How can I completely uninstall Office 365?

David 60 Reputation points
2026-08-20T01:41:51.7+00:00

I need to completely uninstall Office 365 and then reinstall it. I want a clean uninstall.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows
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Allan Solomon Mejia 8,170 Reputation points
2026-08-20T02:06:44.3633333+00:00

Hello @David

If you want a clean uninstall before reinstalling Microsoft 365, I recommend using Microsoft's Microsoft 365 uninstall troubleshooter instead of manually deleting Office folders or registry entries.

Microsoft's current procedure is:

  1. Close all Office applications.
  2. Run the Microsoft 365 uninstall troubleshooter through the Windows Get Help app.
  3. Select the Microsoft 365/Office installation you want removed.
  4. Follow the prompts and restart Windows when requested.
  5. After the restart, reinstall Microsoft 365 using the Microsoft account associated with your subscription.

Microsoft specifically recommends the troubleshooter when you want to completely remove Microsoft 365, Office 2021, Office 2019, or Office 2016. Run it on the affected PC; it requires Windows 10 or later.

If Office still appears afterward, you can check Settings → Apps → Installed apps or Control Panel → Programs and Features for remaining Office components. Microsoft also provides manual removal procedures if the troubleshooter doesn't completely remove the installation.

One important point: uninstalling Microsoft 365 doesn't delete your Word documents, Excel workbooks, or other files you've created.

I wouldn't recommend manually deleting Program Files\Microsoft Office or Office registry keys as the first approach, since that can leave the Click-to-Run installation state inconsistent.

After the cleanup and reboot, reinstall Microsoft 365 from your Microsoft account using the same account associated with your license/subscription.

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  1. EmilyS726 265.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-20T02:17:59.3966667+00:00

    Hello,

    The standard method is

    Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, uninstall it from there.

    However, depends on what license you might have used in the past, sometimes additional steps might be needed, not necessarily to uninstall the apps further, but to clear any remaining license traces.

    If interested in exploring further,

    Can you please type cmd in the search on the taskbar, and press enter to launch Command Prompt, then run these commands one at a time. 

    cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus

    cscript "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus

    cscript "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus 

    cscript "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OSPP.VBS" /dstatus

    Then please share a screenshot. Thanks!

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