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Uninstall & Reinstall Issues

What Is ProPlus2019Retail.img and Is It Safe to Delete?

Partner EditorPartner Editor Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know the purpose of the ProPlus2019Retail.img file and whether deleting it will negatively affect their computer or Office software.

What Is ProPlus2019Retail.img and Is It Safe to Delete?
Product
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019
Device & OS
not provided
Scenario
Freeing up computer disk space after installing Microsoft Office.
Observed behavior
A large disk image file named ProPlus2019Retail.img remains on the local drive taking up valuable storage space.
Before you start

Before deleting the file, ensure that Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 is fully installed, activated, and functioning correctly on your computer.

Solution 1Recommended

Safely Delete the ProPlus2019Retail.img File

Remove the installation image file to free up storage space once Microsoft Office is successfully installed.

The ProPlus2019Retail.img file is an offline installation media file, acting like a virtual DVD used to install Office 2019. It does not contain your personal documents and is not required to run Word, Excel, or PowerPoint once the installation process is complete.

1
Verify Office functionality

Open any Microsoft Office application, such as Word or Excel, from your Start menu to confirm the software runs without any errors or activation prompts.

2
Unmount the image file

Open File Explorer and go to 'This PC'. If you see a virtual DVD drive labeled with Office 2019, right-click the drive and select 'Eject' to unmount the image.

3
Locate and delete the file

Navigate to the folder where ProPlus2019Retail.img is saved (often the Downloads folder). Right-click the file, select 'Delete', and then empty your Recycle Bin to permanently reclaim the disk space.

Safely Delete the ProPlus2019Retail.img File
Future Reinstallation: If you have a slow internet connection, consider moving this file to an external USB drive instead of deleting it. This allows you to reinstall Office in the future without downloading the large setup file again.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reinstall Office 2019 if I delete the ProPlus2019Retail.img file?

Yes, you can reinstall Office 2019 even if you delete this file. You will simply need to log into your Microsoft account online and re-download the installation media from the official Microsoft portal.

Why is the ProPlus2019Retail.img file so large?

This file contains the complete offline installation data for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019, including all applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Publisher, as well as multiple language packs, which requires several gigabytes of storage.

How do I extract files from the ProPlus2019Retail.img file without installing?

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can simply right-click the .img file and select 'Mount' to access its contents as a virtual CD/DVD drive. Alternatively, you can use third-party archiving software like 7-Zip to extract the individual files.