How to Completely Uninstall MySQL on Windows

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for removing MySQL Server and all associated components from your Windows system.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the uninstall process, ensure you have:

• Administrative privileges on your Windows system
• Backed up any important databases or configuration files you wish to retain

 

Step 1: Stop and Remove the MySQL Service

First, you need to stop the MySQL service and remove it from Windows services.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".
2. Execute the following commands:

net stop MySQL

sc delete MySQL

Note: If your MySQL service has a different name (such as MySQL80 or MySQL57), replace "MySQL" in the commands above with the actual service name.

 

Step 2: Uninstall MySQL Through Control Panel

Remove the MySQL application using the Windows uninstaller.

1. Open Control Panel and navigate to Programs and Features (or Add or Remove Programs).
2. Locate MySQL or MySQL Server in the list of installed programs.
3. Right-click on the entry and select Uninstall, then follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation.

 

Step 3: Delete MySQL Data Directories

Remove all remaining MySQL files and folders from your system.

First, ensure hidden files and folders are visible:

• Open File Explorer, click the View tab, and check Hidden items.

Then delete the following directories if they exist:

• C:\Program Files\MySQL
• C:\Program Files (x86)\MySQL
• C:\ProgramData\MySQL
• C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\MySQL

Replace [YourUsername] with your actual Windows username.

 

Step 4: Clean the Windows Registry

Remove MySQL entries from the Windows Registry.

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following location:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MySQL AB

3. Right-click on the MySQL AB folder (or specific MySQL Server version key) and select Delete.

⚠️ Warning: Exercise caution when modifying the Windows Registry. Deleting incorrect registry keys can cause system instability. Consider creating a registry backup before making changes.

 

Step 5: Remove Environment Variables

Delete any MySQL-related environment variables.

1. Right-click on This PC (or My Computer) and select Properties.
2. Click Advanced system settings on the left panel.
3. In the System Properties window, click the Environment Variables button.
4. Review both the User variables and System variables sections.
5. Delete any MySQL-related entries, such as variables pointing to MySQL bin directories or MySQL-specific paths.

 

Step 6: Restart Your Computer

Restart your system to ensure all changes take effect and any lingering processes are terminated.

Verification

After restarting, you can verify the complete removal by:

• Checking that the MySQL service no longer appears in the Services application (services.msc)
• Confirming that the directories listed in Step 3 no longer exist
• Verifying that MySQL does not appear in Programs and Features

MySQL should now be completely removed from your Windows system.