How to Uninstall Edge-Drop Cleanly

A standard Windows uninstall removes the executable but leaves the user's data folder, the launch-at-login registry key, and any staged update payloads. For most apps this is fine — the next install picks up where the old one left off. For a clipboard shelf, the leftover data includes the encrypted history store, which a user selling or handing off the machine may not want to leave behind even in encrypted form. This guide covers how to uninstall Edge-Drop cleanly, including the data folder, the startup key, and the temp payloads, for both GitHub and Store builds. For the on-disk layout see where Edge-Drop stores data on disk; for the update mechanism see how Edge-Drop updates on GitHub builds.

The standard uninstall (and what it leaves behind)

For a GitHub NSIS build:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find Edge-Drop.
3. Click the ... menu (Windows 11) or the app entry (Windows 10).
4. Click Uninstall.
5. The NSIS uninstaller runs and removes the install directory, typically under C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Programs\Edge-Drop or C:\Program Files\Edge-Drop (for All Users installs).

For a Microsoft Store MSIX build:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Find Edge-Drop.
3. Click the ... menu → Uninstall.
4. Windows removes the MSIX package and its install directory.

In both cases, the uninstaller does not remove:

• The user data folder, typically %APPDATA%\Edge-Drop — contains history, settings, pinned items, and the encrypted store.
• The launch-at-login registry key, if one was written — HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Edge-Drop (or similar).
• Staged update payloads, if a GitHub build had downloaded an update that had not yet been applied — typically under %LOCALAPPDATA%\edge-drop-updater or similar.
• Temp files written during the session — under %TEMP% and used for image payloads offloaded from the in-memory history.

For users who want a clean slate — particularly before selling, donating, or handing off the machine — these leftovers need to be removed manually.

The clean uninstall

A fully clean uninstall has three additional steps after the standard uninstall.

Step 1: Quit Edge-Drop completely

The uninstaller may refuse to run, or may leave running processes, if Edge-Drop is still active.

1. Right-click the Edge-Drop tray icon.
2. Click Quit (or Exit). The tray icon should disappear.
3. Confirm via Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) that no Edge-Drop.exe or related Electron processes remain.

If the tray icon is unresponsive, use Task Manager to end the process tree.

Step 2: Run the standard uninstall

Run the standard uninstall as described above. For the GitHub build, this removes the install directory. For the Store build, this removes the MSIX package.

Step 3: Remove the data folder

Open File Explorer and navigate to %APPDATA%. The easiest way is to type %APPDATA% into the address bar and press Enter.

Look for an Edge-Drop folder (or a similarly named folder; the exact name may vary by version). Right-click → Delete.

If the folder does not exist here, check:

• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Edge-Drop — sometimes used for cache and staged updates.
• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Edge-Drop — the install directory for per-user GitHub installs (already removed by the uninstaller in most cases).
• %TEMP%\edge-drop* — temp files. These can be deleted safely; Windows will recreate them as needed.

For the full on-disk layout, see where Edge-Drop stores data on disk.

Step 4: Remove the startup key

If Edge-Drop was configured to launch at login, the launch entry persists in the registry even after uninstall. To remove it:

1. Press Win+R, type regedit, press Enter. Accept the UAC prompt.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
3. Look for an Edge-Drop entry (or similar).
4. Right-click → Delete.

Alternatively, use Task Manager:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
2. Go to the Startup apps tab (Windows 11) or Startup tab (Windows 10).
3. Find Edge-Drop.
4. Right-click → Disable. (Note: Disable does not delete the entry; it disables it. To fully remove, use regedit as above.)

For the launch-at-login mechanism overall, see how to launch Edge-Drop at login.

Step 5: Remove staged update payloads (GitHub builds only)

If the GitHub build had downloaded an update that was not yet applied, the staged installer may be sitting in %LOCALAPPDATA%. Check for:

• %LOCALAPPDATA%\edge-drop-updater
• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Squirrel\Temp (Squirrel is the Electron installer/updater framework)

These can be deleted safely after Edge-Drop is uninstalled.

Step 6: Empty the Recycle Bin

After deleting the data folder and any staged payloads, empty the Recycle Bin. This ensures the encrypted store is physically deleted, not just moved to the Recycle Bin where it could be restored.

For pre-sale disk hygiene, see how to wipe clipboard data before selling a PC for the broader disk-wipe workflow.

