If you are unable to uninstall or remove a device in Device Manager and see the message Cannot uninstall this device because its descendants refused the request, this post will help you address the issue.
Cannot uninstall this device because its descendants refused the request. This can happen if the device’s descendants are required to boot up the computer.
Cannot uninstall this device because its descendants refused the request
Use the following fixes if you see the Cannot uninstall this device because its descendants refused the request error while uninstalling a device driver from your Windows 11/10 computer.
- Read the Device Manager error code
- Download the driver from the official website
- Try to uninstall the driver in Clean Boot or Safe Mode
- Use a third-party tool to uninstall the driver
- Perform System Restore
- Perform a Repair Upgrade or Reset your PC
Before you begin you should know that this error usually occurs when the device you are trying to uninstall is critical and required by your computer to boot. We recommend that you restart your PC and try once and see if it works. If it doesn’t, read on.
1] Read the Device Manager error code
Usually, we do not need to uninstall a driver from the Device Manager as long as the device is working properly. If a hardware device stops working, the issue can be fixed by uninstalling and reinstalling its driver. Open the Driver Properties, read the error code, and try to troubleshoot and fix the error accordingly.
2] Download the driver from the official website
You can also try installing the device driver without uninstalling the previously installed driver. Download the latest driver version from your computer manufacturer’s official website and run the installer file to install the driver.
If this fixes the issue and your device starts working again, you do not need to uninstall the driver.
3] Try to uninstall the driver in Clean Boot or Safe Mode
You can try to uninstall the driver in Clean Boot state or Safe Mode. Clean Boot is a state where all third-party background applications and services remain disabled. If you get the same error in the Clean Boot state, start your computer in Safe Mode and then try to uninstall the driver.
4] Use a third-party tool to uninstall the driver
Third-party driver updater software helps you update your device drivers to the latest version. You can also use driver updater software, such as IObit Driver Booster to uninstall your device drivers.
5] Perform System Restore
Restoring your system to the previous point in time can also help you fix the driver error. Perform System Restore and select the restore point created on the date before which the respective device was working properly.
6] Perform a Repair Upgrade or Reset your PC
A repair upgrade reinstalls the Windows operating system without uninstalling the currently installed Windows OS on your system. Usually, a repair upgrade is done to repair the Windows OS. Perform a repair upgrade.
Alternatively, you can also reset your PC to the factory default settings without deleting your data. This can also fix this issue. While resetting your PC, select the option that says Keep my files. This option will not erase your data. However, from a safety point of view, back up all your data before performing an In-place upgrade or resetting your PC.
How do I remove a device from the Device Manager?
You can easily remove a device from the Device Manager by uninstalling it. However, when you scan your system for hardware changes or restart your system, Windows installs the missing driver automatically. If you do not want Windows to install that drive again, you need to select the “Attempt to remove the driver for this device” or “Delete the driver software for this device” checkbox in the Device Manager while uninstalling the driver.
What happens if you uninstall a device in the Device Manager?
Device Manager contains a list of all the drivers installed on your system. Uninstalling a device from the Device Manager means uninstalling its driver from your system. When you uninstall a driver from the Device Manager, the respective device stops working.
