How to Uninstall SQL Server Completely

Why You May Need to Uninstall SQL Server

Sometimes you need to remove SQL Server because:

• You installed the wrong edition (e.g., Express instead of Developer).
• You want to reinstall due to errors or corruption.
• You no longer use it and want to free up disk space.

Whatever the reason, here’s a beginner-friendly tutorial on how to uninstall SQL Server.

How to Uninstall SQL Server

Step 1: Stop SQL Server Services

Before removing SQL Server, you need to stop all related services.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
   
2. In the list, look for services starting with SQL Server.
3. Right-click each service and select Stop.

This ensures the uninstallation process goes smoothly.

Step 2: Uninstall SQL Server from Control Panel

Now let’s uninstall SQL Server instances using the built-in removal tool.

1. Open Control Panel → Uninstall a program.
   
2. Find Microsoft SQL Server [Version] (64-bit), right-click, and choose Uninstall/Change.
   • Example: Microsoft SQL Server 2014 if you want to uninstall SQL Server 2014.
   • Same applies for SQL Server 2016, 2017, 2019, or Express Edition.
     
3. In the SQL Server setup wizard, click Remove.
   
4. Choose the instance you want to remove (important if you have multiple).
   
5. Click Select All → Next → Remove.
   
   
6. Wait until all components are uninstalled, then click Close.
   

👉 Repeat this step for all remaining SQL Server components listed in Control Panel.

Step 3: Delete SQL Server Related Files

Even after uninstalling, leftover files may remain. To delete SQL Server completely, follow these steps:

3.1 Delete Installation Folders

Delete the default installation folder of SQL Server.

Step 4: Done

Once all services, instances, and files are removed, you’ve successfully uninstalled SQL Server completely from your system.