Without using the Control Panel, or other GUI elements, how do I uninstall Office VSTO addins?

I have an unknown number of users across a range of machines that need addins removed for Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and directing them to the Control Panel to uninstall isn't an option.

Background: We have an app that is deployed which then installs the addins per-user when they launch the above apps for the first time. I want to remove this app as part of an upgrade, but it leaves the addins behind. I'm concerned that it other breaks functionality or installs a 2nd version of the addin, where 1 works and the other doesn't (I just don't have enough deployments available to test each scenario)

Hi,

According to your description, we might try to remove this VSTO add-in with some ways:

1) If you installed the addin using the ClickOnce, you can unistall addins using "VSTOInstaller.exe /uninstall [.vsto file path]": The easiest way to do it is to get this right is to find the "UninstallString" of the installed addin in the registry. so loop through all entries under "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" to find the addin. then just run the "UninstallString" in an elevated command prompt.

2)If you installed it using MSI, you need to use the "msiexec.exe /uninstall [addin.msi | product code]".

note that the addin.msi should be the msi that the addin got installed with. or you can find the product code of the addin (can find it in the msi if you open it with Orca.exe)

Reference:

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/a1fa8cb0-3e84-4df2-93d7-876812db9aaf/vsto-addin-not-in-addremove-programs

In additional, if you want to do via powershell script, please post the question to VSTO forum:

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/home?forum=vsto

Regards,

George Zhao
TechNet Community Support