Uninstall WinZip Driver Updater: Full Removal Guide

WinZip Driver Updater installs alongside other WinZip products and can be difficult to remove completely because it registers background services and scheduled tasks. This guide walks you through uninstalling the program, removing leftover files, and disabling its background processes so it stops launching at startup and nagging you to update drivers.

What You’ll Need

• Windows administrator account (required to uninstall and delete system files)
• About 10–15 minutes of time
• Optional: a free uninstaller tool like Revo Uninstaller or BCUninstaller if the normal uninstall fails

Step-by-Step

1. Close WinZip Driver Updater completely. Look for its icon in the system tray (bottom-right corner near the clock). Right-click it and choose Exit or Close. If you see a window open, close it too. You cannot uninstall a running program reliably.
2. Open the Windows Settings app. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then go to Apps (or Apps & Features on older Windows versions).
3. Find WinZip Driver Updater in the list. Scroll through the installed programs or use the search box at the top. Look for entries named “WinZip Driver Updater,” “WinZip Driver Updater 2.0,” or just “Driver Updater.”
4. Click Uninstall. Select the entry and click the Uninstall button. If Windows asks for confirmation or a UAC prompt, click Yes.
5. Follow the uninstaller wizard. The program’s own uninstaller will launch. Click through the prompts, choosing Uninstall or Remove when offered. If it asks whether to keep settings or data, choose Remove everything unless you plan to reinstall later.
6. Reboot your computer. After the uninstaller finishes, restart Windows. Some driver-related files are locked until reboot, and restarting ensures the removal completes cleanly.
7. Check for leftover folders. Open File Explorer and navigate to these locations. Delete any WinZip Driver Updater folders you find:
   • C:\Program Files\WinZip Driver Updater
   • C:\Program Files (x86)\WinZip Driver Updater
   • C:\ProgramData\WinZip Driver Updater
   • %AppData%\WinZip Driver Updater (type this into the address bar)
   • %LocalAppData%\WinZip Driver Updater

   If a folder is locked, reboot and try again, or use Safe Mode.

8. Remove scheduled tasks. Press Windows key + R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter. In Task Scheduler, look in Task Scheduler Library for entries containing “WinZip” or “Driver Updater.” Right-click each one and choose Delete. Close Task Scheduler.
9. Disable startup entries. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the Startup tab. Find any entry named “WinZip Driver Updater” or similar, right-click it, and choose Disable. If it’s already gone, you’re done with this step.
10. Clean the registry (optional but recommended). Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE. Look for keys named “WinZip Driver Updater” or “WinZip” and delete them. Be careful — only delete keys clearly related to WinZip Driver Updater, not other WinZip products you want to keep. Back up the registry first (File > Export) if you’re unsure.
11. Restart again. After cleaning the registry and deleting files, reboot once more to confirm everything is gone.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the reboot before deleting files. Many driver updater files are held in memory and will reappear or cause access errors if you try to delete them without restarting first.
• Only uninstalling via Control Panel. The standard uninstaller often leaves behind scheduled tasks and startup entries that keep the program partially active.
• Deleting the wrong registry keys. WinZip Driver Updater shares the “WinZip” registry path with other WinZip software. Deleting the whole key can break WinZip itself.
• Ignoring the system tray. If the program is still running in the background, the uninstaller may not remove all components, and the program can reinstall itself on reboot.
• Using a generic registry cleaner. These tools sometimes remove unrelated entries or miss the specific WinZip Driver Updater leftovers.

Tips

• Use the official Windows Apps & Features page rather than third-party uninstallers first — it’s the most reliable way to trigger the built-in uninstaller.
• If you have other WinZip products (like WinZip Pro), keep their registry keys and folders. Only remove items with “Driver Updater” in the name.
• Take a screenshot of the installed programs list before uninstalling so you can verify later that the entry is gone.
• After uninstalling, run Disk Cleanup (search for it in the Start menu) to clear temporary files that might contain remnants.
• Consider using a dedicated uninstaller like Revo Uninstaller Free if you want automatic leftover scanning — it runs the program’s uninstaller and then offers to clean registry and file leftovers.

Troubleshooting

Uninstall button is grayed out or missing. Open Control Panel (not Settings) > Programs > Programs and Features. Find WinZip Driver Updater there and try uninstalling from that list. If it’s still grayed out, run the uninstaller executable directly from the installation folder: navigate to C:\Program Files\WinZip Driver Updater and look for uninstall.exe or unins000.exe. Double-click it to run it manually.

Error “Another instance is running.” Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Processes tab, look for any process with “WinZip” or “DriverUpdater” in the name, right-click it, and choose End Task. Then try uninstalling again.

The program reappears after reboot. This usually means a scheduled task or startup entry re-installed it. Go back to Task Scheduler and Startup tab (steps 8 and 9) and check again. Also look in C:\ProgramData\WinZip Driver Updater for an installer file that runs at startup.

Files won’t delete — access denied. Take ownership of the folder first. Right-click the folder > Properties > Security tab > Advanced > Change owner to your user account, then check “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects.” Click OK, then try deleting again.

Uninstaller freezes halfway. Wait a few minutes — driver updaters often scan the system during uninstall. If it stays frozen for more than 10 minutes, force-close it via Task Manager, reboot, then use Revo Uninstaller or BCUninstaller to remove the program and its leftovers.

WinZip Driver Updater not listed in Apps & Features. It may be installed as a Windows service. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and look for a service named “WinZip Driver Updater” or “WinZip Updater Service.” Right-click it, choose Stop, then set its startup type to Disabled. Then search for the uninstaller in the installation folder manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WinZip Driver Updater a virus? No, it is a legitimate driver update utility from the WinZip company. However, it is often bundled with other software and can be considered potentially unwanted because it runs in the background and prompts for paid upgrades.

Do I need WinZip Driver Updater? No. Windows Update already provides driver updates for most hardware. If you need a specific driver, downloading it directly from the hardware manufacturer’s website is safer and more reliable than using a third-party updater.

Will uninstalling WinZip Driver Updater affect my drivers? No. The program only scans for and installs driver updates — it does not manage or replace your current drivers. Removing the program leaves your existing drivers untouched.

How do I stop WinZip Driver Updater from reinstalling itself? After uninstalling, check that no scheduled tasks remain (step 8) and that no startup entry exists (step 9). Also avoid installing other free software that bundles WinZip Driver Updater — read the installation prompts carefully and decline optional offers.

Can I just disable it instead of uninstalling? Yes. You can disable its startup entry in Task Manager and stop its service in services.msc. However, the program files remain on disk and may still trigger update scans, so uninstalling is the cleaner option.

Why does WinZip Driver Updater keep showing pop-ups after I uninstalled it? Leftover scheduled tasks or a background service are the most common causes. Follow the troubleshooting steps above — especially Task Scheduler and services — to fully remove it.

Is it safe to delete the WinZip registry key? Only if you have no other WinZip products installed. If you do, delete only the subkey named “Driver Updater” inside the WinZip key, not the entire WinZip key.

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