---
title: Uninstalling PingFederate
description: Learn how to uninstall PingFederate from a Windows or Linux server.
component: pingfederate
version: 13.1
page_id: pingfederate:installing_and_uninstalling_pingfederate:pf_uninstall_pf
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/installing_and_uninstalling_pingfederate/pf_uninstall_pf.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: September 29, 2025
section_ids:
  uninstalling-pingfederate-from-a-linux-server: Uninstalling PingFederate from a Linux server
  before-you-begin: Before you begin
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  choose-from: Choose from:
  uninstalling-pingfederate-from-a-windows-server: Uninstalling PingFederate from a Windows server
  before-you-begin-2: Before you begin
  about-this-task-2: About this task
  steps-2: Steps
  choose-from-2: Choose from:
---

# Uninstalling PingFederate

Uninstalling PingFederate involves removing the previously-installed PingFederate service and the installation directory, `<pf_install>`.

Depending on your deployment, you can uninstall PingFederate from either a Linux server or Windows server.

## Uninstalling PingFederate from a Linux server

### Before you begin

* Ensure that you're signed on to your system with sufficient privileges to uninstall an application.

### About this task

You can use the systemd service or the SysV initialization script to uninstall PingFederate from a Linux server.

### Steps

1. Uninstall PingFederate using one of the following methods:

   ### Choose from:

   * To uninstall PingFederate using the systemd service, use the following `systemctl` commands to stop and disable PingFederate:

     ```
     systemctl stop pingfederate ;\
     systemctl disable pingfederate ;\
     systemctl daemon-reload
     ```

   You can also remove the PingFederate systemd unit file `pingfederate.service` from the systemd unit files directory `/etc/systemd/system` before running the `systemctl daemon-reload` command.

   * To uninstall PingFederate using the SysV initialization script, do one of the following:

     * Use the `Service Configuration utility` to stop and disable the PingFederate service.

     * Remove any symbolic links from various initialization directories to stop the PingFederate service.

     * Remove the PingFederate SysV initialization script `pingfederate` from the SysV initialization directory `/etc/rc.d/init.d`.

       |   |                                                                                                                            |
       | - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
       |   | Depending on the operating system, the exact directory locations might vary. Consult your system administrators as needed. |

2. (Optional) Remove the PingFederate installation directory, `<pf_install>`.

## Uninstalling PingFederate from a Windows server

### Before you begin

* Ensure you're signed on to your system with sufficient privileges to uninstall an application.

### About this task

The method you use to uninstall PingFederate depends on whether you installed it using the installer for Windows or the distribution `.zip` file.

### Steps

1. Verify the installation medium. In Windows, go to **Control Panel > Uninstall a Program**.

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
   | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | The existence of a PingFederate entry indicates a previous installation of PingFederate using the Windows installer. If there's no existing PingFederate entry, the distribution `.zip` file was used to perform the installation. |

2. Depending on the type of installation, uninstall PingFederate using one of the following methods:

   ### Choose from:

   * To uninstall PingFederate using the PingFederate installer for Windows, go to **Control Panel > Uninstall a Program**.

     This removes the PingFederate service and the installation directory.

   * To uninstall PingFederate using the distribution `.zip` file:

     1. Go to **Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services** to open the Windows management console.

     2. Right-click the **PingFederate** service and select **Stop**.

     3. Run `uninstall-service.bat` from the `<pf_install>\pingfederate\sbin` subdirectory that corresponds to your platform processor.

     4. (Optional) Delete the PingFederate installation directory `<pf_install>`.