Windows 10: Remove uninstalled apps that show up on Windows Search

When using the Start Menu to search something that has been uninstalled, it still shows up there. It does nothing when pressed, and right-clicking doesn't work, even after reinstalling the app.

The apps are present for all users.

I tried searching for the links in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, but didn't find anything.

I also deleted the search index and disabled the indexation service; it had no effect.

As a last resort, I tried nuking every path/key that contained the application's name in the registry. I thought I was onto something when I found multiple infracting apps under a certain key, but deleting them proved useless (also, I'm sorry I can't find the key's name; it was something of a non-UWP app listing for the start menu, specifically).

I missed listing CCleaner, but I did run it.

I did reboot multiple times after trying each method, but it's always still there. The issue is, even when Skype is installed and there is a proper link in the Programs folder, if I press the Windows key and type Skype, the search result simply doesn't start it. Only if I manually scroll down to the Skype folder in the start menu and use the link inside it I can get it to start. I also can't right click it.

:)

 

Uninstalled apps still showing in search and windows store update Windows 10

Hi All,

I have uninstalled few apps in my windows 10. After that I have restarted PC.

When I search the app in search I am able to see the app and in windows store it is showing that app update available .

How can I remove this from search and store update.

Regards

Koti

 

Windows 10 update to version 1607

Windows 10 update runs and says I must delete an incompatible app call 'DesignationCardManager' by doing a manual uninstall.

I was unable to locate this app on my computer, it didn't show up in the installed programs. I also ran Revo Uninstall Pro and it didn't show up there either.

I reinstalled the app and ran uninstall from programs and features. Restarted the PC and still getting the response from windows update that I need to manually uninstall this app.

I reinstalled the app again, ran Revo Uninstaller and removed the app and any legacy info in the registry.

Restarted the PC again and Windows update is still telling me I need to remove this app.

Please help

 

Can you clarify- when you say apps, do you mean universal apps like MS's Photos, Groove etc, or traditionally installed desktop programs?

The former do not use the registry, exe's or dlls, the latter do.

You mention Skype - there is both a Skype universal app and a Skype desktop program. To which are you referring?

How are you uninstalling these programs? From the Start menu, rt click the shortcut, click Uninstall?

 

I mean desktop apps. Here's a gif: Gfycat GIFs GIF | Create, Discover and Share on Gfycat

In the gif I shared, I try to both right-click and left-click. You can see nothing happens.

It clearly says "Desktop App" under the Skype name, it's just in Portuguese.

It's not the only app to which this is happening, I have a couple others. It seems random.

I uninstalled them using Apps & features and/or using Revo Uninstaller. However, the issue appeared the first time whilst Skype was installed. In retrospective, I should've named the thread "Random app search results do not work".

Right now Skype IS installed, and it still shows the behaviour you can see in the gif. If I uninstall it, the same thing will happen, as it is happening with other apps (right now StarCraft is the only one I can tell, but there might be more that I can't recall).

 

I'm not quite sure why this was moved.

This is clearly an issue with Windows Search/Start Menu. The apps are properly uninstalled and they don't seem to be the cause of the problems.

 

You can try this:
Start Menu Troubleshooter in Windows 10 Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

And as a troubleshooting approach you can also try downloading and installing Classic Start Menu (free).
This is an excellent and reliable program which behaves intuitively.

Using that, see if you still see any of the shortcuts you believe should not be there. If they are, rt clicking them should give you more options to find what and where they are.

To return to normal Win 10 just rt click its start button, click exit.

Also, you can try creating a new user for test purposes, and see if you have the same problems with that user. If not, it suggests something related to your current user account.

 

By Classic Start Menu, do you mean this?

Also, I did mention on the original topic that the issue is present in all user accounts.

The Start Menu diagnostic cab did not find any issue.

 

So, I installed Classic Shell. The unwanted/uninstalled apps do not show up under the All Programs list, nor do they show up when searching by their name.

Exiting back to the regular Start Menu shows the same erratic behaviour.

 

Interesting- tends to suggest that wherever these shortcuts are, they aren't in the normal folders... as your earlier search of them found.

App Menu iconsshortcuts remaining after uninstalling the program - Microsoft Community

If that doesn't help, you could try installing a free search program such as Ultrasearch, Locate32 or Everything (these are such useful tools, often mentioned here- instant find as you type results anywhere on your disks) and see if they can find your shortcuts. (They need a short time to build an index).

Note the 3 locations in this:
Add or Remove Items for All Apps in Start menu in Windows 10 Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

 

Hey there,

I have searched in the 3 locations indicated in that tutorial, already. The fact that it shows up for all users in the local machine suggests it's not in a User folder/setting, so the MS Community tip was lackluster.

The search programs did not locate anything.

 

You could try these reset ideas- whether they will help I can't possibly say.
How to reset the Start menu layout in Windows 10 - Winaero
How to backup or reset the start menu in Windows 10 - gHacks Tech News
How to fix your Windows 10 start menu (reset tile database) - Spiceworks

Note some of these seem more directed at tiles.

Sorry, no more ideas. P.S. I don't use Win10's start menu... look what it does to my nested menus with sub-sub folders..




- those are all in the folders the relevant program created when it was installed. And you've probably guessed- I use Classic Shell start menu to avoid all these snags.

 

The thing is, altough it seems to be a rogue start menu entry, if I manually browse through the start menu entries, I will not find the app... I only get the issue if I type in the app's name, in which I'll get a broken match (which probably suggests it's related to Windows Search).

 

See reset ideas in amended post above- just check carefully if that seems appropriate.

If you've rebuilt the search index, that leaves the possibility there's some sort of other cache, I suppose.

If you use search from Classic Shell (which also can use the Windows search database), does that find any of them?

Another approach might be to try to reset Cortana related data.
Clear Personal Data and Information from Cortana Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
Perhaps option 5 - it's just a guess though.

 

There's an interesting hint here:
Force a rebuild of the start menu program index/database in Windows 10 - Super User

Originally MS set a silly limit of 512 items that can be indexed on the start menu. That was raised to 2048.

The fact that there is a limit also may suggest a separate database.