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How you remove XAMPP depends on how it was installed. For an installer-based copy, run XAMPP’s uninstaller; for a ZIP or 7-Zip copy, stop its servers, remove any registered services, and then delete the XAMPP folder. Back up your websites and databases first, because removing the installation can delete them.
1. Stop XAMPP before uninstalling
Open the XAMPP Control Panel, normally located at C:\xampp\xampp-control.exe. The path may differ if you installed XAMPP elsewhere. In the Control Panel, stop each running component, such as Apache, MariaDB, FileZilla, and Mercury, then close the Control Panel.
If the Control Panel will not open, XAMPP provides stop programs and scripts, including C:\xampp\xampp_stop.exe, C:\xampp\apache_stop.bat, C:\xampp\mysql_stop.bat, and C:\xampp\mercury_stop.bat. Apache Friends lists a FileZilla start script, not a corresponding stop script; stop FileZilla from the Control Panel if it is running.
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2. Back up your websites and databases
Copy your website files before removing XAMPP. The usual web-root folder is C:\xampp\htdocs, though the location changes if you chose a different installation folder.
Back up any databases you need, too. XAMPP stores database files under its database data directory, and removing the installation can delete them. A safer backup is an SQL export made with phpMyAdmin or the relevant database command-line tools; copying database files while MariaDB is running can produce an unusable backup.
Keep backups outside the XAMPP folder, such as in Documents or on an external drive, so they are not deleted with the installation. See the Apache Friends Windows FAQ for XAMPP backup and removal guidance.
3. Choose the removal method for your installation
XAMPP for Windows is distributed as an Installer, ZIP archive, or 7-Zip archive, according to the Apache Friends Windows FAQ. Use the method that matches your copy:
| Installation type | Removal method |
|---|---|
| Installer | Run the XAMPP Uninstaller, preferably from Windows or the XAMPP folder. |
| ZIP or 7-Zip | Stop the servers, remove registered services, and delete the XAMPP folder. |
If XAMPP appears in Windows’ installed-program lists, it is likely an installer-based installation. If it is missing, it may be a ZIP or 7-Zip installation.
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Remove an installer-based XAMPP installation
Option 1: Windows 11 Settings
- Open Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for XAMPP.
- Select the three-dot More (…) button beside it.
- Select Uninstall and follow the XAMPP uninstaller prompts.
Microsoft notes that some programs cannot be removed from Settings. If XAMPP is not listed or the uninstall option does not work, use Control Panel or launch the uninstaller directly. See Microsoft’s Windows app removal instructions.
Option 2: Control Panel
- Search the taskbar for Control Panel and open it.
- Select Programs > Programs and Features.
- Right-click XAMPP.
- Select Uninstall or Uninstall/Change.
- Approve the prompts and restart Windows if the uninstaller requests it.
Option 3: Start menu
- Open Start > All apps.
- Find the XAMPP entry.
- Right-click it and select Uninstall.
Windows 11 calls this menu All apps. Older instructions may refer to Start > Programs > XAMPP or All Programs.
Launch the uninstaller from the installation folder
If the Windows shortcut is missing, open the XAMPP installation folder and run C:\xampp\uninstall.exe. The path changes if you installed XAMPP elsewhere. If Windows reports a permissions problem, right-click the uninstaller and choose Run as administrator.
Apache Friends says its uninstaller removes XAMPP registry entries and some services installed by XAMPP. It may leave personal files in the installation directory, so check the folder after the process completes and remove it only after confirming your backups are safe.
Remove a ZIP or 7-Zip installation
ZIP and 7-Zip versions do not create the normal Windows uninstall registration, registry entries, or environment variables that need cleanup, according to the Apache Friends Windows FAQ. Do not delete the folder while servers or services are still active.
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- Stop Apache, MariaDB, FileZilla, and Mercury in the XAMPP Control Panel.
- Exit the Control Panel completely.
- Remove any Windows services you registered from the Control Panel.
- In File Explorer, locate the XAMPP folder, usually C:\xampp.
- Delete the entire folder.
If you extracted the archive elsewhere, delete that actual installation folder instead. ZIP and 7-Zip installations generally do not need an additional Windows registry cleanup step.
