iCloud for Windows can't upgrade, uninstall, or repair. How can I proceed?

Lately Apple Software Update has been popping up with a recommended upgrade to iCloud 5.0. (I am currently on 4.1.1.53, on Windows 10 with the Fall Update).

Each time I attempt to upgrade, the upgrade fails.

I tried uninstalling the application using the uninstall utility, but that failed as well.

Finally, I tried to "Repair" the program, but that did not work either.

Any other suggestions? At this point I just want iCloud off Windows for good.


Try to remove manually all the file in:

  • c:\program files x86\common files\apple\internet services or
  • c:\program files\common files\apple\internet services

Then, via https://discussions.apple.com/message/29281327#29281327 -

  1. Press Win + R (the "Run" prompt should appear)
  2. Type "regedit" (for the registry editor) & press enter.
  3. Make a registry backup first: press File > Export and save current state of registry
  4. Find and delete all folders containing "icloud"

Finally, you should be able to restart the computer and download iCloud from the Apple Web Site

iCloud for Windows

Reinstall the program.


After struggling with this for a few hours, I finally came up with something that worked: when it stops on "removing backup files", go to the task manager and kill the msiexec.exe process. That kills the installer completely, before it has a chance to "roll back" the install. After that I found that the icloud app was installed and I could open it.

Hopefully this is fixed by Microsoft or Apple in a less kluge-y way, of course.