How to uninstall/remove orphaned Edge PWAs listed in "Apps & features"

Question

Hi folks,

I installed a few web apps (PWA) using an Edge Dev channel build at some point, I think. Those apps show up in Windows 10 Settings' "Apps & features" (A&F) list. But I no longer run Edge Dev on this computer (I run Edge stable.) It appears a few of the apps got their A&F listing orphaned at some point, perhaps when I switched to stable? If I click "Uninstall" on one of these in A&F list, I get the following error about Edge Dev's msedge_proxy.exe being missing:

I tried reinstalling Edge Dev, thinking restoring msedge_proxy.exe might let me remove these, and then clicking "Uninstall" launches a UAC prompt for msedge_proxy.exe, but if I accept, nothing else happens. The app listing's still not removed.

How do I remove the orphaned app listings manually? And is this problem of any concern to Edge stable... does uninstalling Edge stable cause apps to get orphaned in the A&F list?

Answer 1

Hi Wade. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, and Volunteer Moderator, here to help you.

If you want to try to surgically remove them here is the installed file location for new Edge Extensions/Web apps, under Figure 8:

https://www.group-ib.com/blog/forensics_edge

You will probably need to take ownership first. Use this handy right click shortcut:

https://www.askvg.com/add-take-ownership-option...

If that doesn't work delete the folders from Command prompt at boot when WIndows has no defenses using this same method:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Set a System Restore point. System Restore is your first line of defense if Windows ever malfunctions as it can run even from recovery media to get you back before a problem started. It should always be turned on C drive with plenty of disk space (5-15%) configured. Here's how to check and when necessary how to run System Restore: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you'll wait to rate whether my post resolved your problem, I will keep working with you until it's resolved. 

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