Easy Steps to Delete An Application In SCCM

Prajwal Desai
Posted by Prajwal Desai
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

In this post, we will see how to delete an application in SCCM (ConfigMgr). When you don’t need an SCCM application, you can delete it from ConfigMgr console.

You may ask why should I delete the application that’s already deployed to collections?. The answer is: You don’t need that application anymore, and therefore you delete.

Sometimes you create and deploy an application for users belonging to a specific team. If the team requires a different software, you package the new application in SCCM.

The old, unused application remains in SCCM console. If the old application is not required anymore, you may delete the application from SCCM console.

Another reason for deleting application in SCCM could be that a new application has been replaced with existing one. This often happens in large organizations.

If you try to right-click any application in SCCM console and select Delete, the application will not get deleted. There is a small procedure that you need to follow to delete the application in SCCM.

Let’s take a look at the correct steps to delete an application in SCCM or ConfigMgr.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM

  • Launch the ConfigMgr Console.
  • Navigate to Software Library\Overview\Application Management\Applications.
  • Select the application that you wish to delete, right-click the application and select Delete.
How To Delete An Application In SCCM
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

When you attempt to Delete an application in SCCM console, you see a warning message box.

Configuration Manager cannot delete this application because other applications or task sequences reference it, or it is configured as deployment.

It clearly shows that the number of active deployments is 1 which means the application is deployed once. Click OK.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM 2012 Snap 2
Configuration Manager cannot delete this application because other applications or task sequences reference it, or it is configured as deployment.

To fix the above warning, before you delete the application, you must first retire that application. To retire the application, right-click the application and select Retire.

Sometimes you cannot retire an application, and you see a similar warning box.

Configuration Manager cannot retire this application because other applications or task sequences reference it, or it is configured as deployment.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

So, why is that you are unable to retire or delete an application. The answer is if the application is already deployed to a collection, you cannot delete the application. You have to first delete the deployment and only then you can delete the application.

In the below example, you see that the office application is already deployed to a device collection. First remove the deployment using the delete option.

If you have deployed the applications to multiple collections, you have to remove each deployment manually.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

Right-click the Application and select Revision History.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

On the Application Revision History window, start deleting the revisions from the bottom.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM 2012 Snap 6
How To Delete An Application In SCCM

When you complete deleting all the revisions, click OK to close Application Revision History window.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM 2012 Snap 7
Delete Application Revision History

Once you have deleted all the revisions, right the application and select Delete. Now you see a warning box :-

Are you sure you want to permanently delete the selected application from Configuration Manager? Select Yes to confirm the deletion of application.

How To Delete An Application In SCCM
How To Delete An Application In SCCM
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Prajwal Desai
Posted by Prajwal Desai
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Prajwal Desai is a Microsoft MVP in Intune and SCCM. He writes articles on SCCM, Intune, Windows 365, Windows Server, Windows 11, WordPress and other topics, with the goal of providing people with useful information.
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