[KB2289] Manually uninstall your ESET product using the ESET Uninstaller tool (Windows)

Issue

You have used the ESET Start Menu uninstaller and continue to have problems uninstalling or reinstalling your ESET product for Windows
Your ESET product for Windows remains active after uninstallation
Your uninstallation of the ESET product for Windows fails
Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2025

Mac users: Uninstall or reinstall ESET Cyber Security or ESET Cyber Security Pro

Solution

Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2025

You are not required to purchase an additional license to reinstall your ESET product. Your existing license remains functional for the duration of your subscription, regardless of how many times you remove or install the product on the computer to which it is registered.

Export your settings

Before using the Uninstaller tool, export all ESET product settings. Your settings will not be restored automatically when you reinstall ESET.

Back up network adapter settings

After using the ESET Uninstaller tool, you may be required to reinstall your network adapter drivers. Follow the steps below to back up your network adapter settings and restore them after uninstallation is finished:

Before running the Uninstaller Tool: Open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to back up your network adapter settings:
- netsh -c interface dump > C:\NetworkSettings.txt
After uninstallation is complete, reinstall your network adapter drivers if necessary, and then open an administrative command prompt and type the following command to restore your network adapter settings:
- netsh -f C:\NetworkSettings.txt

Download the ESET Uninstaller and save it to your computer.
Restart your computer in Safe Mode.

Start Windows in Safe Mode to run ESET Uninstaller Tool

You must start Windows in Safe Mode to run the ESET Uninstaller tool. If you start Windows in Normal Mode, ESET Uninstaller will not proceed:

Figure 1-1

Windows 11 users with Microsoft account

If you are using Windows 11, logged in to your Microsoft account, and attempt to start the ESET Uninstaller tool from your Desktop, a "This file cannot be accessed by the system" error message will appear.

To resolve this issue, move the ESET Uninstaller .exe file from your Desktop to a different folder on your disk that is not synced with OneDrive (for example, Documents in C:\Users\Documents).

Access Safe Mode on Microsoft Azure or Amazon Virtual Machines

Microsoft Azure
Use Serial Console to access Safe Mode on your Virtual Machines.

Amazon Virtual Machines
Use Special Admin Console to access Safe Mode on your Virtual Machines.
In Safe Mode, double-click the installer file you saved to your computer in step 1 to run the ESET Uninstaller tool. If you want to use the Advanced user commands below, open an Administrative command prompt first and then change to the relevant directory.

Advanced user commands

(To view a full list of available commands for the ESET Uninstaller, type ESETUninstaller.exe /help and press the Enter key.

- If you are removing ESET products from bootable media, you will be asked if you want to remove ESET files from each available partition separately.
- /mode=offline specifies the uninstallation mode for CD and USB drives.
- /mode=online specifies hard disks. You may rarely need to use the /mode=online parameter to force the ESET product file deletions if the ESET Uninstaller does not detect your bootable media automatically.
- /force removes all present ESET products and components (including ERA components) without being prompted; run the uninstaller with the /force parameter
- Sometimes, the ESET Uninstaller tool must be launched by typing ESETUninstaller.exe /reinst into the command line and pressing the Enter key. The ESET Uninstaller utility will prompt you if the switch is necessary.

If you are prompted to use the ESETUninstaller.exe /reinst command, your Network Interface Card settings will be reset. We recommend that you record your network settings somewhere to easily reconfigure them after running the uninstaller tool.

Read the warning and type y to confirm.

Figure 1-2
Review the items listed under Installed ESET products. Type the number that corresponds to the ESET installation that should be uninstalled and press the Enter key.

Figure 1-3
Verify that you are uninstalling the correct ESET product from the operating system and type y to confirm.

Figure 1-4
After the ESET Uninstaller tool has finished running, press any key to exit (or type q and then press any key).
If needed, run the ESET Uninstaller again until the product is no longer listed under Installed ESET products.

Figure 1-5
Restart your computer in Normal Mode. The uninstaller writes a log of all its processes to the ~ESETUninstaller.log file (located in the same folder as the ESETUninstaller.exe file) for future reference.

Figure 1-6
Click the link below that corresponds to your ESET product for help with reinstallation. Because ESET is designed as a security software, in some instances, multiple attempts are required to uninstall the product completely.