How do I uninstall McAfee Security Scan Plus?

Report · May 27, 2022

How do I uninstall the McAfee Security Scan Plus software Adobe Acrobat DC installed without my permission on Windows 10?

The Uninstall option is grayed out in Windows Settings -> Apps & Features. McAfee keeps popping up telling me I have a "potential" security threat and won't tell me what it is and directs me to the McAfee website to purchase it. Seems like a marketing scam to me. I don't appreciate Adobe doing this.

Report · Jul 28, 2022

I too had this problem and after reading several complex solutions that included multiple reoboots and manually editing the Windows registry, I stumbled across this simple solution:

1) In the search bar next to the Windows icon, type in 'mcafee' (yes, lower case).

2) A list of your apps should come up, but under a file tree different than the standard uninstall control panel.

3) Click on Mcafee Security Scan Plus, and the uninstall button should magically appear.

4) Click uninstall, and the program should now be removed.

5) Finally, go back to the search bar and again type 'mcafee' - a shortcut remains which can now be removed as well.

Hope this works for you too!

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Report · Jul 15, 2025

Totally unacceptable that McAfee downloaded itself when I downloaded Reader just now.

I have paid $60 a month for this trash service and I am outraged by Adobe's constant efforts to undermine my work.

THis company is garbage and builds products so that they are sluggish trojans focused on chiseling extra money out of paying customers. I want to talk to someone from Adobe about this and am going to start posting daily about the experience using an automated process. Adobe lies constantly and delivers an absolutely trash experience for the money.

Report · Jul 15, 2025

Hi @calivision,

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with downloading Reader.

Acrobat Reader is a free application. Could you tell us about the charge you are referring to?

If you have a paid subscription, you should receive an option to download the application directly in the purchase acknowledgement email.

Apart from this, you can also download the installer without the add-ons from here: https://adobe.ly/3TDvw8r

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Souvik.