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 want to uninstall McAfee and switch to a different software. MS says I do not have a bitlocker key uploaded to my account. In "device encryptions" it does not give me the option of backing up a bitlocker key. I have home version, so I cannot manage encryptions. As far as I know, I never had one. What are the chances I will get locked out if I perform step 2? Is there anyway to create a key without reinstalling windows 11? Another issue, that may be connected to this: MS shows 2 accounts. One is connected to an old work email. I have never used this computer for that account, but it shows up. IDK how it got on this computer unless I imported something that windows latched onto. I contacted windows when I set up this computer. They said to just create another account. I cannot get into the old account to see if it has a key or to close it. The old email no longer exists.

There isn't a way to regenerate a BitLocker recovery key, otherwise, it breaks the multifactor authentication. Think of it like changing your phone number on a website where you use 2FA without requiring 2FA to verify you are who you say you are. At the bottom of the support page, it states that to generate a new key, you'll need to use one of the recovery options, which means you'll need to reinstall Windows. So no, you cannot generate a new key. You can copy all of the items out of your user profile, take an inventory of all of your applications, reinstall Windows, install your applications, and copy your user folders back over. I understand why you don't but the alternative is to live with McAfee, which to some people removing it may not be worth the effort.

I posted the steps that worked for me, if you are still having issues after following these steps, you might reach out to McAfee directly for support with their tool. You may have other software or a system configuration that may conflict with the removal tool. I removed McAfee and the only security software I had installed while I did it was Bitdefender.

McAfee and Norton are the two biggest pains on brand new OEM hardware. Throwing this in here for first time computer buyers - when you log into Windows for the first time, don't bother with just uninstalling McAfee. I recommend clean installation of Windows instead using a Microsoft provided image. Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com) Plenty of tutorials on YouTube and elsewhere to walk you through the process. It's simple and effectively removes everything but the core operating system.

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

2024-02-18T20:07:42+00:00

I want to uninstall McAfee and switch to a different software.

MS says I do not have a bitlocker key uploaded to my account. In "device encryptions" it does not give me the option of backing up a bitlocker key. I have home version, so I cannot manage encryptions. As far as I know, I never had one. What are the chances I will get locked out if I perform step 2?

Is there anyway to create a key without reinstalling windows 11?

Another issue, that may be connected to this: MS shows 2 accounts. One is connected to an old work email. I have never used this computer for that account, but it shows up. IDK how it got on this computer unless I imported something that windows latched onto. I contacted windows when I set up this computer. They said to just create another account. I cannot get into the old account to see if it has a key or to close it. The old email no longer exists.
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Anonymous

2024-03-09T16:00:50+00:00

i annot get rid of Mcafee
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3 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-03-09T19:23:39+00:00

There isn't a way to regenerate a BitLocker recovery key, otherwise, it breaks the multifactor authentication. Think of it like changing your phone number on a website where you use 2FA without requiring 2FA to verify you are who you say you are.

At the bottom of the support page, it states that to generate a new key, you'll need to use one of the recovery options, which means you'll need to reinstall Windows. So no, you cannot generate a new key.

You can copy all of the items out of your user profile, take an inventory of all of your applications, reinstall Windows, install your applications, and copy your user folders back over.

I understand why you don't but the alternative is to live with McAfee, which to some people removing it may not be worth the effort.
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Anonymous

2024-03-09T19:26:19+00:00

I posted the steps that worked for me, if you are still having issues after following these steps, you might reach out to McAfee directly for support with their tool. You may have other software or a system configuration that may conflict with the removal tool.

I removed McAfee and the only security software I had installed while I did it was Bitdefender.
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3 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-03-20T22:25:49+00:00

McAfee and Norton are the two biggest pains on brand new OEM hardware.

Throwing this in here for first time computer buyers - when you log into Windows for the first time, don't bother with just uninstalling McAfee. I recommend clean installation of Windows instead using a Microsoft provided image.

Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com)

Plenty of tutorials on YouTube and elsewhere to walk you through the process. It's simple and effectively removes everything but the core operating system.
Was this answer helpful?

10 people found this answer helpful.

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