Un-install Filesets

What

When software is no longer needed, the removal method depends on how it was originally deployed. This article outlines the common FileWave uninstall paths and where a custom uninstaller is still required.

Options

Self-Healing

If a Fileset uses Self Healing and Download if Missing for tracked files, disassociating the Fileset removes the files that are part of that Fileset.

MSI

Windows MSI Filesets are different because MSI packages can expose an uninstall action. When the Fileset is configured to use that feature, disassociating the Fileset can trigger the MSI uninstaller.

PKG/EXE

PKG and EXE installers do not provide the same built-in uninstall behavior as MSI packages. In many cases the Fileset only tracks the installer itself, not every file created by the installation. If the software vendor does not provide a separate uninstall PKG, EXE, or script, you will usually need to build your own removal script.

Apple VPP & Android Play Store

Disassociating these Filesets sends a command to remove the application.

Other Files

Applications often create supporting files after first launch, such as preferences, caches, or user data. If you need to remove those items too, you will normally need a separate cleanup method.

Why

Removing unused software helps keep devices clean, reduces confusion for users, and can support security and license-management goals.

When

Knowing how to uninstall software is only half of the job. You also need to decide when the uninstall should run.

At first glance it may seem natural to place a pre- or post-uninstaller script inside the same Fileset as the installer. That can work against you when the application is updated.

As vendors release updates, you may replace the installer with a new Fileset or a new Fileset revision. Self-Healing handles matching files cleanly during that swap, but any uninstall script inside the installer Fileset can also run during the change, which is usually not what you want.

How

A common way to control this is to separate installation and removal logic by using a Fileset Group.

In the example below, the Fileset Group for Microsoft Defender includes the installer Fileset, related profiles, and a separate uninstaller Fileset. Devices are associated with the Fileset Group, not directly with the uninstaller.

The uninstaller Fileset uses a pre-uninstallation script:

This makes installer updates straightforward. You can replace the installer Fileset or swap revisions inside the group without firing the uninstall. The uninstall runs only when the Fileset Group itself is disassociated from the device.

PKG/EXE Un-installers

If a vendor supplies an uninstall PKG, it is usually cleaner to place that PKG in an otherwise empty Fileset and trigger it from an uninstall script, similar to the Microsoft Defender example above.

Trying to auto-associate a separate uninstall PKG exactly when the original installer is disassociated quickly becomes hard to manage.

EXE-based uninstallers have the same issue. A practical pattern is to upload the uninstall EXE to an empty Fileset and call it from a pre- or post-uninstallation script.

This gives you a dedicated uninstaller Fileset that can be added to a Fileset Group and triggered only when you actually want removal to occur.