If you have seen a message box stating Please wait until the current program is finished uninstalling or being changed, when you try to install or uninstall a program on your Windows 11/10 computer, then know one thing – The Windows Installer process is already being used in some other activity.

Please wait until the current program is finished uninstalling

Most developers prefer to use the Windows Installer to install their software – and that is why you see this message, as the process is already in use.

When you go on to install or uninstall any program on your Windows PC, then the Windows operating system will install or uninstall only one program at a time – and for doing this, it uses the Windows Installer process. Windows Installer is a system process that is used for installation, repair, maintenance, and uninstallation of any software. It adds, modifies, and removes applications provided as a Windows Installer (*.msi, *.msp) package.

So if you are receiving such an error message, here are a few things you could do:

Wait for the current program to be uninstalled
Force stop Windows Installer process
Restart the computer and see
Use 3rd-party uninstaller
Cannot uninstall programs at all?

Let us take a look at them.

1] Wait for the current program to be uninstalled

If you are already installing, changing, or repairing any program, then wait until the current program is finished uninstalling or being changed. Once that process is completed, you could try again.

2] Force stop Windows Installer process

If you open the Task Manager, under the Services tab, if you see the Windows Installer process, you could right-click on it and opt to end the process. But do so only when you are sure that the other installation or uninstallation process has been completed, but the Windows Installer has not exited.

3] Restart the computer and see

Restart your computer and check. Can you install or uninstall a program now?

4] Use 3rd-party uninstaller

Try using a third-party program uninstaller software and see if you are able to uninstall programs.

5] Cannot uninstall programs at all?

See this post if you cannot install or uninstall programs in Windows. It offers some more suggestions.

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Let us know if you have any other ideas on this.