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. 🍻

The problem with McAfee software is that the files are open on start-up. Uninstall will not work. Simple solution for Windows 10 is to invoke msconfig through the Task Bar Search. Press Enter. Select Diagnostic Configuration and restart your computer. McAfee files are not loaded enabling uninstall. Go back and select Normal Configuration and restart. Worked for me. Peter Waller PS Retired IT professional now 82. Started IT on a paper tape input NCR Cram with 16K max programs. My washing machine has more grunt !

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.

Unfortunately, manufacturers bake it into their recovery image. This means that anytime you do a reinstall using the recovery drive, it will get installed as a part of the "value add" software. The way manufacturers keep their PCs at such a low cost is the bloatware that comes pre-installed. It's paid advertising, the vendor of those third-party applications helps subsidize the cost of the computer. Microsoft doesn't add much bloatware to their Surface devices which is why they cost about as much as low-end Macs. A basic formula: Hardware + OS + Manufacturer's Operating Expense - Bloatware Discount = Cost of Computer. So it's either spend an hour removing McAfee each time you refresh or pay about an extra $200-500 for a computer. Some vendors add on a "luxury tax" for a bloatware-free computer.

The steps were written for Windows 10 and 11. They are correct. This is to remove the McAfee service that lingers after you have run the app uninstall from the steps you mentioned. The uninstall tool unregisters the Windows service, but to do so, you must boot into an unprotected environment. I've been administering Windows systems professionally since Windows XP. The steps you described are the same steps people run before they go searching for this solution.

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

2024-08-31T08:49:33+00:00

The problem with McAfee software is that the files are open on start-up.

Uninstall will not work.

Simple solution for Windows 10 is to invoke msconfig through the Task Bar Search. Press Enter.

Select Diagnostic Configuration and restart your computer.

McAfee files are not loaded enabling uninstall.

Go back and select Normal Configuration and restart.

Worked for me.

Peter Waller

PS Retired IT professional now 82. Started IT on a paper tape input NCR Cram with 16K max programs.

My washing machine has more grunt !
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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

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

i annot get rid of Mcafee
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Anonymous

2024-07-03T18:43:50+00:00

Unfortunately, manufacturers bake it into their recovery image. This means that anytime you do a reinstall using the recovery drive, it will get installed as a part of the "value add" software. The way manufacturers keep their PCs at such a low cost is the bloatware that comes pre-installed. It's paid advertising, the vendor of those third-party applications helps subsidize the cost of the computer. Microsoft doesn't add much bloatware to their Surface devices which is why they cost about as much as low-end Macs.

A basic formula:

Hardware + OS + Manufacturer's Operating Expense - Bloatware Discount = Cost of Computer.

So it's either spend an hour removing McAfee each time you refresh or pay about an extra $200-500 for a computer. Some vendors add on a "luxury tax" for a bloatware-free computer.
Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2024-05-04T01:45:18+00:00

The steps were written for Windows 10 and 11. They are correct. This is to remove the McAfee service that lingers after you have run the app uninstall from the steps you mentioned. The uninstall tool unregisters the Windows service, but to do so, you must boot into an unprotected environment. I've been administering Windows systems professionally since Windows XP. The steps you described are the same steps people run before they go searching for this solution.
Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.

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