Bitdefender is one of the two best antivirus packages to have on your computer, the other being Norton 360 . If you’re having trouble with Bitdefender, or your subscription has expired and you don’t want to renew, here’s how to uninstall it.
In Windows 10 click on the Start menu and then Settings (the cog icon).
Now click on Apps in the Settings window.
Scroll down or search for Bitdefender and click on it. If there are multiple entries, look for the one with the full product name. In this case it’s Bitdefender Total Security. If you also have Bitdefender VPN as well, you may have to remove that separately as it could be on a separate subscription. And if any entries remain after uninstalling the main product, just repeat the process until they are all uninstalled.
Now click the Uninstall button. If prompted, click Uninstall again (or Remove) and then Yes when asked if the app can make changes to your system.
You now have two choices: I want to reinstall it or I want to permanently remove it.
The former is for temporarily removing it, and does not remove every last file. The latter does.
Choose your preference and click Next and then wait for Bitdefender to be uninstalled.
Bitdefender offers a specific removal tool for each version of its antivirus software. So if you find that some elements are still present after uninstalling the app you can download the appropriate tool to get rid of any traces and ensure that Bitdefender is completely removed from your system.
How to uninstall Bitdefender from your phone
If you have the Bitdefender app on your Android phone or iPhone, simply long press on its icon and click ‘Delete App’ on an iPhone or Uninstall on an Android phone. Some Android phones differ in how you remove an app – you may have to long-press the icon and then drag it to a trash can icon, or the word ‘Uninstall’.
If you’re after alternative options, read our roundup of the best antivirus software for recommendations.
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor, Tech Advisor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
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