Ashampoo UnInstaller is a Windows utility for removing applications and examining the system changes they leave behind. It records installations, uses those records during removal and scans for remaining application data. It also provides controls for Windows apps, browser plug-ins and software that starts in the background.
Recording installations and examining logs
Installation monitoring detects new setup programs and records their file and Registry changes. A completed installation produces a summary and a log associated with the application. The monitoring switch controls whether this tracking runs automatically.
A setup file can also be selected manually when automatic detection misses it. If the end of an installation is not detected, the user can finish logging explicitly. Detection settings determine which setup-file properties the guard uses to identify installations.
The log viewer exposes recorded changes, including modified Registry entries. Individual entries can be removed from the log before it is used for removal. File paths can be exported to a text file, while Registry changes can be exported as a .reg file.
Deleting a log leaves the application installed. Subsequent removal then treats that installation as unmonitored, without the original record of its changes.
Removing applications and their remaining data
Ashampoo UnInstaller lists installed desktop applications with search and filtering controls. Common system components can be hidden from the list. Selecting several application checkboxes queues their removal in succession rather than requiring a separate selection for each program.
Removal uses the application's uninstall process, installation records where available and optional deep cleaning. The deeper scan looks for additional files created while the application was in use and related Registry entries. Uninstall command parameters can be adjusted, and completion can be confirmed manually when automatic detection does not finish the operation.
Post-installation analysis and later cleanup
For compatible applications installed before monitoring was enabled, post-installation analysis creates a log from the existing installation. That provides removal information even when no original monitored log exists. Compatibility determines which older applications support this analysis.
The Uninstalled view retains recently removed applications. Deep cleaning can be run there if it was disabled during the original removal. The separate Delete entry command only removes an application's listing; its program files remain installed.
Windows apps and browser plug-ins
Windows app controls distinguish partial removal of a system app from complete removal. Partial removal retains the app archive while removing the app from the visible list; complete removal also deletes the stored package. The default-app restoration command can restore these partially removed packages.
The browser plug-in module groups entries by browser and supports text filtering. Individual entries or multiple selected plug-ins can be removed. This provides a separate view of browser additions alongside the desktop application inventory.
Comparing system snapshots in Ashampoo UnInstaller
Snapshots record system state at selected points in time. The user names each capture and chooses which drives to include, with folder exclusions controlling the capture's scope. Comparing two captures displays the changes between their recorded states.
The comparison groups differences into categories and can generate a text report. A before-and-after wizard captures the first state, waits for the chosen system change and then captures the second. The resulting comparison shows what changed during that interval.
Snapshot differences can also produce an installation log. Ashampoo UnInstaller looks for newly installed applications and lets the user select the changes that belong in the log. The earlier snapshot supplies the state before installation; the later one supplies the resulting changes.
Hibernating and relocating applications
Hibernation keeps an application installed while disabling its associated startup entries and background services. Hibernate and Wake up controls switch this state. Launching a hibernating application wakes it automatically, allowing it to be used again without reinstalling it.
The Move function transfers application files to another location and creates a corresponding shortcut in the original folder. Relocated programs are marked in the application list. The move can be reversed to return their files to the original location.
Cleaning files and managing background activity in UnInstaller
The cleanup modules display their findings for selection. Their controls address different types of data:
- Drive Cleaner: groups unneeded files by category, with drive selection and file or folder exclusions defining the scan. Individual results can be selected for cleanup, and the findings can be saved as a text report.
- Registry Optimizer: groups unneeded Registry entries and supports exceptions for entries that should remain. Its backups allow changes from Registry cleaning to be restored.
- Internet Cleaner: scans Internet-related files and offers safe-cookie exclusions. Cookies placed on that list survive cleanup, retaining the website settings they hold.
- Privacy Traces Cleaner: removes selected activity records and can include application jump lists, which contain recently opened files or websites.
Boot Center displays recorded boot times, startup entries and scheduled tasks. Entries and tasks can be enabled or disabled individually. Service Manager shows service details and dependencies, with controls for starting services or changing their startup behavior to manual, automatic, delayed or disabled.
Examining application crashes
Crash Analyzer collects crash and error reports from Windows logs. Reports can be grouped by application, searched and filtered, with frequency and time helping locate recurring events. Opening an entry exposes its original event details, and results can be exported for further examination.
