YouTube Playlist Downloader is one of those tools that seems super helpful at first—lets you grab entire playlists from YouTube in just a few clicks, saves them as MP3 or MP4, and looks clean enough to trust. I’ve used it myself when I wanted offline access to some music mixes. But here’s the catch: once you’ve had it installed for a while, you start noticing weird things. Ads popping up in your browser out of nowhere, your homepage changing without permission, or the app refusing to fully disappear even after you “uninstall” it. That’s because this software often sneaks in bundled toolbars, adware, and background processes that latch onto your system. It doesn’t always show up cleanly in the apps list, and even when it does, uninstalling through Windows rarely removes all its traces—registry entries, scheduled tasks, and hidden files usually stick around, sometimes reactivating the app later.
Uninstalling YouTube Playlist Downloader on Windows 10:
I’ve had to clean this one off a friend’s laptop recently, and standard methods didn’t cut it. Here’s what actually worked. First, go to Settings by pressing Windows + I, then click Apps > Apps & features. In the search bar, type “YouTube Playlist Downloader.” If it shows up, click it, hit Uninstall, and follow the prompts. Simple enough.
But don’t assume you’re done. This app loves to hide. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter. That opens the classic Programs and Features window. Scroll through and look for anything suspicious—sometimes it shows up under a different name like “YTPL Downloader,” “Media Helper,” or even something vague like “Video Converter.” Uninstall every entry that looks related.
Now, the real cleanup. Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Program Files\C:\Program Files (x86)\
Look for any folders with names like “YouTube Playlist Downloader,” “YT Downloader,” or anything from the developer (often unknown or obscure). Delete them. If it says “file in use,” reboot into Safe Mode and try again.
Also check your AppData folders. Press Windows + R and type:
%appdata%— delete any related folders%localappdata%— same thing%temp%— clear out temporary files
Then, open Task Scheduler (search for it in Start), and look under Task Scheduler Library. If you see any tasks labeled with “YouTube,” “Downloader,” or the app’s publisher, right-click and delete them.
Finally, open Registry Editor by typing regedit in Run. Before doing anything, back up your registry—just right-click “This PC” and choose Export. Then navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
Search for any entries tied to the app. Delete them carefully. Miss this step, and you might see pop-ups or slowdowns weeks later.
Uninstalling YouTube Playlist Downloader on Windows 11:
Windows 11’s interface is slick, but it doesn’t make this any easier. Click Start, go to Settings (Windows + I), then Apps > Installed apps. Use the search box to look for “YouTube Playlist Downloader.” If it appears, click the three-dot menu (⋯) and select Uninstall. Confirm and run through the process.
Again, this rarely removes everything. So press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and check the full list. You might find multiple entries—uninstall each one linked to the downloader or its publisher.
Now, manually hunt down leftovers. Go to:
C:\Program Files\C:\Program Files (x86)\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\
Delete any folders with names that match the app or sound sketchy. I found one called “YTPLManager” that was still running in the background.
Open Task Manager, go to the Startup tab, and disable any unknown entries. Then open Services (via Start search), look for anything with “Downloader,” “Helper,” or strange publishers, and stop/disable them.
For the registry, same drill: use regedit, back up first, then remove any related keys under SOFTWARE. This step is boring and risky if you rush, but skipping it means the app might come back like a bad habit.
After all that, you’d think it’s gone for good. But I’ve seen this thing regenerate files after a reboot. That’s why, these days, I don’t mess around with manual cleanup anymore. I use PerfectUninstaller. It scans deeper than Windows ever does—finds hidden processes, browser hijackers, leftover services, and registry junk in seconds. It removes everything in one click, and actually stays gone. If you’re tired of chasing digital ghosts, just use PerfectUninstaller. It’s the only way I know to make sure this kind of app doesn’t keep coming back to haunt you.
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