Can I delete an unwanted app folder from Program Files (x86)

Question

My Program Files contain a bunch of unwanted files that I don't want to retain on my PC as they take ton of disk space. For example, I have a brave software folder which takes up over a GB of disk space. Now, the thing is, that I do not use Brave anymore (and have already deleted the app) and I wish to delete that file. Is it okay to delete it without causing harm to other software?

[Also, before I thought of posting a question, I already deleted two McAfee folders from Program Files (x86). So far, my PC is running fine(like, I don't see any noticeable changes to other softwares)]

~Thanks

Answer 1

Deleting leftover files and folders from uninstalled programs is generally safe and can help reclaim disk space. However, it's important to proceed with caution to ensure you don't accidentally delete files that are still needed by other software or the operating system.

• Before making significant changes, it's a good idea to back up important data. This way, if something goes wrong, you can restore your system to its previous state.
• Avoid deleting files or folders if you are unsure about their purpose. Some files in Program Files or Program Files (x86) might be shared by multiple applications or required by the operating system.
• You can use built-in tools like Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files and other unnecessary system files.
  • Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr, and press Enter.
  • Select the drive you want to clean, usually C:.
  • Check the types of files you want to delete, such as Temporary files, Downloaded Program Files, etc.
  • Click OK and then Delete Files.

Answer 2

The short answer is yes, you should be fine. Emphasis on should.

The longer answer is that during the installation a bunch of things can happen. Files are copied, registry keys set, maybe a service gets installed. The very same installer (.msi) that did all those things should revert everything during deinstallation. Remove files, delete registry keys, stop and remove services, etc. But as you can see, that isn't always the case.

I would assume that you uninstalled Brave as described here. In that case I would imagine that the remaining files are either browser data, plug-ins or similar stuff that didn't get deleted. That's just a guess though.

To summarize: As long as you uninstall via uninstaller (right-click on .msi and choose "Uninstall" or go to the "Add or remove programs" dialogue and uninstall from there, which is basically the same) first, you should be good to remove remaining artifacts manually afterwards.