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HOTS Tools Handy OS Tools Suite
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v1.0 · Available now · Windows 10/11 (64-bit)

Uninstall it properly — leftovers included.

Windows’ own uninstall removes a program and quietly leaves the rest behind: folders in AppData, registry keys, services, shortcuts. HOTS Uninstaller does the whole job. It runs the program’s own uninstaller, scans for what was left behind and lets you review and remove it. Nothing is deleted behind your back.

Download HOTS Uninstaller Browse the code How to install
GPLv3 · free & open source 🔒 No telemetry · no ads No account needed EN · PL · FR · DE · ES
Free download, no trial, no hidden costs · Windows will ask to confirm admin rights on first run · SmartScreen may warn about a new app — see why

Click a screenshot to enlarge.

# what's inside

Six tools, one clean window

Everything you need to get a program off your PC and keep Windows tidy — and every cleanup shows you a list first.

Programs & Uninstalling

A full list of what’s installed, and a proper uninstall for each entry.

  • Full program list — search and sort, with a one-click uninstall that can create a restore point first
  • Leftover scan — finds folders, files, registry keys, services and shortcuts that probably belonged to the program. You choose what to delete
  • Ghost entries and portable programs — remove entries whose uninstaller is gone, or (optionally) portable apps from the right-click menu

Windows Apps

Microsoft Store (UWP) apps, in one list.

  • Store apps in one list — grouped into Microsoft apps and other publishers
  • One-click uninstall — protected system apps are clearly marked and can’t be removed
  • Warnings for components that other parts of Windows depend on

Startup Manager

See what launches with Windows — and switch it off without uninstalling anything.

  • Everything that starts with Windows — registry keys, Startup folders, scheduled tasks, services and Store app startup
  • Disable and re-enable without uninstalling — fully reversible, using the same flag as Task Manager
  • Remove entries permanently; system services and services of installed programs are never touched

Junk Files

19 categories of junk — and nothing is deleted until you confirm.

  • 19 categories — temp files, Windows Update cache, crash dumps, logs, browser and app caches, the Recycle Bin and more
  • Scan, review, confirm — nothing is deleted automatically
  • Optional Recycle Bin mode — files in use and protected locations are always skipped, and a summary shows the space freed

Install Monitor

Know exactly what an installer adds — before you need to remove it.

  • Drop an installer (.exe or .msi) onto the window — the app records the registry, file, service and task changes it makes
  • Used automatically later — when you uninstall that program, the saved log makes the cleanup precise
  • Clean results — Windows’ own background noise is filtered out, and the list can be exported to a text file

Registry Backups & History

A way back if something turns out to be needed.

  • Backed up first — every registry key removed as a leftover is saved and can be restored with one click
  • Integrity-checked — an altered backup won’t be restored; up to 50 are kept
  • Uninstall history — removed programs and their logs are kept for 3 months
🌗 Dark & Light themes — switch anytime 🎨 5 accent colors — Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Orange 🌐 5 languages — EN, PL, FR, DE, ES (starts in your Windows language when supported) 🔄 Built-in update checker — checks GitHub Releases on startup, can be switched off in Options → About 🧹 Uninstall wizard — keep or delete saved settings, history, monitor logs and registry backups 🪟 Mica backdrop on Windows 11 · remembers window size and position
# why

Windows’ uninstall vs. HOTS Uninstaller

HOTS Uninstaller doesn’t replace a program’s own uninstaller. It runs it, then goes after what it left behind.

the usual way

Windows’ own uninstall

Removes the program and quietly leaves the rest.

  • Folders left behind in AppData
  • Registry keys that stay
  • Services that keep sitting there
  • Shortcut traces
what this adds

HOTS Uninstaller · v1.0

The same uninstall, plus the cleanup it skips.

  • Runs the program’s own uninstaller first, with an optional restore point
  • Scans for leftover files, registry keys, services and shortcut history
  • You review the list and tick what to remove — scan results start unchecked
  • Registry keys are backed up before removal
  • Install Monitor records an installer’s changes, so the later cleanup is precise
# safety

An uninstaller deletes things — so this one is careful

It runs with administrator rights, so the app is deliberately cautious. That said, removing the wrong thing can still break a program. Keep the restore-point option on for anything important.

