Uninstall & Reinstall Issues

Uninstall Visio 2016 Without Removing Office Pro Plus 2021

Huda Qurayshi Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs a method to uninstall Visio Professional 2016 without affecting an existing Office Professional Plus 2021 installation on the same machine.

How to Uninstall Visio 2016 Without Removing Office Professional Plus 2021

Product: Microsoft Visio 2016 and Office 2021
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to remove Visio 2016 or upgrade to Visio 2021 in a mixed Click-to-Run environment.
Observed behavior: Standard uninstallation methods affect the entire Office suite, and attempting to install Visio 2021 fails to apply the correct edition or license.

Before you start

Determine whether your Office installations use retail or volume licensing, and back up all customized application settings before using advanced deployment tools or uninstallation utilities.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Office Deployment Tool (ODT) with an XML File

This method uses Microsoft's official deployment tool to reconfigure your Click-to-Run installation, allowing you to selectively exclude or remove specific applications like Visio 2016 depending on your license type.

The standard Windows uninstaller cannot easily separate mixed Click-to-Run installations. The Office Deployment Tool (ODT) provides granular control over what is installed or removed via an XML configuration file.

Note: Microsoft documentation indicates that certain mixed installations of volume and retail licenses may not support removing a single application without reinstalling the entire suite.

Download the Office Deployment Tool

Navigate to the official Microsoft Download Center, search for the Office Deployment Tool, and download the executable file to your computer.

Extract and configure the XML file

Run the downloaded file to extract the ODT components to a local folder. Open the extracted configuration.xml file in Notepad and modify it to include only Office Professional Plus 2021, intentionally excluding the Visio product ID.

Run the setup command

Open the Command Prompt as an administrator, navigate to the folder containing your ODT files, and run the command 'setup.exe /configure configuration.xml' to apply the changes.

Use the Office Deployment Tool (ODT) with an XML File

License Compatibility: If you are mixing retail and volume licenses, this method may fail. In such cases, a complete reinstallation of Office may be the only supported pathway.

Solution 2

Perform a Clean Uninstall and Reinstall

If mixed licensing prevents selective uninstallation, completely removing all Office products and reinstalling only what you need is the most reliable workaround.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office to Avoid Complex Licensing and Installation Conflicts

Struggling with mixed Click-to-Run installations, XML files, and deployment conflicts can be frustrating. Switch to WPS Office for a unified, lightweight, and hassle-free document suite that doesn't require complex uninstallation procedures.

1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation file.
2. Install quickly and easily: Run the installer. The straightforward setup avoids the complex Click-to-Run dependencies found in other suites.
3. Open your existing files: Launch WPS Office and immediately open your existing .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files with full formatting support.

Completely free and exceptionally lightweightNo complicated volume or retail licensing conflictsHighly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsAll-in-one interface manages all your document types effortlessly

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does uninstalling Visio 2016 affect my Office 2021 installation?

Both products use Microsoft's Click-to-Run installation technology and share core system files. Modifying one product through standard Windows settings often triggers the shared uninstaller, affecting the entire suite.

Can I use the standard Windows Apps & Features menu to remove just Visio?

Generally, no. In mixed Click-to-Run environments, the standard uninstaller does not reliably distinguish between the shared files of Office and Visio, which is why the Office Deployment Tool is recommended.

Does using the Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) delete my documents?

No. SaRA only removes installation files, application data, and registry entries related to the Office software. Your personal documents, spreadsheets, and files remain safe on your hard drive.

What happens if I try to install Visio 2021 over Visio 2016?

In many Click-to-Run setups, the installer may fail to properly register the new license or edition if the previous version's core files are still active, resulting in the application still identifying itself as the 2016 edition.

Installation & Activation