The latest Bulk Crap Uninstaller (BCU) release listed on its GitHub page is version 6.3. The releases page shows "07 Sep" with no year, so confirm the year there before relying on it. BCU is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, which the project says allows private and commercial use. It removes many applications at once with little or no input from the user.
The official site says BCU can find portable and unregistered programs, clean up leftovers, force-uninstall software and run automated removals from preset lists. It also lists a console interface for condition-based uninstalls and a startup manager.
Where the facts disagree: Windows and .NET requirements
The project's own pages give two different answers, and the difference matters for anyone on an older system.
| Source | Windows | .NET |
|---|---|---|
| BCU home page | Windows Vista or newer recommended; XP and 2003 work with reduced functionality; 32-bit and 64-bit | .NET 4.0 or newer recommended; with only .NET 3.5, reduced functionality on Windows 7 or newer |
| GitHub release notes for 6.0 | Officially only Windows 10 and newer; people on unsupported systems are pointed to v5.9; x86 builds are no longer included | At least .NET 8.0 |
Scope: the BCU home page and the GitHub release notes for 6.0, read 23 Oct 2026. The notes for 6.1 to 6.3 do not repeat a .NET requirement. The home page text appears to describe older versions; the GitHub notes are the later and more specific source.
On this evidence, a Windows 10 or 11 computer is the safe reading for current versions. The 6.0 notes name .NET 8.0 as a minimum, and Windows 7 or 8.1 users would need version 5.9 or older, which the project points them to.
Release history
| Version | Date shown | Main changes (from GitHub) |
|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | 07 Sep | Custom Notes for uninstaller entries, JSON output for BCU-console list and export, dry-run mode for the console uninstall command, Windows ARM64 support for the portable launcher, new Korean and Greek translations |
| 6.2 | 09 Jun | Invalid-uninstaller view preset, certificate and integrity columns in the app list, better Scoop custom path detection, many stability fixes; repository moved to the BCUninstaller organization |
| 6.1 | 06 Mar | Mainly bug fixes after 6.0; detection of installed files for Msiexec uninstallers; better error messages |
| 6.0 | 03 Mar | Preliminary Windows on ARM64 support; x86 builds removed; fix for a crash on load when InfoCache.xml is corrupted |
The releases page prints day and month without a year, so no gaps in days are computed here.
What it detects and how it removes
- It detects registered, hidden and portable applications, and entries from Steam, Oculus, Chocolatey, Windows Store apps, Windows Features and Windows Updates.
- It runs each program's original uninstaller where possible, in bulk, with minimal input.
- It can force-uninstall and remove leftovers.
- It has a startup manager and a console interface for automated, condition-based removals.
The home page describes the program as fully portable, with settings kept in a single file. It links three download sources: dAppCDN, SourceForge and GitHub. Of these, GitHub is the project's own repository, so it is the one this page recommends opening first, and the page does not say whether separate installer and portable builds exist. The 6.3 asset list did not load when read, so file names are not given here.
Cost
BCU is free. The site carries a donate badge that links to the developer's PayPal and bitcoin donation page, and nothing on the pages read is locked behind a payment.
What Windows already does
Settings has an Installed apps list, which handles one program at a time and runs only the program's registered uninstaller. Microsoft's performance article lists uninstalling unused apps as a solution. BCU's value, going by its own description, is in doing this for many programs in one pass and in finding programs the Windows list does not show, such as portable ones.
Alternatives in this directory
Revo Uninstaller focuses on one program at a time with a leftover scan, and its free edition is separate from a paid Pro edition. CCleaner includes an uninstaller among its tools. Portable programs, which a standard uninstall list does not show, often come as archives that a free archiver such as 7-Zip opens.
Questions the project pages answer
Who maintains it? The 6.2 release notes say the repository moved to a new BCUninstaller organization on GitHub and that two maintainers were added. Earlier releases were published under the name Klocman.
Can it be used at work? The Apache 2.0 licence is described by the project as allowing private and commercial use.
Where do I download it? The home page links three sources: dAppCDN, SourceForge and GitHub. GitHub is the project's own repository, so start there and compare any other copy against it.
What if I run Windows 7 or 8.1? The 6.0 notes point people on unsupported systems to version 5.9.
What else does it find? Besides ordinary installed programs, the site lists Steam and Oculus games, Chocolatey packages, Windows Store apps, and Windows Features and Updates.