Look no further if you are like me and have been stuck with leftover McAfee processes after running the uninstallers. There are plenty of guides with canned answers from Microsoft that have done nothing but frustrate you; this is what you need to do. This is a known solution for Windows 11 Pro 22H2 (Build 22621.1194). This should work on most supported Windows versions since Windows 7 with minor tweaks. Disclaimer: My professional experience as a SysAdmin dates back to 2010, and my hobbyist experience dates back to 1998. I can only say that the solution below worked for me, and I will not be held liable if you mess up your computer. If you don't have a supplemental subscription Antivirus, I would not recommend removing the extra security. Things You'll Need Bitlocker Key - https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey - Get this before Step 2 MCPR tool (direct link) - Download this BEFORE attempting Step 2 or download it from McAfee's support page if you do not trust me: McAfee KB - How to remove McAfee products from a Windows PC (TS101331) ) A way to read Step 2 without Internet access About 30 minutes Step 1 - Remove McAfee products from your computer using Windows Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps Search the list for McAfee Next to each result, click the Elipsis ( ... ) and click Uninstall You can reboot as prompted or reboot after all of them are done. If you run into problems, reboot, then try again. Feel free to run the MCPR tool ; if it succeeds, you are finished; if not, continue to Step 2 Step 2 - Reboot and Disable Early Launch Anti-Malware Protection Open Settings > System > Recovery Next to Advanced Startup , click Restart Now Wait for reboot and select Troubleshoot at the Choose an option page At some point, you may be prompted to enter your BitLocker recovery key, be sure to have this on hand Select Startup Settings Select Restart (Yeah, this is redundant) You may be prompted to enter your BitLocker recovery key again because of the reboot Select the option that states Disable early launch anti-malware protection . If this option is not available, reboot into Safe Mode instead. Windows will start in the selected mode but will start normally when the computer is restarted again. It would be best if you didn't run any browsers while you have early launch anti-malware protection disabled. Navigating the wrong site could easily hijack your real antivirus and create more significant problems. Step 3 - Run the MCPR Tool Pretty straightforward; just run the MCPR tool . It will disable and remove any found McAfee services, prompting a reboot at the end. Reboot Step 4 - Remove Dangling Services/Files (If Needed/Optional) Open Services and check for any McAfee references If found, open CMD/PowerShell/Windows Terminal as an admin (Right click > run as Admin or Ctrl +Shift + Enter/Click) Get the service name from Services, Right click and choose Properties and grab the short name. (McAfee Access Protection is mcapexe ) In the terminal window, type sc delete <short_name> (e.g, sc delete mcapexe) If you run into errors, the product wasn't entirely removed, and you may try Step 2 again. I can offer assistance if this doesn't work but don't expect a quick or accurate response for your situation. You may have a faster and more accurate response from McAfee Support. 🍻

I can not explain what is going on with your pc.. but: "Hi Monkey57. Well, this, I don't know.... ... why I cannot imagine it can be pure coincidence." -> I Can. "Once again I am not an IT "- -> I am an IT professional and have been for a very long time. Installing a 3rd antivirus program to a computer, to run a tool from another AV manufacturer, would never be recommended by a Professional.

Hi Monkey57. Well, this, I don't know. For sure, I tried to run MCPR many times before installing the other antivirus and the progress bar never went further than 1/5th. Right after installing the other antivirus MCPR was run all the way through that's why I cannot imagine it can be pure coincidence. Once again I am not an IT and I am not going to say how and why it worked. It simply happened to work for me.

Respectfully, I doubt installing another antivirus application, impacted or was as helpful at running the MCPR tool as Mil Doc Jr's process, at the top of this discussion.

Hi there, I may be coming a little late with an answer, however this may be helpful to other people. I struggled for hours and hours to try to remove McAfee from my ASUS laptop (I think the issue would have been identical on any other laptop brand) after reinstalling Windows 11. I tried everything I found on the net including the safe mode, and of course the McAfee removal tool (MCPR.exe) which did not work in spite of several attempts under different circumstances described on internet. What I did: I installed AVAST ONE (It may also work with AVAST FREE but I haven't tried since I already had an AVAST ONE account). Then I ran MCPR.exe which finally worked !!!! I checked the apps and McAfee has indeed disappeared. What I believe happens (Don't blame me if I am wrong.... I am not into IT) is that when only McAfee is installed, it is automatically run as a background app and since it is running, MCPR.exe cannot remove it. Once another antivirus is installed, then McAfee no longer starts and it can be removed. MCPR.exe can be found by googling it and downloading from McAfee support page I really hope this will help and prevent other people to turn nuts like me :) PS: If you don't mind just post a short reply for me to know if this also worked for you.

The 4 or xx digit passcode for a device is a Pin code ->"A PIN is a user-defined set of numbers, or a combination of numbers and letters, that allows you to sign in to your Windows device instead of a password". Change or reset your PIN - Microsoft Support Microsoft Password is your password into your personal or business Microsoft Account, your device is connected to.

Guide for completely removing McAfee

Anonymous

Look no further if you are like me and have been stuck with leftover McAfee processes after running the uninstallers.

There are plenty of guides with canned answers from Microsoft that have done nothing but frustrate you; this is what you need to do.