Remove XAMPP services that remain registered
Deleting the folder is not enough if Apache or MariaDB was installed as a Windows service. The service registration can remain and make a later reinstall report that Apache or MariaDB is already present.
First try the XAMPP Control Panel with administrator privileges; service operations require elevation. If the Control Panel cannot remove the services, run the applicable XAMPP batch files as administrator:
- C:\xampp\apache\apache_uninstallservice.bat
- C:\xampp\mysql\mysql_uninstallservice.bat
The mysql path is used by XAMPP’s scripts for the MariaDB component. FileZilla service installation and removal is handled through C:\xampp\filezilla_setup.bat. Mercury does not have an XAMPP service-installation script.
If a service remains, open Windows’ service-management console and identify the XAMPP-related service. Remove or disable it only after confirming that it belongs to this installation; do not delete unrelated Apache, MariaDB, or database services used by another application. Apache Friends documents these service steps in its Windows FAQ.
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What to do if the XAMPP folder will not delete
A locked file usually means a process or service is still using the installation. Work through this checklist:
- Reopen the XAMPP Control Panel as administrator.
- Stop Apache, MariaDB, FileZilla, and Mercury.
- Exit the Control Panel.
- Run the Apache and MariaDB uninstall-service batch files if those services were registered.
- Check Windows’ service-management console for remaining XAMPP services.
- Try deleting the folder again.
If access is denied, the Control Panel or batch file may not have been run with administrator privileges. Apache Friends also notes that installing XAMPP under C:\Program Files can restrict edits to htdocs and service operations. Run removal tools as administrator rather than changing permissions unnecessarily.
Verify that XAMPP was removed
- Confirm that the XAMPP folder no longer exists, unless you intentionally retained backed-up files there.
- Check Settings > Apps > Installed apps and Control Panel > Programs and Features for an unwanted XAMPP entry.
- Open the Windows service-management console and confirm that services belonging to the old XAMPP installation are gone.
- Open a browser and check whether http://localhost still loads the old XAMPP site.
If localhost still responds, another web server may be installed and listening on the same port. Removing XAMPP will not remove unrelated Apache, IIS, Nginx, or database installations.
Quick method summary
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| XAMPP appears in Installed apps | Use More (…) > Uninstall, or use Control Panel. |
| XAMPP appears in the Start menu | Use Start > All apps, right-click XAMPP, and choose Uninstall. |
| XAMPP is missing from Windows uninstall lists | Treat it as a ZIP/7-Zip installation: stop components, remove services, and delete its folder. |
| The folder cannot be deleted | Stop all components, exit the Control Panel, remove services with administrator privileges, and try again. |
FAQ
Can I uninstall XAMPP by deleting C:\xampp?
Only for a ZIP or 7-Zip installation, and only after stopping all XAMPP components and removing any services you registered. For an installer-based installation, run XAMPP’s uninstaller first.
Why is XAMPP not listed in Windows 11 Installed apps?
ZIP and 7-Zip installations are portable archives and normally do not create a Windows uninstall entry. Stop the servers, remove registered services, and delete the installation folder instead.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Will uninstalling XAMPP delete my website files and databases?
It can. Back up C:\xampp\htdocs and export or copy the databases before uninstalling. Keep the backups outside the XAMPP folder.
Why does Windows still show Apache or MariaDB after I deleted XAMPP?
The components may have been registered as Windows services. Remove them from the XAMPP Control Panel or run apache_uninstallservice.bat and mysql_uninstallservice.bat as administrator before deleting the folder.
Does XAMPP use MySQL or MariaDB?
XAMPP has shipped MariaDB instead of MySQL since XAMPP 5.5.30 and 5.6.14, according to the Apache Friends Windows FAQ. Its scripts retain legacy names such as mysql_uninstallservice.bat.
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For an installer-based copy, use Settings > Apps > Installed apps > XAMPP > More > Uninstall, or run uninstall.exe from the XAMPP folder. For a ZIP or 7-Zip copy, stop every server, remove registered services, and then delete the installation folder. Back up htdocs and your databases before either method.
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