Why Uninstall Altium Designer Completely?

There are several reasons you may want to do a clean uninstall of Altium Designer:

• You’re experiencing issues with the software and want to start fresh with a new installation
• You no longer need the program and want to free up disk space
• You’re selling or giving away your computer and need to remove licensed software
• You’re upgrading to a new version and want to remove old files first

Whatever the reason, following the steps below will help ensure Altium Designer is thoroughly removed.

Preparing for Uninstallation

Before beginning the uninstall process, there are a few preparatory steps to take:

1. Close Altium Designer: Make sure the program is not currently running. Close it if it’s open.

2. Disconnect from the Altium Vault: If you use the Altium Vault to store design data, disconnect from it. Go to File > Vault Connection > Disconnect from Vault.

3. Back up custom libraries and templates: If you’ve created custom component libraries, template files, or other design assets you want to keep, back them up to an external location. By default, these files are stored in:

   • Libraries: C:\Users\Public\Documents\Altium\Library
   • Templates: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Altium\AD{version}\Templates

4. Log in as an administrator: To fully remove all Altium files, you’ll need administrator privileges. Log out and log back in as an admin before proceeding.

Uninstalling from the Control Panel

The first step is to uninstall Altium Designer from the Windows Control Panel. This will remove the program itself but may leave behind some additional files and registry entries.

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Click on “Programs and Features” (or “Apps & features” in newer versions of Windows)
3. Locate Altium Designer in the list of installed programs, click on it, and select “Uninstall”
4. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the uninstallation

Depending on the Altium Designer version, there may be multiple entries to uninstall, such as “Altium Designer Viewer” or “Altium Designer Satellite”. Be sure to remove these as well.

Finding and Removing Leftover Files

After uninstalling from the Control Panel, some Altium files and folders may still remain on your system. To find and delete them:

1. Open File Explorer and go to the C: drive
2. Search for “Altium”

3. Delete any Altium folders found in these locations:

   • C:\Program Files\Altium
   • C:\ProgramData\Altium
   • C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Altium
   • C:\Users\{username}\AppData\LocalLow\Altium
   • C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Altium
   • C:\Users\{username}\Documents\Altium
   • C:\Users\Public\Documents\Altium

Note: Be careful not to delete your backed up custom libraries and templates.

1. Empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete the files

Editing the Windows Registry

Some Altium registry entries may still persist after removing the program files. Editing the registry to delete these entries will complete the uninstallation.

Caution: Modifying the Windows registry can cause serious issues if done incorrectly. Only attempt these steps if you’re comfortable editing the registry.

1. Open the Registry Editor by pressing Win+R, typing “regedit”, and clicking OK

2. Navigate to each of the following registry paths and delete the “Altium” subkey:

   • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Altium
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altium
   • HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Altium
   • HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Altium

3. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and delete any keys starting with “Altium”

4. Close the Registry Editor

Restarting and Cleaning Up

After deleting Altium files and registry keys, restart your computer for all changes to take effect. Then use Windows Disk Cleanup to remove any lingering temporary files:

1. Open File Explorer and right-click the C: drive
2. Select “Properties”
3. Click the “Disk Clean-up” button
4. Select the files to remove (e.g. temporary files, downloaded program files) and click OK

Verifying the Uninstallation

To verify Altium Designer has been completely uninstalled:

1. Check the Apps & Features page in the Control Panel to confirm Altium is gone
2. Search for “Altium” in File Explorer to verify no program files remain
3. Open the Registry Editor and check that Altium keys have been deleted
4. Try to run Altium Designer – if thoroughly uninstalled, it should no longer launch

If Altium Designer is no longer present in any of these checks, the uninstallation is complete. You can now safely reinstall the software or free up the disk space as desired.

Troubleshooting

Uninstaller Doesn’t Run

If you can’t uninstall Altium Designer from the Control Panel, the uninstaller may be corrupted. You can try reinstalling the software and then uninstalling. Or use a third-party uninstaller tool to forcibly remove the program.

Can’t Delete Registry Keys

If you get an error trying to delete Altium registry keys, they may be in use by a background process or protected by Windows. Restart your computer and try again. If keys are protected, try taking ownership of them before deleting.

Files Reappear After Deletion

Rarely, Altium files may regenerate after being deleted. This indicates a background process is still running. Restart your computer, end any Altium processes in Task Manager, and delete the files again.

FAQ

Can I uninstall Altium Designer from the executable?

No, running the Altium Designer executable (AltiumDesigner.exe) launches the program, it doesn’t uninstall it. You must uninstall from the Control Panel or a third-party uninstaller.

Will uninstalling remove my Altium license?

Uninstalling the software itself won’t remove the Altium license, which is tied to your account. However, it will free up the seat on that machine so you can install again without hitting your license limit.

Do I need to deactivate my Altium license before uninstalling?

No, you don’t need to manually deactivate the license before uninstalling. The uninstallation will automatically free up the license seat. But you can go to your Altium account portal and deactivate the license if desired.

Should I remove the Altium Vault when uninstalling?

If other users share the same Altium Vault, do not uninstall it when removing Altium Designer on your machine. Only uninstall the Vault if you’re sure no one else needs it.

Can I keep my custom libraries when uninstalling?

Yes, custom libraries, templates, and other design files you’ve created are stored separate from the main program files. Back them up from their default locations before uninstalling. You can restore them after reinstalling Altium Designer.

Conclusion

A thorough uninstallation of Altium Designer involves removing it from the Control Panel, deleting leftover program files, and editing registry keys. Following the steps in this guide will completely erase the software from your system.

While the process may seem involved, it’s necessary to eliminate all traces of Altium and avoid conflicts with future installations. With the software fully uninstalled, you’ll regain disk space and have a clean slate for installing a new version or different PCB design tools.

Remember to always back up custom design assets before uninstalling and carefully edit the registry to avoid unintended issues. If you encounter any troubles, consult Altium support or a trusted IT resource for further assistance.

Step	Description
1	Close Altium Designer and disconnect from Vault
2	Back up custom libraries and templates
3	Log in as an administrator
4	Uninstall Altium Designer from the Control Panel
5	Delete leftover Altium files and folders
6	Edit the registry to remove Altium keys
7	Restart the computer and run Disk Cleanup
8	Verify Altium has been completely uninstalled

Table 1: Thorough Altium Designer Uninstallation Steps