This Thunderbolt Application Is Not in Use Anymore and Can Be Safely Uninstalled

Summary
How to resolve installation error on Thunderbolt 3.

Description
After every system restart, a Windows® 10 error message pops up: Application Cannot run – This Thunderbolt application is not in use anymore and can be safely uninstalled.

Resolution
Steps to remove legacy Thunderbolt™ 3 driver:

1. Disconnect any Thunderbolt 3 devices from the computer.
2. Right-click on the Windows Start button and select Device Manager.
3. Click on View from the application menu bar, and click the option Show hidden devices.
4. Expand the System Devices category. Scroll down until you find the entry for the Thunderbolt Controller.
5. Right-click on the Thunderbolt Controller entry and select Uninstall device from the context menu that appears.
6. From the Uninstall Device window that appears, click to place a check mark within the Delete the driver software for this device option.
7. Click the Uninstall button.
8. Close Device Manager.
9. Search for CMD in the Windows taskbar.
10. Right-click on the Command Prompt search result and select Run as Administrator.
11. From the Administrative Command Prompt window, type sc delete nhi and press enter.
12. Wait for action confirmation [SC] DeleteService SUCCESS then close the Command Prompt.
13. Type appwiz.cpl in the Windows task bar search, check Applications and Features for any Thunderbolt Software by Intel entries listed. If present, uninstall.
14. Download and follow installation instructions of the latest Thunderbolt™ 3 DCH Driver for Windows® 10 for Intel® NUC.
15. Download and install the Thunderbolt Control Center software from the Microsoft Store to approve and manage Thunderbolt devices.

Additional information

Why this is happening:

The original Intel Thunderbolt Controller driver that was released when Thunderbolt 3 systems were first introduced was based on a different driver model from Microsoft’s new DCH driver model. This driver package included both the driver and software management utility within the single installer.

The new DCH version of the Intel Thunderbolt Host Controller driver is provided separately from the software management utility. The driver is intended to be used in conjunction with the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) version of Intel Thunderbolt Control Center application.

Because the non-DCH and DCH driver versions and utilities cannot be mixed, if a system is updated to the new DCH Thunderbolt driver, the non-DCH version of the software management utility will no longer work and the error message will appear.