Uninstall Google Chrome

Want to remove Google Chrome from your Windows PC, Mac, Linux computer, Android device, or iOS device? The process is usually fairly straightforward, though you may encounter some issues if Chrome isn't working properly.

Steps

Windows

  1. Log in with your administrator account. If you want to remove Chrome for all of the users on your computer, you will need to be logged in as an administrator.
  2. Close any open Chrome windows. This will help ensure that Chrome uninstall properly.
  3. Open the Control Panel. You can access this from the Start menu.
    • If you are using Windows 8, right-click on the Start button or press ⊞ Win+X and select "Control Panel".
  4. Click "Uninstall a program" or "Programs or Features". If you are using Windows XP, select "Add or Remove Programs"
  5. Select "Google Chrome" from the list of installed programs. It may take a few moments for the list to completely load.
  6. Click the .Uninstall button that appears at the top of the list.
  7. Check the "Also delete your browsing data" box. This will delete all of the stored browsing data on your computer.

Troubleshooting

  1. Open the Task Manager and close all Chrome processes. Chrome may not properly uninstall if it is running in the background. You can try to close all of these background processes using the Task Manager.
    • Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc to open the Task manager.
    • Select any instance of Chrome in the Applications tab and click End Task.
    • Click the Processes tab, select each "chrome.exe" entry, and click End Process. If you don't see a Processes tab, click the "More details" button at the bottom of the Task Manager window.
    • Try uninstalling again after all tasks have been closed.
  2. Download Revo Uninstaller. This is an uninstaller program that can help you remove programs that won't uninstall normally. The free version should be all you need. You can get it at revouninstaller.com.
    • Run the installer to install Revo on your computer.
    • Run Revo and select "Google Chrome" from the list of programs.
    • Click the "Uninstall" button. Follow the prompts to remove Google Chrome.
  3. Scan your computer for malware. A malware infection may be causing your difficulties with Chrome. Scanning for and removing the infection may allow you to proceed with the uninstallation.

OS X

  1. Log in as an administrator. You will need admin rights in order to delete Chrome.
  2. Open your Applications folder.
  3. Drag the Google Chrome application into your Trash.
  4. Drag the Google Chrome icon from your Dock to the Trash.
  5. Delete your Chrome preferences and bookmarks. After deleting the Chrome application, your settings, bookmarks, and history will remain on your computer. Follow these steps to delete this data:
    • Click the Go menu in the menubar at the top of the screen. If you don't see it, click your desktop and it should appear.
    • Select "Go to Folder".
    • Type ~/Library/Google and click .
    • Drag the GoogleSoftwareUpdate folder to the Trash. Empty the Trash to delete the files.

Troubleshooting

  1. Download an uninstaller program. There are several programs available that can help clear up files left over after removing software. Some of the most popular include:
    • AppCleaner
    • AppZapper
    • AppDelete
  2. Drag the Chrome program from your Applications folder into the uninstaller window. The uninstaller program will automatically search for any related files and remove them as well.

Android

  1. Open your Settings app. Note: You will not be able to uninstall Chrome if it came preloaded on your Android device. On these devices, it is the stock browser. If you follow these steps and cannot uninstall Chrome, you'll need to root your device to get rid of it.
  2. Tap "Applications" or "apps". This will open a list of all the apps installed on your device.
  3. Change to the "All Apps" or "Installed" category.
  4. Tap "Chrome" in the list.
  5. Tap "Uninstall" to remove Chrome. You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete it.
    • If you don't have an "Uninstall" option, Chrome was preloaded on your device. You will need to root it in order to remove Chrome.
    • If you can't uninstall Chrome, you can still disable it. Tap "Uninstall updates" to remove all of the installed updates, and then tap "Disable" to keep it from running. It won't be uninstalled, but it won't start up anymore.

iOS

  1. Press and hold the Chrome app on your Home screen. After a moment all of the icons will begin wiggling.
  2. Tap the "X" in the corner of the Chrome icon.
  3. Confirm that you want to delete the app.
  4. Press the Home button to return to normal operation.

Linux

  1. Open the Package Manager. This is the utility that allows you to install and uninstall software for your Linux distribution. It might have a slightly different name depending on which distribution you are using.
  2. Search for "Google Chrome" in your list of installed packages.
  3. Select Chrome and click "Mark for Removal". Chrome will be uninstalled when you click "Apply".[1]

Troubleshooting

  1. Open the Terminal. You should have a shortcut for it on your desktop or taskbar, or you may be able to press Ctrl+Alt+T to open it.
  2. Type .sudo apt-get purge google-chrome-stable and press ↵ Enter. You will be prompted to continue by pressing Y, and then you will be asked for your administrator password.
    • This will uninstall the Chrome browser.
  3. Type .sudo apt-get autoremove and press ↵ Enter. You will be prompted to continue by pressing Y, and then you will be asked for your administrator password.
    • This will clean up the Package Manager, ensuring that there are no lingering files.



Related Articles

  • Remove the Email Tabs in Gmail
  • Disable Images in Google Chrome Browser

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95319?hl=en
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