Can't get rid of Real Player

I'm running Windows 10 on a 64 bit machine. Real Player doesn't show up in Control Panel>Program files but does show up when I click the Windows button as Real Networks. I also see Real in Windows File Explorer under Program Files (x86). I suspect the program hasn't been completely installed or I would see it in Control Panel>Programs and it's not there.

What is even more annoying is because I can't see the program listed, i assume that some of its components are. When I go to File Explorer and find Real under Program Files (x86) and try to delete it, I'm told something is open in another program and it won't let me delete this component. I then checked processes in Task Manager and had closed any processes that had Real Player in them but I still couldn't delete this file. I then installed the Microsoft process identifying software and used the find function. There were a number of open files but when I went back to Task Manager and closed Realdownloader (which I had missed the first time), no Real Player processes appeared to be open.

Nonetheless, after all that, when I try to delete Real in File Explorer and  find Real under Program Files (x86) and try to delete it, I'm told something is open in another program and it won't let me delete this component.

I remember Real Player from about 10 years ago and thought having another player couldn't hurt. I saw a thread that called it badware and that had convinced me to uninstall it and now it appears you need an act of Congress to do so.

Not sure with Win 10.

Ensure Hidden Files / Folders are enabled.

Can you boot to Safemode , and then delete so called Real Folders ?

Or if Real Player hasnt uninstalled correcty and any service is started then you wont be able to delete those folders.

Otherwise to stop any services at startup you could install CCleaner and in Tools / Startup /  select NO for that item.

Also Revo Uninstaller may Help  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/revo-uninstaller/

Hopefully Someone else may have a better solution if needed.

I think following these steps might help you to remove Real Player from your Windows 10 64 bit

Sometimes the standard uninstall process fails to delete the application folders, so you may also need to follow the instructions below. Note: Deleting these folders will remove any playlists you've created; the files will remain in your library but the playlists will need to be re-created.

1. Go to My Computer.
2. Go to C:\ or Local Disk (C:\).
3. Go to the Program Files folder.
4. Go to the Real folder.
5. If you have a 32-bit operating system, delete the RealPlayer folder: 
c:\program files\real\RealPlayer
If you have a 64-bit operating system, delete the RealPlayer folder:
c:\program files x 86\real\RealPlayer
6. Go back to the Program Files folder.
7. Go to the Common Files folder.
8. For RealPlayer 16 or older versions: Delete the Real folder c:\program files\common files\real\ (or c:\program files x86\common files\real\ if you have a 64-bit OS).

If you are not able to delete folders because "a folder or file in it is open in another program," follow these steps:

1. Open Task Manager (right-click anywhere in the bottom bar of your screen, and select Start Task Manager) and select the Processes tab.
2. End any of the following processes that are still visible.
   - downloader2.exe *32
   - realplay.exe *32
   - realsched.exe *32
   - recordingmanager.exe
   - rpdsvc.exe *32
   - RealPlayerUpdateSvc.exe *32
   - rpsystray.exe

3. Restart your computer and delete the folders.

Don't see the folders? Then they are already deleted. 

If for any reason the above instructions do not completely uninstall the software, open Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Real\RealPlayer\RPDS and double-click uninst.exe to uninstall RealPlayer. If you don't see this folder in Program Files, you will need to reinstall the software first.

Hope you get through. 

Sorry I took so long to respond. It appears that no matter what I do, I keep getting the error message "a folder or file in it is open in another program," . I followed your steps and still got that message. I did notice that in Windows Explorer, that Real Player and realdownloader still exist. I can't locate them to uninstall through going to Settings>apps as these applets don't appear on the program list. I also don't see them in Ccleaner's tools.

This is very annoying. I did use task manager to stop any of the programs you had listed as well as any real player apps to no avail. When I look to delete the two real player folders remaining above, I get that ""a folder or file in it is open in another program," error message. I also get that tools for real player is open but I can't find it. I just want to get rid of this garbageware.

I was able to get rid of a lot of Real Player's junk files but notice that when I go to C: program files(x86) real realdownloader and try to delete that file, I'm prohibited from doing so by the error message that says This action can't be completed because this file is open in Tools for Real Downloader264. So I can't get rid of that file.

I had the same problem. Starting Windows in safe mode and then deleting the Real player solved the problem for me. You see, Real player in its current (and useless, in my opinion) incarnation attaches itself to Windows Edge. Since Edge is always open in the background, the only way to get rid of Realplayer is to restart in safe mode with Edge off. 

How to uninstall:

1. Windows+R (or type run in Cortana)

2. type msconfig + click OK

3. in Boot select safe boot

4. Restart

5. Go to C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files(x86)

6. Delete Real folder

7. Repeat steps 1 + 2

8. In general tab select normal startup

9. Restart

Voila! Hope this helps