o15-ctrremove (often found as o15-ctrremove.diagcab ) is a legacy Microsoft "Easy Fix" utility designed to completely uninstall Office 2013, Office 2016, or Office 365. Microsoft Learn
However, Microsoft has officially retired these "Easy Fix" tools in favor of the more modern Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) How to Download the Modern Version
To ensure you get the "proper piece" that is up-to-date and secure, you should use the official replacement provided by Microsoft: Download Tool : You can download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) directly from the official Microsoft Support page. What it replaces
: This tool performs the same deep cleaning functions as the old o15-ctrremove SetupProd_OffScrub.exe
files, removing registry keys and leftover system files that a standard uninstallation might miss. Using the Tool : Run the downloaded SetupProd_OffScrub.exe
: Choose the version of Office you want to remove (e.g., Office 365, 2021, 2019, 2016, or 2013).
: Follow the prompts to restart your computer. The tool may automatically restart after the reboot to finish the cleanup. Alternative (Manual/PowerShell)
If the tool does not work, you can force the removal of modern Office packages (Microsoft 365/Office Desktop) using Windows PowerShell as an Administrator: Microsoft Support Download 015-ctrremove Tool
Get-AppxPackage -name "Microsoft.Office.Desktop" | Remove-AppxPackage Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC
If you are struggling with a corrupted Microsoft Office installation or need a clean slate to reinstall, you likely need to download the 015-ctrremove tool. Officially known as the Microsoft Office Removal Tool (or o15-ctrremove.diagcab), this utility is designed to bypass standard uninstallation issues by scrubbing all traces of Office from your system. What is the 015-ctrremove Tool?
The 015-ctrremove tool is a specialized "Easy Fix" utility provided by Microsoft to handle "Click-to-Run" (CTR) installations of Office 2013, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365. While a standard uninstallation via the Control Panel often leaves behind configuration files and registry entries, this tool performs a "clean removal".
File Name: Often appears as o15-ctrremove.diagcab or is bundled within the MicrosoftFixit50450.msi package.
Primary Function: Removes all Office components, including those that prevent a fresh installation from succeeding. Compatibility: Works with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. How to Download and Use the Tool
To ensure you are getting a safe and authentic version, you should always download the tool directly from official Microsoft support channels. Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC Uninstall Office or Microsoft 365 from a PC. Microsoft Support
The o15-ctrremove tool (also known as the Easy Fix tool) is a specialized utility developed by Microsoft to completely uninstall Office 365, Office 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2013 installations. It is primarily used when standard uninstallation through the Windows Control Panel fails or leaves behind residual registry keys and files that prevent a clean reinstallation. 🛠️ Tool Overview o15-ctrremove (often found as o15-ctrremove
Official Name: Office Easy Fix Tool / Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA).
File Name: Often appears as o15-ctrremove.diagcab or MicrosoftFixit50450.msi.
Function: Removes "Click-to-Run" (CTR) versions of Office, cleaning up registry entries and hidden system files.
Current Status: Microsoft has largely replaced this standalone .diagcab file with the more comprehensive Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA), which uses the filename SetupProd_OffScrub.exe. 📥 How to Download and Use Uninstall Microsoft 365 or Office from a PC
The "015-ctrremove Tool" seems to be a specialized utility, but without specific context, it's challenging to provide a detailed review. However, I can offer a general overview of what such a tool might entail and its potential uses.
Before you hit the download button, it is critical to understand what you are fighting against. The "015-CTR" (often appearing as 0x015ctr or 015-ctr in registry keys) is typically a Browser Policy Hijacker.
Unlike a virus that corrupts files, this tool primarily attacks your web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Opera). It installs a malicious "Managed by your organization" policy. The ctrremove tool forces the removal of these
Ensure Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera are completely closed via Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc > End task on all browser processes).
After the reboot, you must verify that the tool worked correctly.
The 015-ctrremove tool is designed to clean up "stale" or corrupted pending transactions within the Windows CBS store.
Normally, when you run DISM commands like StartComponentCleanup, Windows attempts to clean up old update backups. However, if there are corrupt pending transactions, these commands may fail with errors like:
0x800f0821 (CBS_E_ABORT)0x800f081f (CBS_E_SOURCE_MISSING)The ctrremove tool forces the removal of these stuck transaction logs, allowing Windows to rebuild them during the next boot.
Open Chrome. Go to chrome://policy. You should see "No policies set" or only default, legitimate policies.