How to uninstall Zen Browser on Windows
Back up bookmarks, passwords, tabs and wanted downloads before removing Zen. Open about:support and use the Profile Directory button to locate the active profile, as Zen's recovery guide describes. Quit Zen completely before copying the profile to a separate backup. A window session on this PC is not proof of a backup on another device. This guide covers the machine-wide ARM64 winget installation.
Quit and uninstall
Use Zen's Quit menu to close all windows, then check Task Manager for zen.exe. Go to Settings › Apps › Installed apps › Zen Browser › Uninstall, or run:
winget uninstall --id Zen-Team.Zen-Browser --exact
The tested installation used the vendor's NSIS uninstaller under uninstall\helper.exe. Leave the program directory in place until that flow completes.
Review profiles separately
The following Windows locations were observed in the test; the active profile can be customized.
| Location | What to do |
|---|---|
%APPDATA%\zen |
Back up browser profiles before deleting anything |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\zen |
Review local profile data and caches separately |
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Zen |
Review Zen's own launcher and interface settings |
%ProgramFiles%\Zen Browser |
Let the uninstaller remove the program |
Keep the Mozilla parent key, Firefox profiles and other browser installations. Downloads saved outside these folders remain your files. Uninstalling Zen does not delete a Mozilla account or its online data.
Check the result
Get-Process zen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
winget list --id Zen-Team.Zen-Browser --exact
Test-Path "$env:APPDATA\zen"
Test-Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\zen"
Test-Path 'HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Zen'
No process output means that executable name is not running, and no winget match means the installation record is gone. True means the exact folder or key remains; False means it does not. Retaining a profile for reinstallation is expected. An error leaves the check unresolved.
What Mole lists
The behavior below describes the October 3, 2026 test build. The corresponding fixes are still being tested; this does not establish that the current download includes them. The manual uninstall steps above still apply.
The program directory, matching shortcuts, usage records and app-owned PDF registration are selected by default. The Local and Roaming Zen folders contain personal browser data: they are listed but not selected, and bulk selection leaves them unchecked. The exact Mozilla\Zen key is listed but not selected and is backed up before removal; another installed copy claiming it keeps it out of the review. Mozilla's parent and Firefox's data are separate.
What this test covered
Retested on October 3, 2026 with Zen 1.22.3b ARM64 en-US, machine-wide winget installation. The program, explicitly selected profile folders and exact Zen settings key were removed; Firefox and the Mozilla parent were not claimed. The test removal set included the personal rows and does not establish UI bulk-selection behavior. Real saved passwords, session recovery, account sync, two Zen copies and a separate vendor-only uninstall were not verified.