👀
Review first — Nothing is removed without a review step and your confirmation.
💾
Backups before deletion — Registry keys are backed up first, and backups are integrity-checked before they can be restored.
🛡
Off-limits — System-critical folders and registry keys are always off-limits, as are links and junctions. A service can only be removed once its program is already gone — never a system service or one that belongs to an installed program.
☑️
You choose what goes — Scan results start unchecked, so nothing is selected for you.
🔒
Validated data — The data folder, backups and logs are validated before the elevated app reads or deletes anything, so another program can’t redirect it to other files.
📡
No phoning home — The only network request the app makes on its own is the optional update check against GitHub Releases. No telemetry, no account, no ads.
# faq

Questions people actually ask

Where do I download it?
From the Releases page on GitHub, or with the download button at the top of this page, which always points to the latest version.
Can it delete something I need?
It’s built to make that hard: nothing is removed without a review step and your confirmation, scan results start unchecked so you choose what goes, and protected system folders and registry keys are always skipped. Still, removing the wrong thing can break a program, so keep the restore-point option on for anything important.
Can I undo a removal?
Every registry key removed as a leftover is backed up first, and you can restore it with one click from the registry backups (up to 50 are kept). Review the file list before you confirm, and keep the restore-point option on for anything important.
What is the Install Monitor for?
It records exactly what an installer adds to your system before you need to uninstall it. The result is saved and used automatically when you later uninstall that program, so the cleanup is precise instead of guesswork.
Does it collect data or phone home?
No. There’s no telemetry, no account and no ads. The only network request the app makes on its own is the optional update check against GitHub Releases at startup, which you can switch off in Options → About.
Why does it need administrator rights?
Removing programs and editing protected parts of the registry requires them, so Windows asks for your permission when the app starts. A small independent project without a paid code-signing certificate may also trigger the SmartScreen “Windows protected your PC” warning — click More info → Run anyway. That’s expected for any new, unsigned app. Because the program runs elevated, its install folder is writable only by administrators.
Is it actually open source?
Yes. It’s released under GPLv3 and the full source code is on GitHub, so you can read what it does before giving it administrator rights.
How do I update it?
Just run the new installer — there’s no need to uninstall first. It updates the program in place and keeps your settings and history, which are stored outside the install folder.
Which Windows versions are supported?
Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit.
# get started

Install it in a minute

A standard Windows setup wizard — nothing to configure.

Run the installer

Recommended · Windows 10/11, 64-bit

  • 1Download HOTS_Uninstaller_setup.exe from the Releases page
  • 2Double-click — UAC will ask for Administrator permission (the app needs it to remove programs and edit the registry)
  • 3Follow the setup wizard. Done. Two optional extras are offered, both off by default: a desktop icon and the “Remove with HOTS” right-click entry
About the SmartScreen warning

HOTS Uninstaller is a small independent project without a paid code-signing certificate, so Windows may show “Windows protected your PC” the first time you run it. That’s expected for any new unsigned app that hasn’t built up a download history yet — it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with the file. Click More info → Run anyway.

🖥 Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit

• Administrator permission — the app removes programs and edits the registry

• 5 interface languages: EN, PL, FR, DE, ES — it starts in your Windows language when supported

• An optional restore point is created before uninstalling (on by default)

❤️ Support the project

Hi, I’m Darsono. I build and maintain HOTS Uninstaller, and it’s free to use. If you like it and it makes your work easier, you can support its development. Any amount, even a small one, helps me keep developing it. I’d be truly grateful.

PayPal Ko-fi hots.support@gmail.com

📄 License & disclaimer

Released under the GNU GPLv3. Provided in good faith but without any warranty. Uninstalling programs and deleting files and registry entries can affect how Windows and other software work — review every list before you confirm, and use the restore-point option for anything important. You use this software at your own risk.

© 2026 Darsono

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Free and open source, released under GPLv3. No data is collected or sent anywhere, and there are no ads.

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