One of the most popular programming languages and computing platforms, Java, can take up quite some space on your computer, has slow performance, and is susceptible to many viruses. Thus it wouldn’t be a surprise if you too, like many other users, want to Uninstall Java on Mac or Windows 11 PC. Though Java is not installed on your computer by default, the websites and programs developed by Java might automatically download it as Java is necessary for them to work. As it’s not an essential part of Windows, there’s no harm in getting rid of Java, unless of course, you need to run programs based on Java. This guide is all you need if you’ve decided to get rid of it or move towards better alternatives. Below, we’ve discussed different ways you can uninstall Java on Windows 11 and clean your system from its traces. So what’s the wait for? Let’s get started right away!
1. Uninstall Java From Windows Settings.
One of the easiest and most straightforward ways to remove Java from your computer is through the Windows Settings app. This is how you would remove most of your installed applications. Let’s take a quick look at the steps for this method:
2. Use the Control Panel to Uninstall Java.
Another way to uninstall Java on Windows 11 is from the Control Panel. It has a dedicated tool for uninstalling any third-party program in your computer. Before Windows 10, this is how users would remove programs from their system since the Settings app offered no such feature. Use the steps below to do it:
3. Uninstall Outdated Java Versions With Uninstaller Tool.
Java also offers a dedicated tool to uninstall the outdated versions and provides links to get the latest version available. The tool will automatically scan for the outdated version and remove the program completely with no traces left behind. Here’s how you can utilize it:
4. Uninstall Java Development Kit.
If you have a Java Development Kit like OpenJDK or Oracle JDK installed, you can use any of the above-explained methods to remove it from your computer. But if you remember downloading OpenJDK from an archive file, you can simply delete the extracted folder, which will automatically remove OpenJDK from your system.
5. Clear Java Path From Environmental Variables.
Like any other program, Java also leaves behind its traces if not properly uninstalled. This is because when you install Java, your computer creates a new path and stores it in the environmental variables. So, when you wish to uninstall Java on Windows 11 for whatever reason, be sure to remove these paths as well so that there are no leftovers of the program to cause installation conflict in the future. Here’s how to do it:
6. Delete Java Directories.
If you’ve been unable to uninstall Java yet because it does not appear in the Settings or you don’t have the uninstaller program, you can manually delete the Java directories to resolve the issue. Navigate to these directories and delete them to remove Java from your system:
JDK installation folder:
Java cache folder:
Java path:
Java update:
Java install cache:
7. Delete Java Leftover Registry Entries.
Uninstalling Java is not always a clean process, as it may leave its traces behind on your computer. Although harmful, they might interfere with the future installation if you ever decide to bring Java back into use. These leftovers include path variables, installation directories, cache data, registry entries, etc. As we’ve already discussed the steps to delete path variables and directories, let’s now look at how you can take care of the leftover registry entries. Use the instructions below to do so:
8. Use Third-Party Uninstaller Software.
If you prefer a third-party uninstaller app, just ensure it is reliable before going ahead with this method. Some programs include CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, IObit Uninstaller, and Wise Program Uninstaller. These programs will automatically uninstall Java on Windows 11 along with the program leftovers. Below, we’ve used Revo Uninstaller to show you the steps: This brings us to the end of our guide on how to uninstall Java on Windows 11. We’ve discussed several different ways you can do so and hope you find them useful. Let us know your feedback in the comment section below. We’ll be happy to hear back from you. If this guide helped you, please share it. 😊
