Whether you are removing AnyDesk for good, clearing out a suspicious copy, or preparing a genuinely fresh install, a half uninstall leaves services, settings and your old ID behind. This is the complete removal, the same foundation the video starts from — done properly.
A normal uninstall removes the program but keeps its configuration — which is why 'reinstalled' AnyDesk often remembers everything, including its old ID and settings. A complete uninstall removes the configuration too. Know the honest trade-off before you start: a fresh install receives a new AnyDesk ID, so any whitelist approval tied to the old ID is lost and unattended-access settings must be set up again. If that is acceptable, here is the full job.
👆 The uninstaller's own checkbox is the step most people miss — it decides whether your settings and ID survive the removal.
appwiz.cpl and press Enter — Programs and Features opensThe uninstaller is good, but verify. Open File Explorer and check these locations; delete an AnyDesk folder only if one remains:
%appdata%, Enter — look for an AnyDesk folder (per-user settings)%programdata% — the service-side configuration lives here (files such as service.conf and system.conf)C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk — it should already be goneIf a file refuses to delete, the AnyDesk service may still be running: open services.msc, stop the AnyDesk Service, then delete. Never delete these folders while planning to keep the install — they ARE the install's identity and settings.
anydesk.com — never from a video description link, file host or "old version" archiveAnd the honesty note that belongs on this page: a clean reinstall is the right fix for a damaged or suspicious installation. It is not a licensing answer — if the popup appeared because your use is commercial, the fresh ID will be judged on the same usage, and the popup's return is a matter of time.
The full AnyDesk popup video — every step shown live, step-by-step.
▶️ Watch Full VideoIt deletes AnyDesk's stored settings — your AnyDesk ID registration, security and unattended-access settings, and local configuration files in the AppData and ProgramData folders. The next install starts as a brand-new device with a new ID.
It may be running as a portable copy rather than an installed one. Close it from the system tray, delete the downloaded AnyDesk executable, and check services.msc for an AnyDesk service — if one exists, the installed copy's uninstaller in appwiz.cpl is the right route. A full antivirus scan is wise if you do not remember installing it at all.
No — and any guide promising that is misleading you. The popup is driven by how the service judges your usage. A fresh install gets a fresh ID, but the same usage pattern can be flagged again. Personal users should use the whitelist request; commercial users need a license or a different tool.