How To Uninstall Adobe AIR (Windows)

by on Nov 19, 2008 | 20 comments

Situation: You use an app that requires Adobe AIR but decide you don’t want it anymore and uninstall it. The app was easily removed by going to Add/Remove Programs, but AIR is still installed and there appears to be no way to uninstall it.

Update: The latest version of AIR does have an Add/Remove entry after installation but older versions do not. If you’re running an older version, read below for how to uninstall AIR.

Can you uninstall Adobe AIR completely?

Yes.

Perform the following steps.

1. Uninstall all AIR apps first.

Being that you’re not going to use AIR anymore, uninstall any app that uses it. You most likely know which apps these are, and they can all be uninstalled via Add/Remove.

2. Download the AIR intstaller executable file.

Available here: http://get.adobe.com/air/

The file downloaded will be AdobeAIRInstaller.exe. Download this direct to the desktop. You’ll understand why in a moment.

Note: If you run this file by double-clicking it, all it will do is update your existing AIR installation but not uninstall it.

3. Launch a Command Prompt.

Click Start, then Run, type cmd and click OK.

You get something that will look similar to this.

image

4. Type cd Desktop and press Enter.

It looks like this:

image

5. Type the following command exactly as shown:

AdobeAirInstaller.exe -uninstall

It looks like this:

image

You must type it exactly as shown, then press Enter.

Adobe AIR will then be uninstalled from your computer.

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  • http://www.twitter.com/andrewpearce Drew

    5. Type the following command exactly as shown:
    AdobeAirInstaller.exe -uninstall
    It looks like this: *screenshot*

    The “air” in “AdobeAirInstaller” in the screenshot is capitalized, yet the command to be typed in isn’t. As the screenshot isn’t exactly the same as what’s meant to be typed in, will this make a difference?

    I’m guessing not, but figured I’d check to be sure, as this is a really cool tip (one I’ll be making use of actually)

  • Rod York

    Hello,

    I have a problem where Adobe air doesn’t uninstall through Program Features -Vista. I tried your fix through the command prompt. I get a short return when it loads but fininshes with
    C:\users\Rod York\Desktop>Uninstalling Adobe Air failed

    I’m not sure where the log is to give you that info. I’ve looked in system 32 but no text logs under log files
    can you help please?

    Kind Regards
    Rod York

    • Rod York

      Hello again,
      I found that after following your advice above -the uninstall through Program Features was now live and it uninstalled in 5 seconds.

      Thanks for the info
      Regards

  • Arnie W

    this is what I got, still can’t get rid of it. I don’t know where to look for a log.

    C:\Documents and Settings\Jan\Desktop>AdobeAirInstaller.exe -uninstall

    C:\Documents and Settings\Jan\Desktop>Uninstalling Adobe AIR (all versions)
    failed (consult log)

  • Arnie W

    I found another way. Since I already downloaded the installer to the desktop. I just installed the latest version and then used the control panel to uninstall the program. its gone for me.

  • http://www.forfreedom.ws Affiliate Marketing for Dummies

    Arnie, I had this same problem but I tried it with the windows Vista “User Account Control” set to OFF and it worked first time.

    Hope this helps
    Neil

  • deniz

    Thank you very much. it works!

  • EC

    I used this in Xp and found that nothing happened if I just waited and eventually closed the DOS window with the mouse. However, if I typed exit in the DOS window and then hit the enter key, that seemed to trigger the uninstall. Thanks for the tip!

  • Posby

    On XP, this fails with the error as described above, and no indication of where any log is. Simply running the installer and trying to install the latest version also fails. None of the suggested workarounds work.

  • Jeff

    I’m trying this in Windows 2000. When I hit “enter” it just goes to the command line, but I do see hard drive activity. However, I still see Adobe Air listed in the Control Panel “Add or Remove Programs” after activity has died down.

  • Jeff

    Didn’t work. After rebooting I still see Adobe Air in Control Panel. I had an Adobe update yesterday and now both Firefox and Thunderbird won’t open, just generating error messages without logging the problem. I hate bloatware that takes over a computer. Enough of Adobe – if I get this fixed I’ll use Foxit for PDF files and get rid of Adobe completely.

  • BIGBEN

    It worked for me. The advice to download the AIR to Desktop is the greatest advice for someone who finds difficulty in typing in the paths using c prompt.

    Another thing, Adobe gets the thumbs down from me for insisting we leave AIR in our drive by making it difficult to uninstall. I used Add and Remove Program and Revo Uninstaller, yet it stubbornly refuse to be thrashed. With such a thug, Adobe has proven once again, it is a thug. Now, I only use its Flash, which I have no choice. Everything else from Adobe is bloatware and a pesk!

  • Mike

    I did everything you suggested I Typed in AdobeAirInstaller.exe-uninstall and received the message “is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file”
    What did I do wrong? any advice?
    Lambert

  • Leon

    @ Mike you missed the spaces mate should be :

    AdobeAirInstaller.exe -uninstall

  • Chris

    I get the same problem Mike had. I received the message “is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. This seems to be impossible to unistall for me. Someone please help.

  • David

    after it says uninstalling Adobe AIR it says failed what do i do

  • Robert

    Worked perfectly. If you're getting the 'not recognized…' error, it's because the AdobeAirInstaller.exe file is not located in the directory as displayed in the command prompt.

    I was getting an error trying to remove Adobe air via the Add or Remove Programs interface, but downloading the file, then running the uninstall command (as listed) worked perfectly, and I had a newer version of Adobe Air installed, too.

  • Daniel

    This link will take let you download a Settings Manager for Adobe AIR… Then you can turn off auto-update…

    http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/403/kb403175.html

  • Lafuelgara

    Thanks!!

  • CHERRYTOP

    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

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