2.3 KiB
remove auth keys
by llm
What you’re seeing is normal Windows behavior. Uninstalling an app does not always remove user data, and Windscribe keeps a small amount of account info so it can restore your session.
On Windows, Windscribe can remember your username via one (or more) of these places:
1. AppData folders (most common)
These folders are not deleted when you uninstall most apps.
Check both:
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Roaming\Windscribe
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Windscribe
(You can paste these into File Explorer’s address bar.)
These may contain:
- Config files
- Cached account info
- Login tokens (not your password in plain text)
2. Windows Registry
Windscribe also stores settings under your user registry hive.
Common locations:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Windscribe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Windscribe
The username is often stored here, which is why it reappears after reinstall.
3. Windows Credential Manager (very likely)
Windscribe may store a login token here so you don’t have to re-authenticate.
Open:
Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials
Look for entries named:
- Windscribe
- Windscribe VPN
- WindscribeService
If present, this is enough for the app to recognize your account.
4. ProgramData (less common, but possible)
C:\ProgramData\Windscribe
This folder is hidden by default.
Why uninstall doesn’t remove it
Windows uninstallers usually preserve user data on purpose so:
- Settings are kept if you reinstall
- You don’t accidentally lose preferences
This is standard behavior, not Windscribe being sneaky.
How to completely remove Windscribe data
If you want a truly clean reinstall:
-
Uninstall Windscribe normally
-
Reboot
-
Delete these folders (if they exist):
%AppData%\Windscribe %LocalAppData%\Windscribe C:\ProgramData\Windscribe -
Open Credential Manager and remove Windscribe entries
-
(Optional) Remove registry keys:
HKCU\Software\Windscribe -
Reboot again
-
Reinstall
After that, Windscribe should not remember your username.
If you want, I can also explain exactly which file/registry value stores the username and what format it’s in, or help you verify which one is being used on your system.