This is a known solution for Windows 11 Pro 22H2 (Build 22621.1194). This should work on most supported Windows versions since Windows 7 with minor tweaks.

Disclaimer: My professional experience as a SysAdmin dates back to 2010, and my hobbyist experience dates back to 1998. I can only say that the solution below worked for me, and I will not be held liable if you mess up your computer. If you don't have a supplemental subscription Antivirus, I would not recommend removing the extra security.

Things You'll Need

Bitlocker Key - https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey - Get this before Step 2
MCPR tool (direct link) - Download this BEFORE attempting Step 2
- or download it from McAfee's support page if you do not trust me: McAfee KB - How to remove McAfee products from a Windows PC (TS101331))
A way to read Step 2 without Internet access
About 30 minutes

Step 1 - Remove McAfee products from your computer using Windows

Open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
Search the list for McAfee
Next to each result, click the Elipsis (...) and click Uninstall You can reboot as prompted or reboot after all of them are done. If you run into problems, reboot, then try again.
Feel free to run the MCPR tool; if it succeeds, you are finished; if not, continue to Step 2

Step 2 - Reboot and Disable Early Launch Anti-Malware Protection

Open Settings > System > Recovery
Next to Advanced Startup, click Restart Now
Wait for reboot and select Troubleshoot at the Choose an option page
At some point, you may be prompted to enter your BitLocker recovery key, be sure to have this on hand
Select Startup Settings
Select Restart (Yeah, this is redundant)
You may be prompted to enter your BitLocker recovery key again because of the reboot
Select the option that states Disable early launch anti-malware protection. If this option is not available, reboot into Safe Mode instead.
Windows will start in the selected mode but will start normally when the computer is restarted again.

It would be best if you didn't run any browsers while you have early launch anti-malware protection disabled. Navigating the wrong site could easily hijack your real antivirus and create more significant problems.

Step 3 - Run the MCPR Tool

Pretty straightforward; just run the MCPR tool. It will disable and remove any found McAfee services, prompting a reboot at the end.
Reboot

Step 4 - Remove Dangling Services/Files (If Needed/Optional)

Open Services and check for any McAfee references
If found, open CMD/PowerShell/Windows Terminal as an admin (Right click > run as Admin or Ctrl +Shift + Enter/Click)
Get the service name from Services, Right click and choose Properties and grab the short name. (McAfee Access Protection is mcapexe)
In the terminal window, type sc delete <short_name> (e.g, sc delete mcapexe)
If you run into errors, the product wasn't entirely removed, and you may try Step 2 again.

I can offer assistance if this doesn't work but don't expect a quick or accurate response for your situation. You may have a faster and more accurate response from McAfee Support. 🍻

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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50 answers

Anonymous

2024-11-14T00:17:46+00:00

I can not explain what is going on with your pc.. but:

"Hi Monkey57.
Well, this, I don't know....
... why I cannot imagine it can be pure coincidence." -> I Can.

"Once again I am not an IT "- -> I am an IT professional and have been for a very long time. Installing a 3rd antivirus program to a computer, to run a tool from another AV manufacturer, would never be recommended by a Professional.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2024-11-14T00:02:46+00:00

Hi Monkey57.
Well, this, I don't know. For sure, I tried to run MCPR many times before installing the other antivirus and the progress bar never went further than 1/5th.
Right after installing the other antivirus MCPR was run all the way through that's why I cannot imagine it can be pure coincidence.

Once again I am not an IT and I am not going to say how and why it worked. It simply happened to work for me.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2024-11-13T17:37:12+00:00

Respectfully, I doubt installing another antivirus application, impacted or was as helpful at running the MCPR tool as Mil Doc Jr's process, at the top of this discussion.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2024-11-11T04:03:51+00:00
Hi there,

I may be coming a little late with an answer, however this may be helpful to other people.

I struggled for hours and hours to try to remove McAfee from my ASUS laptop (I think the issue would have been identical on any other laptop brand) after reinstalling Windows 11. I tried everything I found on the net including the safe mode, and of course the McAfee removal tool (MCPR.exe) which did not work in spite of several attempts under different circumstances described on internet.

What I did:
- I installed AVAST ONE (It may also work with AVAST FREE but I haven't tried since I already had an AVAST ONE account). Then I ran MCPR.exe which finally worked !!!! I checked the apps and McAfee has indeed disappeared.
What I believe happens (Don't blame me if I am wrong.... I am not into IT) is that when only McAfee is installed, it is automatically run as a background app and since it is running, MCPR.exe cannot remove it. Once another antivirus is installed, then McAfee no longer starts and it can be removed.

MCPR.exe can be found by googling it and downloading from McAfee support page

I really hope this will help and prevent other people to turn nuts like me :)

PS: If you don't mind just post a short reply for me to know if this also worked for you.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-10-10T15:07:10+00:00

The 4 or xx digit passcode for a device is a Pin code ->"A PIN is a user-defined set of numbers, or a combination of numbers and letters, that allows you to sign in to your Windows device instead of a password".

Change or reset your PIN - Microsoft Support

Microsoft Password is your password into your personal or business Microsoft Account, your device is connected to.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments