after uninstallation
- Your uninstallation of ESET product for Windows fails
- Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019
- Windows Vista, Home Server, XP, Windows Server 2003 R2, 2003, 2000
I am a Mac user: Uninstall or reinstall ESET Cyber Security or ESET Cyber Security Pro
Solution
Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025
You are not required to purchase an additional license to reinstall your ESET product. Your existing license remains functional for the duration of your subscription regardless of how many times you remove or install the product on the computer to which it is registered.
Export your settings
Before using the Uninstaller tool, export all ESET product settings. Your settings will not be restored automatically when you reinstall ESET.
Back up network adapter settings
After using the ESET Uninstaller tool, you may be required to reinstall your network adapter drivers. Follow the steps below to back up your network adapter settings and restore them after uninstallation is finished:
- Before running the Uninstaller Tool: Open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to back up your network adapter settings:
netsh -c interface dump > C:\NetworkSettings.txt
- After uninstallation is complete: Reinstall your network adapter drivers if necessary and then open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to restore your network adapter settings:
netsh -f C:\NetworkSettings.txt
Download the ESET Uninstaller and save it to your computer.
Restart your computer in Safe Mode.
Start Windows in Safe Mode to run ESET Uninstaller Tool
You must start Windows in Safe Mode to run the ESET Uninstaller tool. If you start Windows in Normal Mode, ESET Uninstaller will not proceed:
Figure 1-1 Windows 11 users with Microsoft account
If you are using Windows 11, logged in to your Microsoft account, and attempt to start ESET Uninstaller tool from your Desktop, a "This file cannot be accessed by the system" error message will appear.
To resolve this issue, move the ESET Uninstaller
.exefile from your Desktop to a different folder on your disk that is not synced with OneDrive (for example, Documents inC:\Users\Documents).Access Safe Mode on Microsoft Azure or Amazon Virtual Machines
Microsoft Azure
Use Serial Console to access Safe Mode on your Virtual Machines.Amazon Virtual Machines
Use Special Admin Console to access Safe Mode on your Virtual Machines.In Safe Mode, double-click the installer file you saved to your computer in step 1 to run ESET Uninstaller tool. If you want to use the Advanced user commands below, open an Administrative command prompt first and then change to the relevant directory.
Advanced user commands
Read the warning and type y to confirm.
Figure 1-2 Review the items listed under Installed ESET products. Type the number that corresponds to the ESET installation that should be uninstalled and press the Enter key.
Figure 1-3 Verify that you are uninstalling the correct ESET product from the operating system and type y to confirm.
Figure 1-4 After the ESET Uninstaller tool has finished running, press any key to exit (or type q and then press any key).
If needed, run the ESET Uninstaller again until the product is no longer listed under Installed ESET products.
Figure 1-5 Restart your computer in Normal Mode. The uninstaller writes a log of all its processes to the ~ESETUninstaller.log file (located in the same folder as the ESETUninstaller.exe file) for future reference.
Figure 1-6 Click the link below that corresponds to your ESET product for help with reinstallation. If you continue to experience issues with reinstallation, delete the ehdrv driver using device manager and then repeat the steps above to run the ESET Uninstaller application again. Since ESET is designed as a security application, in some instances, multiple attempts are required to uninstall the product completely.
