> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.grunt.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Windows uninstall

> Silently uninstall Grunt from Windows in managed environments, regardless of the installed version

This page covers how to silently remove Grunt from Windows machines in managed deployment scenarios such as Intune or SCCM.

## The version mismatch problem

The standard MSI uninstall command requires the exact MSI file that was used to install Grunt:

```bash theme={null}
msiexec /x grunt-<version>-x64.msi /qn
```

This works only as long as the installed version matches the MSI file. If a user updates Grunt through the built-in updater, the installed `ProductCode` changes and the uninstall command for the old version no longer matches. The result is a silent failure — the uninstall exits without removing anything.

## Version-independent uninstall using UpgradeCode

The reliable approach is to look up the currently installed Grunt package by its `UpgradeCode` and uninstall the matching `ProductCode`. The `UpgradeCode` stays the same across all Grunt versions, so this method works regardless of which version the user is running.

### Grunt UpgradeCode

| Architecture | UpgradeCode                              |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| x64          | `{E98C1BF9-9AF8-47CF-940B-14F8937CED83}` |

### PowerShell script

The following script finds and uninstalls the installed Grunt package using the Windows Installer COM object:

```powershell theme={null}
$upgradeCode = "{E98C1BF9-9AF8-47CF-940B-14F8937CED83}"
$installer = New-Object -ComObject WindowsInstaller.Installer
$relatedProducts = @($installer.RelatedProducts($upgradeCode))

foreach ($productCode in $relatedProducts) {
    Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList "/x $productCode /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress" -Wait
}
```

This script:

1. Queries the Windows Installer database for any product registered under the Grunt `UpgradeCode`
2. Retrieves the `ProductCode` of the installed version
3. Runs `msiexec /x` against that `ProductCode` to perform a silent uninstall

<Info>
  Because Grunt uses a per-user installation model by default, this script must run in the **user context**. If you are using PSADT, use `Execute-ProcessAsUser` (v3) or `Start-ADTMsiProcessAsUser` (v4) to run the uninstall as the logged-in user.
</Info>

### PSADT v3 example

```powershell theme={null}
# Save the script to a temporary location
$uninstallScript = @'
$upgradeCode = "{E98C1BF9-9AF8-47CF-940B-14F8937CED83}"
$installer = New-Object -ComObject WindowsInstaller.Installer
$relatedProducts = @($installer.RelatedProducts($upgradeCode))
foreach ($productCode in $relatedProducts) {
    Start-Process "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList "/x $productCode /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress" -Wait
}
'@

$scriptPath = "$envProgramData\Grunt_Uninstall\Uninstall-Grunt.ps1"
New-Item -Path (Split-Path $scriptPath) -ItemType Directory -Force
$uninstallScript | Set-Content -Path $scriptPath -Force

Execute-ProcessAsUser -Path "powershell.exe" -Parameters "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File `"$scriptPath`"" -Wait

Remove-Folder -Path "$envProgramData\Grunt_Uninstall\"
```

## Why not uninstall by MSI file

Uninstalling with `msiexec /x <file>.msi` ties the uninstall to a specific Grunt version. If the user has updated Grunt since the original deployment, the MSI file no longer matches the installed product and the uninstall silently fails. The `UpgradeCode` approach avoids this by dynamically resolving the correct `ProductCode` at uninstall time.

## Manual uninstall

Users can always remove Grunt through **Settings > Apps > Installed apps** (Windows 11) or **Control Panel > Programs and Features** (Windows 10). This works regardless of version because Windows resolves the correct uninstaller automatically.