How to Manually Uninstall SQL Server Management Studio.

Applies to: SQL Server Management Studio versions 18 and 19.

Date created: September 22, 2023.

If you have been trying unsuccessfully to uninstall a broken installation of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), please proceed to manually uninstall SQL Server using the following procedure:

1. Please try to uninstall SSMS using  "Add or Remove Programs" or "Apps and Features". If you are not successful uninstalling using this method, continue with the next steps.
2. Uninstall also "Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server", if it is installed on your computer. Sometimes this driver prevents SSMS from installing successfully. This step may require a restart.
3. Delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio" from the registry. You can use the regedit.exe application to do this, but make sure you back up your registry before making any changes.
4. If you don't know how to use regedit.exe please open the command prompt with elevated privileges (Run as Administrator option) and run this command:

   reg DELETE “HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio” /reg:32

5. Begin the SSMS installation again. Download the latest version available here or from this documentation page. Run the program with the Run as Administrator option.
    

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