How do I delete MINECRAFT completely? Even if I delete the folder launcher, it still starts normally. How do I delete it?

The core issue you are encountering—where Minecraft continues to launch normally despite deleting its visible folders—stems from the application's data being distributed across multiple locations on your system, not just a single installation directory. On Windows, the primary launcher executable you might delete is merely a client; the actual game files, including critical runtime data, player profiles, and version-specific libraries, are stored separately within your user's `AppData` folder. Specifically, you will find essential components in `AppData\Roaming\.minecraft` and `AppData\Local\Packages` if you are using the Microsoft Store version. On macOS, equivalent data resides in `~/Library/Application Support/minecraft`, and on Linux, in `~/.minecraft`. Therefore, simply removing the launcher shortcut or its initial installation folder leaves this supporting ecosystem intact, allowing a new launcher instance to regenerate or reference the existing data, making the game appear to persist.

To achieve a complete uninstallation, you must systematically remove all associated files and, crucially, the application's entry from your operating system's registry or application management system. On Windows, begin by using the system's native "Add or Remove Programs" utility (or "Apps & Features" in Settings) to uninstall any official Minecraft Launcher entries, including distinct entries for "Minecraft Launcher" and "Minecraft for Windows" if present. This official uninstall process is designed to remove registry keys and some core files that manual deletion misses. Following this, you must manually navigate to and delete the residual data folders mentioned earlier. Ensure you enable the viewing of hidden files and folders to access `AppData`. On a Mac, you would drag the application from the `Applications` folder to the Trash and then also remove the `~/Library/Application Support/minecraft` directory. For Linux, deletion of the `~/.minecraft` directory and any dedicated launcher script is typically sufficient.

The persistence mechanism is often reinforced by cloud-synced game data if you are logged into a Microsoft or Mojang account, which can redownload certain preferences or resource packs upon a fresh install, but this does not constitute the core executable files. If the game still launches after these steps, it indicates a surviving launcher instance elsewhere, such as a secondary installation from a third-party platform or a leftover executable in a downloads folder that is independently accessing the `AppData`. To conclusively eliminate all traces, consider using a reputable third-party uninstaller tool that performs deep registry and file system scans for leftovers after the standard uninstall, though this is generally unnecessary for most users. The key takeaway is that a complete deletion requires a two-pronged approach: leveraging the operating system's formal uninstallation pathway to handle integrated components, followed by a meticulous manual cleanup of the user-specific data directories that the standard process may omit.