How to remove PDFCastle

What is PDFCastle

PDFCastle is a software application that claims to offer functionalities such as viewing, creating, editing, and converting PDF files to other formats, including Microsoft Word documents. Despite these advertised features, PDFCastle is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) or Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) due to its association with malicious activities and deceptive practices. Once installed, PDFCastle exhibits several harmful behaviors that pose significant risks to users. It promotes the use of the fake search engine portal.pdfcastle.com. When users launch the application, it redirects them to this site, which in turn may lead to other unreliable and potentially malicious search engines like nearbyme.io. PDFCastle may also have data-tracking functionalities that collect sensitive information such as browsing histories, search engine queries, internet cookies, login credentials, and personally identifiable information. This data can be shared with or sold to third parties, including cybercriminals, leading to privacy breaches and potential identity theft. The presence of PDFCastle can result in decreased internet browsing speed and overall system performance. Users may notice rogue redirects and other disruptions in their browsing experience. Furthermore, PDFCastle can serve as a gateway for additional malware infections. Its presence on a system increases the risk of further malicious software being installed, leading to more severe system infections and security issues.

How PDFCastle infected your computer

PDFCastle typically infiltrates computers through several deceptive methods. One common method is bundling with other free software downloads. Users may inadvertently install PDFCastle when they download and install other applications without carefully reviewing the installation steps. Another method involves intrusive advertisements and pop-ups that trick users into downloading PDFCastle. These ads may appear legitimate and entice users to click on them, leading to the installation of the unwanted application. Additionally, PDFCastle is promoted through its official-looking promotional webpage, which can mislead users into believing it is a legitimate and useful tool. Social engineering tactics, such as scare tactics or misleading information, can also prompt users to download and install PDFCastle, believing it is necessary for their system’s functionality or security.

1. Download PDFCastle Removal Tool
2. Remove/Uninstall PDFCastle from Control Panel
3. Cannot remove/uninstall PDFCastle using standard methods
4. Remove PDFCastle files, folders, and registry keys
5. Block pop-ups promoting PDFCastle
6. How to protect from threats, like PDFCastle

Remove PDFCastle manually for free

Here is a manual step-by-step tutorial for full PDFCastle removal from your computer. This works 99% and was checked with the latest versions of PDFCastle installer on operating systems with the latest updates and browser versions.

Remove PDFCastle from Control Panel

To start removing PDFCastle, you should remove it using Control Panel. It should uninstall correctly, however, we recommend you to use IObit Uninstaller to clean leftover items after uninstalling. Here are instructions for Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

Remove PDFCastle from Windows XP:

1. Click on Start button.
2. Choose Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Find PDFCastle.
5. Click Uninstall.

Remove PDFCastle from Windows 7:

1. Click Start button.
2. Then go to Control Panel.
3. Click Uninstall a Program.
4. Find PDFCastle and click Uninstall.

Remove PDFCastle from Windows 8:

1. Hover mouse pointer to the bottom-right corner to see Menu.
2. Click Search.
3. After that, click Apps.
4. Then Control Panel.
5. Click Uninstall a Program under Programs.
6. Find PDFCastle, click Uninstall.

Remove PDFCastle from Windows 10:

There are 2 ways to uninstall PDFCastle from Windows 10

Way one

1. Click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu, choose Settings.
3. Click on the System tile.
4. Click Apps & features and locate PDFCastle in the list.
5. Click on it and then click Uninstall button near it.

Way two (classic)

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu, choose Programs and Features.
3. Locate PDFCastle in the list.
4. Click on it and then click Uninstall button above.

Remove PDFCastle from Windows 11:

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu, choose Settings.
3. Click on the Apps tab on the left side.
4. Click Apps & features and locate PDFCastle in the list.
5. Click on 3-dots icon near it and then click Uninstall button near it.
6. Depending on the type of application (Windows Store app or classic Win32 app) it will be removed immediately, or you will need to confirm the action and go through the standard uninstall procedure.

Cannot uninstall PDFCastle

In some cases, PDFCastle won’t uninstall and gives you a message, that “You do not have sufficient access to uninstall PDFCastle. Please, contact your system administrator” when you try to remove it from Control Panel or “Access denied” error when removing PDFCastle folder and files. This happens because some file or service does not allow you to do it. In this case, I will recommend you to use SpyHunter 5 or Malwarebytes or uninstall PDFCastle in Safe Mode. To boot in Safe Mode, do the following:

1. Reboot your computer.
2. While it starts booting, press F8 button.
3. This will open Advanced Boot Options menu.
4. Choose Safe Mode and wait until Windows loads.
5. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program and remove PDFCastle.

>> See detailed instructions and video tutorial on how to boot in Safe Mode

Remove files, folders, and registry keys of PDFCastle

PDFCastle files:

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PDFCastle folders:

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PDFCastle registry keys:

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How to block ads and pop-ups, offering to download PDFCastle

As PDFCastle is mostly distributed via special ads and pop-ups promising to fix Windows errors or remove viruses, a good way to avoid the installation of PDFCastle is to block such ads in browsers. There are a couple of programs that have such functions. We recommend you use AdGuard to remove ads by PDFCastle from browsers. Download free trial here:

Download AdGuard

Get the best internet security to protect from threats, like PDFCastle, in the future

One of the most famous and reputable security programs for Windows is SpyHunter 5. Advanced algorithms and large databases help SpyHunter detect and remove various types of threats. Get complete protection from ransomware, adware, spyware, trojans, viruses, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), like PDFCastle, with SpyHunter 5. Download it here:

Download SpyHunter 5