How to Install, Update and Uninstall Software Safely

In short

To install software safely, get it from an official place: the Microsoft Store, the Mac App Store, or the publisher’s own website. Read each installer screen instead of clicking straight through, keep your apps updated, and uninstall the ones you no longer use. This tutorial shows each step on Windows and Mac, plus how to recognize the warning signs of a fake download.

Before you start

Software comes from three kinds of places:

• App stores. The Microsoft Store on Windows and the Mac App Store check apps before listing them and update them automatically. They’re the simplest choice when the app you want is there.
• The publisher’s own website. Many well-known programs, such as web browsers and office suites, are downloaded directly from their maker. This is safe if you’re genuinely on the publisher’s site.
• Everything else. Download portals, pop-up offers and “free full version” sites are where most unwanted software comes from. Avoid them, and never use cracked software, which often hides malware.

To find the real website, type the publisher’s name into a search engine and look past the ads at the top, which sometimes imitate popular downloads. Check that the web address matches the company’s name before you download.

Key terms

• Installer: the file you download and open to add a program to your computer, often ending in .exe or .msi on Windows and .dmg or .pkg on a Mac.
• Publisher: the company or person that made the software. Windows shows it when you install.
• App store: a curated catalog of apps, such as the Microsoft Store or Mac App Store.
• Bundled offers: extra programs or toolbars some installers try to add. You can usually untick them.
• Uninstall: removing a program and its files properly, rather than just deleting its shortcut.

Lesson 1: install software on Windows

From the Microsoft Store

1. Select Start, type Microsoft Store and open it.
2. Search for the app, open its page and check the publisher name under the title.
3. Select Get or Install. The app appears in your Start menu when it’s done.

From the publisher’s website

1. Go to the publisher’s official website and find its download page. Use the “download” button on the page itself, not an advert.
2. Open the downloaded file from your browser’s downloads list or your Downloads folder.
3. When Windows asks “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”, check that the Verified publisher is the company you expect. If it says Unknown or a name you don’t recognize, select No.
4. Read each screen of the installer. Choose Custom or Advanced if offered, and untick toolbars, browser changes or extra programs you didn’t ask for.
5. Finish the installation, then delete the installer file from Downloads if you like.

Checkpoint: if Windows shows a blue “Windows protected your PC” warning, that means it doesn’t recognize the file. Stop and check where it came from before going any further.

Lesson 2: install software on a Mac

1. For the Mac App Store, open App Store from the Dock or Launchpad, search for the app, and click Get or the price button, then Install.
2. For a download from the publisher’s website, open the downloaded .dmg file. A window usually shows the app’s icon and an Applications folder; drag the icon onto the folder.
3. Open the app from Applications. The first time, macOS may ask if you’re sure you want to open an app downloaded from the internet; continue only if it’s the app you meant to install.
4. Eject the installer disk image from the Finder sidebar, then move the .dmg file to the Trash.

Lesson 3: update and uninstall

1. Update store apps: in the Microsoft Store, open Library and select Get updates. On a Mac, open the App Store and choose Updates.
2. Update other apps: most check for updates themselves, often under Help > About or Check for updates in their menu. Web browsers update themselves too; see Google’s Chrome help page in Official documentation for an example.
3. Uninstall on Windows 11: open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three dots next to the app and choose Uninstall. In Windows 10, use Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
4. Uninstall on a Mac: drag the app from Applications to the Trash, or for App Store apps, open Launchpad, hold the app’s icon until it jiggles and click the delete button. Some apps include their own uninstaller in their folder; use it if provided.

Checkpoint: removing programs you no longer use frees space and can help a computer running slow.

Check that it worked

Open the new app from the Start menu or Applications folder and confirm it runs. Check your web browser’s home page and search engine haven’t changed unexpectedly, which would suggest a bundled offer slipped through. For apps you uninstalled, confirm they no longer appear in the app list.

If something goes wrong

• The installer is blocked by a security warning: don’t override it unless you are certain the file came from the real publisher; download it again from the official site.
• Your browser’s home page or search engine changed: uninstall any program you don’t recognize that was installed at the same time, then reset the browser’s settings.
• ”You need administrator permission”: sign in with an administrator account, or ask the person who manages the computer.
• An app won’t uninstall: restart the computer and try again; the publisher’s website may offer a removal tool for its own software.
• The app says it isn’t compatible: check the publisher’s website for a version that supports your Windows or macOS version.

For more on staying safe, see our Windows security basics.

FAQ

Is software from the Microsoft Store or Mac App Store safe?

Apps in the official stores are reviewed before they’re listed and update automatically, which makes them a safer choice. Still check the publisher name and reviews, because some listings imitate popular apps.

Why does my computer ask for permission when I install something?

Installing software changes your system, so Windows and macOS confirm that you meant to do it. Always read the prompt and check the publisher.

Can I just delete a program’s folder to remove it?

On Windows, use Settings to uninstall instead, because programs leave settings and files elsewhere. On a Mac, dragging most apps to the Trash works, but use an app’s own uninstaller if it has one.

Should I keep the installer file after installing?

You don’t need to. Most programs update themselves, and you can download the latest installer again from the official site if you ever need it.