AOL Desktop Gold is one of those throwback apps that still hangs around, mostly for longtime users who grew up with dial-up and email notifications that said “You’ve got mail!” It’s not just an email client—it’s a full desktop suite with a built-in browser, news feeds, ad panels, and even a video player. I tried it once on an older family member’s PC, thinking it might simplify their online experience. But here’s the problem: it’s bloated, slow, and designed to keep you inside the AOL ecosystem. Worse, it’s a nightmare to fully remove. It doesn’t just install in one place—it drops browser extensions, registry entries, startup services, and background processes that keep running even after you uninstall it. Plus, it often changes your default browser and homepage, and those settings don’t always reset when you remove the app. You might think it’s gone, only to find ads popping up in your regular browser or the AOL homepage loading when you open Chrome or Edge. That’s because leftovers linger in AppData, temp folders, and deep in the registry.
Uninstalling AOL Desktop Gold on Windows 10:
I’ve cleaned this off a few machines, and doing it right takes more than one step. Start by pressing Windows + I to open Settings, then go to Apps > Apps & features. Search for “AOL Desktop Gold.” It should show up—click it, then Uninstall, and follow the prompts. This launches the official uninstaller, which removes the main program.
But don’t stop there. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and hit Enter. This opens the old Programs and Features window. Scroll through and look for anything related—sometimes it shows up as “AOL,” “AOL Shield,” or “AOL Browser.” Uninstall those too.
Now, the real cleanup. Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Program Files\AOL\C:\Program Files (x86)\AOL\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\AOL\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\AOL\
Delete all these folders. The AppData ones are hidden, so either enable “Hidden items” in the View tab or paste the paths directly into the address bar.
Also, clear temp files. Press Windows + R, type %temp%, and delete everything inside—especially files with “AOL” in the name.
Next, stop it from launching at startup. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the Startup tab, and look for “AOL,” “AOLDesktop,” or “AOLShield.” Right-click and Disable them.
Then, open Services (search in Start), look for “AOL Connectivity Service,” “AOL Update,” or anything similar. Stop the service and set its startup type to Disabled.
Now, fix your browser settings. Open Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, go to settings, and reset your homepage and default search engine if they’ve been changed to AOL.
Finally, clean the registry. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and back up your registry first (right-click “This PC” > Export). Then go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AOLHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AOL
Delete these keys. Also, check:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
And remove any AOL-related entries.
Uninstalling AOL Desktop Gold on Windows 11:
The process is similar, but Windows 11 hides some tools a little deeper. Click Start, press Windows + I, go to Apps > Installed apps. Search for “AOL Desktop Gold.” When it appears, click the three dots (⋯) and select Uninstall. Run through the uninstaller.
Still, it’s probably not fully gone. Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and check the full list. Remove any related entries—sometimes there are multiple components.
Now, manually delete leftovers. Go to:
C:\Program Files\AOL\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Local\AOL\C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\AOL\
Use Run (%localappdata%\AOL and %appdata%\AOL) to get there fast.
Open Task Manager, go to Startup, and disable any AOL entries.
Open Services, stop and disable any AOL-related services.
Fix your default browser: go to Settings > Apps > Default apps, then click Set defaults by app or Choose default apps by file type, and reassign .HTML, .HTM, and .URL files to your preferred browser.
For the registry, same as before: use regedit, back up first, then remove all AOL keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\. This step is tedious, but skipping it means you might still get pop-ups or redirects weeks later.
After all that, you’d think it’s gone. But I’ve seen AOL Desktop Gold regenerate files after a Windows update. That’s why I don’t do manual cleanup for this kind of app anymore. I use PerfectUninstaller now. It scans deep—finds hidden processes, browser hijackers, leftover services, and registry junk that AOL buries in your system. It removes everything in one click, and actually stays gone. No more ads, no homepage changes, no mystery slowdowns. If you’re tired of chasing digital ghosts, just use PerfectUninstaller. It’s the only tool I trust to make sure AOL Desktop Gold doesn’t keep coming back from the past.
No responses yet