Manually Uninstall the PIA App on Windows

If you're unable to remove the PIA app using the built-in uninstaller, you can uninstall it manually by deleting the application files and removing the PIA network adapter.

Note: Administrator privileges are required to complete these steps.

Delete the PIA Application

  1. Right-click the PIA icon in the Windows system tray and select Quit.
Private Internet Access system tray context menu with the "Quit" option highlighted in a green box.
  1. Press Windows + R, type %PROGRAMFILES%, and select OK.
The Windows "Run" dialog box with the "%PROGRAMFILES%" entered in the open text field.
  1. Delete the Private Internet Access folder.

Windows File Explorer window displaying the "Private Internet Access" folder.

Important: Only delete the Private Internet Access folder. Deleting other folders in the Program Files directory may cause other applications to stop working properly. 

Remove the PIA Network Adapter

  1. Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc into the field, then select OK.
The Windows "Run" dialog box with the command "devmgmt.msc" entered in the text field and highlighted in a green box.
  1. In the Device Manager window, expand the Network adapters section.

The Windows Device Manager window with the "Network adapters" section highlighted in a green box.

  1. Locate Private Internet Access Network Adapter or PIA Tunnel.

The Windows Device Manager window with the list of network adapters, highlighting the "PIA Tunnel" in a green box.

  1. Right-click the adapter and select Uninstall device.

The Windows Device Manager window with an open context menu over the "PIA Tunnel" network adapter.

  1. If prompted, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device and click Uninstall.
The "Uninstall Device" confirmation prompt for the "PIA Tunnel" adapter.

If the Adapter Isn’t Listed

If you don't see the Private Internet Access Network Adapter or PIA Tunnel under Network adapters, check the Other devices and Unknown devices sections.

Delete Remaining Registry Entries

After removing the PIA manually, you can also remove any remaining PIA registry entries.  

  1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, then select OK.
Windows "Run" dialog box with the text "regedit" entered in the "Open" field, which is highlighted in a green box.
  1. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), select Yes.

Windows User Account Control prompt asking for permission to allow the Registry Editor to make changes, with the "Yes" button highlighted in a green box.

  1. In the top-left corner, click Edit and select Find…

Registry Editor menu bar with the "Edit" dropdown menu open, highlighting the "Find..." option.

  1. Type Private Internet Access and click Find Next.

Registry Editor "Find" dialog box with the text "Private Internet Access" entered in the field.

  1. If you find a registry key that belongs to PIA, right-click it and select Delete.

Registry Editor window with a "Private Internet Access" registry key selected and the "Delete" option highlighted in the context menu.

  1. Press F3 to continue searching and remove any remaining PIA registry keys. 

Important: Only delete registry keys that belong to Private Internet Access. Deleting other registry entries may cause Windows or other applications to malfunction. 

Restart Your Computer

After uninstalling all PIA, shut down your computer. Wait at least 30 seconds, then power it back on. If you're reinstalling the PIA app, you can now install the latest version.

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