Verifying the uninstall is complete

A 60-second verification:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Edge-Drop should not be in the list.
2. Open Task Manager → Startup apps. Edge-Drop should not be in the list.
3. Open %APPDATA%. The Edge-Drop folder should not exist.
4. Open regedit, navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. There should be no Edge-Drop entry.
5. Open the Start menu. Search for "Edge-Drop." No result should appear.

If any of these checks fail, repeat the corresponding step above.

When to keep the data folder

The data folder contains history, pins, and settings. For users who are upgrading or reinstalling — not selling the machine — keeping the data folder is fine. The next install will pick up the existing history and settings.

The clean uninstall workflow described above is for:

• Selling or donating the machine.
• Handing off to another user.
• Switching channels (GitHub ↔ Store) and wanting a fresh start.
• Troubleshooting an issue that the support team suspects is caused by a corrupted data folder.

For routine reinstalls, the standard uninstall is enough.

Troubleshooting: uninstaller failed

If the standard uninstaller fails to run:

• Process still running — Task Manager, end all Edge-Drop processes, retry.
• Permission denied — Run the uninstaller as Administrator. Right-click the uninstaller entry → Run as administrator.
• Uninstaller entry missing — For GitHub builds, download the latest installer from the Releases page and run it; the installer should detect the existing install and offer to uninstall. For Store builds, use Get-AppxPackage *edgedrop* | Remove-AppxPackage in an elevated PowerShell.
• Antivirus blocking — Temporarily disable antivirus, run the uninstaller, re-enable.

If all else fails, the nuclear option is to manually delete the install directory, the data folder, and the registry key, then run a registry cleaner to remove leftover entries. This is rarely necessary and not recommended for non-expert users.

The enterprise or managed-device case

On machines managed by Intune, Group Policy, or an MDM, the standard uninstall may be blocked or may not be the right path. Managed installs typically use one of two channels: an MSIX package pushed via the Microsoft Store for Business, or a loose MSI/EXE distributed via Intune. In both cases, the uninstall should be initiated from the management console, not from the local Settings app — a local uninstall on a managed machine will be reversed on the next policy refresh, which is confusing for the user and the helpdesk.

The data folder and the registry Run key persist after a managed uninstall, just as after a standard uninstall. For a clean handoff on a managed device, the IT team should run a PowerShell script that removes %APPDATA%\Edge-Drop, the Run key, and the staged payloads as part of the retirement workflow. The script can be scoped to the retiring device only, leaving the rest of the fleet untouched.

What Edge-Drop does not claim

• The uninstaller does not wipe the disk sectors that previously held the encrypted store. Forensic recovery of pre-overwrite sectors is theoretically possible until the sectors are reused. For pre-sale disk hygiene, use a full-disk wipe tool.
• The uninstaller does not remove entries from other apps that may have referenced Edge-Drop (e.g., a custom shortcut on the desktop, a Start menu folder). These need to be removed manually.
• The uninstaller does not reset Windows clipboard history (Win+V). That is a separate OS feature; see how to clear clipboard history on Windows 11.
• The uninstaller does not affect Edge-Drop's listing on the Microsoft Store. Reinstalling from the Store will pull the current Store version.

Summary

A standard Windows uninstall removes the Edge-Drop executable but leaves the data folder, the startup key, and any staged update payloads. For a fully clean uninstall — particularly before selling or handing off the machine — quit Edge-Drop, run the standard uninstall, delete the %APPDATA%\Edge-Drop folder, remove the registry Run key, delete staged update payloads, and empty the Recycle Bin. For routine reinstalls or upgrades, the standard uninstall is enough; the leftover data is picked up by the next install.

Related reading

• Where Edge-Drop Stores Data on Disk
• How to Launch Edge-Drop at Login
• How to Install Edge-Drop on Windows 10 and 11
• What Local-First Software Means for Clipboard Apps

Sources

• Microsoft Support — Repair or remove programs in Windows — official instructions for uninstalling desktop apps on Windows 10 and 11
• Microsoft Learn — Known folders reference (APPDATA, LOCALAPPDATA) — documents the per-user data folder layout Edge-Drop writes to
• Microsoft Learn — Run and RunOnce registry keys — official reference for the launch-at-login registry key
• electron-builder — NSIS target documentation — documents the NSIS installer Edge-Drop ships as on GitHub
• Microsoft Learn — Remove-AppxPackage — PowerShell cmdlet for uninstalling MSIX packages when the standard uninstaller fails

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How to Install Guide · First 10 Minutes Guide · Drag & Drop Guide · Edge-Drop vs Win+V · Support