TLDR:
I have an Epic Games Launcher from ~2020 installed on my Windows system. When I tried downloading the latest launcher version from the Unreal Engine website (12/14/25), the installation failed. I attempted several troubleshooting steps but was unable to resolve it, and now I also cannot open my older 2020 launcher to cleanly uninstall that version.
Steps Taken:
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Attempted to install latest launcher from Unreal website → installation failed with error:
- “The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2753”
-
Tried clearing Temp folder (%TEMP%) to resolve the error → received message:
- “This folder is open in another program” (even when attempting in admin mode)
-
Attempted to disable antivirus/Windows Defender processes → unable to stop relevant processes
-
Tried opening the older 2020 launcher to uninstall it → launcher won’t open
Options I’m Considering:
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Manually delete old launcher (~2020) installation files + reinstall latest version
-
Search Temp folder for old launcher files and delete them
-
Use msiexec command to bypass installation issues
-
Install from Microsoft Store as last resort
Questions:
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Which of these approaches would be most effective given the situation?
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Error code 2753 — is there a specific cause or priority I should target first?
-
Any other troubleshooting steps I’ve missed?
Any guidance would be appreciated!