How to Completely Uninstall Ansys Workbench: The Ultimate Clean Uninstall Guide

How to Completely Uninstall Ansys Workspace: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you running into licensing errors or trying to make a fresh start with a newer version of Ansys? Simply using the Windows "Add or Remove Programs" often isn't enough. Ansys leaves behind "phantom" files, registry keys, and environment variables that can cause major headaches later.

Follow this comprehensive guide to perform a truly clean uninstall of Ansys 2024.

Phase 1: The Standard Uninstallation

Before digging into hidden folders, start with the official automated uninstaller to remove the bulk of the software.

1. Close all Ansys applications to prevent file-in-use errors.
2. Navigate to your installation directory, typically: C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\v241 (for version 2024 R1).
3. Right-click Uninstall.exe and select Run as Administrator.
4. In the wizard, click Select All and follow the prompts until the process completes.

Phase 2: Removing the Ansys License Manager

If your machine acts as a license server, you must manually stop and delete these services via an Administrator Command Prompt.

Run these commands one by one:

sc stop "ANSYS, Inc. License Manager CVD"

sc delete "ANSYS, Inc. License Manager CVD"

sc stop "ANSYSLicensingTomcat"

sc delete "ANSYSLicensingTomcat"

sc stop "ANSYS, Inc. License Manager"

sc delete "ANSYS, Inc. License Manager"

Phase 3: Manual File & Folder Cleanup

The uninstaller often leaves behind configuration and temporary files. Manually delete (or rename to .old) the following folders:

• Installation Folder: C:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\v241
• App Data (Roaming): Press Win + R, type %AppData%, and delete the Ansys folder.
• App Data (Local): Press Win + R, type %LocalAppData%, and delete all Ansys or Ansys_Inc folders.
• Temp Files: Type %Temp% and delete any folders containing the word "ansys".

Phase 4: Environment Variables & Registry

This is the final step to ensure your system is completely "Ansys-free."

1. Environment Variables

1. Search for "Edit the system environment variables" in your Start menu.
2. Click Environment Variables.
3. Under System Variables, find and delete any variables starting with ANSYS, such as ANSYSLIC_DIR or ANSYSLIC_SYSDIR.

2. Registry Cleanup (Advanced Users Only)

Warning: Only do this if you have uninstalled ALL versions of Ansys.

1. Open regedit (Registry Editor).
2. Navigate to and delete the following keys:
   

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Ansys
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Ansys, Inc.

Wrapping Up!

After completing these steps, restart your computer. Your system is now ready for a fresh, error-free installation of your next Ansys product!