Uninstalling the Endpoint Backup v2 Windows agent
Module: Endpoint Backup v2
This article describes how to remove the Datto Endpoint Backup Agent from a protected Windows asset.
Removing an asset from protection has two separate parts, and you usually want both:
- Uninstall the agent software from the machine, which stops new backups.
- Remove the asset from UniView, which releases its license.
IMPORTANT Uninstalling the agent does not release the asset's license.
If you leave the asset in UniView, it continues to consume a license.
Choose an uninstall method 
How you uninstall determines whether you can resume the existing backup chain later.
| Method | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Standard uninstall | You may want to protect this machine again later. Reinstalling the agent lets you resume the existing backup chain. |
| Complete removal | You are retiring the machine or need a clean state for troubleshooting. This is irreversible: a future installation starts a new backup chain. |
Uninstall the agent
To perform a standard uninstall, complete the following steps:
- On the protected machine, open the Windows Programs and Features panel.
- Select Datto Endpoint Backup Agent.
- Click Uninstall to run the agent's built-in uninstaller.
The agent stops running and no further backups are taken for the asset.
NOTE Uninstalling with the built-in uninstaller leaves the agent's local data in place.
If you reinstall the agent on the same machine, you can resume the existing backup chain.
Remove the agent completely
To remove the agent without the possibility of resuming the existing backup chain, complete the following steps:
- On the protected machine, open the Windows Programs and Features panel.
- Select Datto Endpoint Backup Agent.
- Click Uninstall to run the agent's built-in uninstaller.
- Delete the agent data folder:
C:\ProgramData\Datto Backup Agent
NOTE This method is irreversible.
If you protect the same machine again later, the agent registers as a new asset and starts a new backup chain.
Remove the asset from UniView
Uninstalling the agent leaves the asset listed in UniView, where it continues to consume a license.
Delete the asset to release its license.
To remove the asset, follow the steps in How to delete an asset.
IMPORTANT Check the selected count before you delete.
Filtering the asset table does not clear your selection, so the assets you are about to remove may not all be visible.
What happens to your backups
Uninstalling the agent does not delete any recovery points.
Retention continues to run against those recovery points on the schedule set by the asset's assigned policy, so they keep aging out over time even though no new backups are being taken.
See Understanding retention in Datto Endpoint Backup v2 for more information on how the retention tiers work.
