How to Uninstall Chromium When It Won't Uninstall Directly

Easy ways to get rid of the Chromium browser

Browsers

5 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

by Madalina Dinita

updated on October 4, 2023

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Key notes

Users often make the mistake of downloading Chrome from other places than Google’s official website.
Chromium corrupts the built-in uninstaller when grabbed from a scam pop-up or advertisement website.
Deleting the files from the original location is a good way to get rid of it.

Chromium is Google’s open-source web browser, initially released in 2008. But it’s still in use today, thanks to its speed and minimalistic interface.

Also, the Chromium code is accessible and frequently used by other developers to create various browsers. Sometimes, the developers of those browsers use them as a platform for malicious content.

This leads to many security risks for your Windows computers. If you can’t uninstall Chromium, chances are you’ve downloaded Chromium from other places than Google’s official website.

The pretend Chromium installs a toolbar at the top of your screen, corrupting the built-in uninstaller so that you cannot remove it.

We have some solutions for you on how to remove Chromium. But for a more lasting effect, we advise the use of good antivirus software to clean any infected files after you’re done uninstalling Chromium.

Why can I not Uninstall Chromium?

In most cases, uninstalling software should be easy, but when you can not, there may be a few typical suspects. In the case of the Chromium browser, uninstallation problems may be caused by the following:

Malware within the computer
Viruses built into a dubious version of Chromium
Ongoing third-party processes.
Ongoing uninstallation or installations.

Is Chromium malware?

While Chromium is a trustworthy browser, it may become a virus. This is because malware authors who use the name Chromium and utilize Chromium to spread harmful programs on Windows machines may abuse its open-source functionality.

They may thus inject it with vulnerabilities and malicious scripts to propagate infections while disguising it as the official Chromium browser.

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What can I do if I can’t uninstall Chromium?

1. Use an uninstaller software

Before trying any of the steps listed below, you can install a dedicated tool that automatically removes Chromium from your computer.

Uninstaller software is a full-featured utility that can remove any stubborn or malicious software from your PC. They are very user-friendly; you must select the app you want to remove.

Moreover, many uninstaller software integrate some optimization features that keep your PC clean and well-performing

2. Remove Chromium using Control Panel

Click on the Start menu, type control panel, and select the Uninstall a program option.
Select Chromium from the list of programs, then click on the Uninstall option.
Follow the wizard to complete the uninstallation.
Then go to your AppData folder by navigating the path below and deleting the Chromium folder. (Please replace afamo with your user name in the path below).
C:\Users\afamo\AppData\Local
Empty your Recycle Bin to ensure all Chromium files and folders have been completely removed.
Restart your computer.

3. Using the Task Manager

Right-click on the Start menu and select Task Manager.
Right-click on the Chromium process and select Open file location.
Select all the files and press Shift + Delete to delete them permanently.
Once more, open the Task Manager, right-click on Chromium and select End task.

If you are wondering how to uninstall Chromium when it is not showing in the control panel, you should try this Task Manager method.

Do I need Chromium if I have Chrome?

Google Inc. is the company that created and oversees Chrome, a project built on Chromium. Even though it uses the Chromium source code, it has a few more features.

Although Chrome is a free browser, you cannot alter its source code to create new software from it.

However, Chromium is distinct in that you can modify its source code and create new apps using it, and the Chromium Project is in charge of the open-source, free Chromium web browser.

With that in mind, you can utilize both on your computer, depending on your requirements.

Irrespective of the browser solution you choose on your computer, keep in mind that hackers often use browser extensions or add-ons to steal information from your computer or gain control over it.

As a result, locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, select those that look suspicious, and uninstall them. Of course, prevention is better than cure, so uninstalling extensions that seem unsafe is always best.

If you are wondering how to uninstall Chromium on Windows 7, 10, or 11, you will find the fixes in the guide helpful. Also, users searching for how to uninstall Chromium on Raspberry Pi, Ubuntu, Linux, or Mac may attempt manually deleting the Chromium files.

Finally, we recommend using an excellent antivirus to protect your computer against malicious software like a disguised Chromium browser.

Have the above procedures made any difference? Let us know by using the comments area below.