Uninstalling ArcGIS for Desktop

The ArcGIS software components can be easily uninstalled. Regardless of the software product type installed, the Add/Remove program item will be listed as ArcGIS for Desktop.

Selecting ArcGIS 10.1 Desktop from the Add/Remove Programs dialog box provides the options to uninstall (Remove All) or add and remove installation components. For information on adding or removing installation components, see Adding ArcGIS for Desktop installation components.

Uninstalling ArcGIS for Desktop products

1. Windows Server 2003, go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs; on Windows XP, go to Start > Control Panel and double-click Add or Remove Programs; on Windows Vista or Windows 7, go to Start > Control Panel (switch to Classic View, if necessary) then Programs and Features.
2. Select ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop from the Programs list.
3. Select Remove to uninstall ArcGIS for Desktop from your machine.

To uninstall ArcGIS for Desktop language packs, follow the steps above. Instead of selecting ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop, select the ArcGIS for Desktop language pack that you want to remove. If multiple ArcGIS for Desktop language packs are installed, each language pack must be uninstalled separately.

Uninstalling Python

When Python is installed by the ArcGIS for Desktop setup, it will be uninstalled when you uninstall ArcGIS for Desktop.

How to perform an uninstallation of ArcGIS for Desktop silently

To uninstall a product silently, use the following Windows Installer command:

msiexec /x <{product code}> /qb

For example, to uninstall ArcGIS for Desktop 10.1 silently, use the following command line:

msiexec.exe /x {6C8365F4-1102-4064-B696-68842D20B933} /qb

How to perform an uninstallation of ArcGIS for Desktop language packs silently

To uninstall ArcGIS for Desktop language packs silently, replace the above product code with the product code of the language pack to be uninstalled. Language pack product codes are listed in the table below:

ArcGIS for Desktop Chinese language pack	{0EF95F56-858C-4E1B-A402-09721A944E24}
ArcGIS for Desktop French language pack	{311DA2E4-3B6A-464F-8987-C4AAE6B9386D}
ArcGIS for Desktop German language pack	{A761207A-1C66-40B4-A7FD-EF4A4BE530A5}
ArcGIS for Desktop Italian language pack	{958028A4-352F-4689-A048-9A4009F585D6}
ArcGIS for Desktop Japanese language pack	{96B69C6B-A945-4983-A5D3-92B0E14DBF8F}
ArcGIS for Desktop Brazilian Portuguese language pack	{9006CE4B-C2A6-4988-BFFA-10220EF30735}
ArcGIS for Desktop Russian language pack	{3415F094-5ED8-4B1B-B901-FD3CAF6B3120}
ArcGIS for Desktop Spanish language pack	{676A699C-5EFD-458F-B226-81502992784F}

Any ArcGIS product can be uninstalled silently using the product code. The Knowledge Base article 28709 is updated and available with the product codes for ArcGIS releases.