A simple restart releases file locks held by the OS or other programs.
If you just extracted a ZIP folder to your C:\RenPy or Downloads folder:
These AppData folders store your launcher preferences, recent project lists, and GUI settings. uninstall renpy
Alternatively, you can also uninstall Ren'Py by using the "Add or remove programs" settings in Windows 10/11:
Before deleting anything, copy your Ren’Py projects folder (renpy-<version>/projects or wherever you saved games). Otherwise, your visual novel work will be gone. A simple restart releases file locks held by
Ensure no Ren’Py processes are running. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), look for renpy.exe or python.exe, right-click, and select End Task.
You likely used the "Install" feature. Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and manually delete the Ren’Py shortcut. Then run the proper uninstall via Settings > Apps. Ensure no Ren’Py processes are running
No. Your project files (scripts, images, audio) are stored separately. However, if you installed Ren’Py and kept projects inside the SDK folder, they will be deleted. Always keep projects in a separate directory.