How do I properly uninstall Chrome on my Mac?

General Mac Tutorials
1

I need help removing Chrome from my Mac. It’s been acting up recently with slow performance and constant crashes, and I think a fresh start might solve the issues. Can anyone guide me on thoroughly uninstalling it, ensuring no leftover files remain? Thank you!

2

Oh, I totally feel ya! Chrome can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. Removing it from your Mac is pretty straightforward, but there are a few steps to make sure you wipe it out completely and don’t leave any annoying crumbs behind. Here ya go:

  1. Quit Chrome:
    Sounds silly, but make sure Chrome isn’t running. Click on** Chrome** in your dock, then right-click and choose “Quit”.

  2. Drag to Trash:
    Head over to your Applications folder (Finder > Go > Applications) and find that cheeky Chrome. Drag it straight to the Trash. Don’t worry, this isn’t the end just yet.

  3. Nuke the Leftovers:
    Now, for the real cleanup. You’re gonna need to hunt down the leftover bits:

    • Open Finder and press Cmd + Shift + G to open “Go to Folder”.
    • Type ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome and hit Enter.
    • Trash that whole folder (it’s where your user data lives).

  4. Check Other Spots:
    Do the same for these paths to make sure no crumbs are left:

    • ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome
    • ~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist
    • ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.google.Chrome.savedState

  5. Empty the Trash:
    Can’t forget this step! Right-click the Trash icon in your Dock and choose “Empty Trash”. Poof gone forever.

Hopefully, that should do the trick! Reinstall Chrome fresh from the official website and fingers crossed, it should be as good as new. :star2:

Good luck, and may you never suffer the Chrome slowdown-itus again! :four_leaf_clover:

3

Alright, you want to uninstall Chrome from your Mac, and make sure all those pesky leftover files are gone? No problem, I can help with that. Let’s dive into a step-by-step guide to remove Chrome completely from your Mac. Sometimes a clean slate is all you need to get things running smoothly again.

Method 1: Using Finder to Uninstall Chrome

Step 1: Quit Google Chrome

First, make sure Chrome isn’t running. Right-click on the Chrome icon in your Dock and select “Quit.” If it’s being stubborn, you might need to force quit. You can do this by pressing Command + Option + Escape, selecting Chrome from the list, and clicking “Force Quit.”

Step 2: Move Chrome to Trash

Open Finder and navigate to your Applications folder. You can do this by pressing Command + Shift + A or by using the side panel in Finder.

Find Google Chrome in the Applications folder. Drag Google Chrome to the Trash, or right-click it and select “Move to Trash.”

Step 3: Delete Chrome’s Library Files

Now, Chrome might still leave behind some files that can cause trouble later. Let’s get rid of those too.

  • Open Finder and click on Go in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  • Hold down the Option key to reveal the “Library” option and click on it.
  • In the Library folder, look for a folder named “Google” and delete it.

Next, navigate to the Application Support folder inside the Library and find the “Google” folder there. Delete it as well.

  • Go to Library -> Application Support -> Google

Step 4: Remove Chrome Preferences and Other Files

Still in the Library folder, head to the following directories and delete any Chrome-related files you find:

  • ~/Library/Preferences: Look for files starting with com.google.Chrome, and trash them.
  • ~/Library/Caches: Identify cache files related to Chrome and delete them.
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State: Look for com.google.Chrome.savedState and trash it.

Step 5: Empty the Trash

Finally, empty your Trash to permanently delete all of these files. Right-click on the Trash icon in your Dock and select “Empty Trash,” or open Trash and click on the “Empty” button in the top-right corner.

Method 2: Using Terminal to Uninstall Chrome

If you’re comfortable using the Terminal, this method can be quicker.

Step 1: Quit Google Chrome

Make sure Chrome isn’t running. Use the Command + Q keyboard shortcut to quit the application.

Step 2: Open Terminal

Open Terminal by searching for it in Spotlight (Command + Space and then typing “Terminal”).

Step 3: Remove Chrome Application

In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter:

sudo rm -rf /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app

You’ll need to enter your admin password to proceed.

Step 4: Remove Chrome Library Files

Still in the Terminal, run these commands one by one to remove Chrome’s library files:

rm -rf ~/Library/Google*
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google
rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.google.Chrome
rm -rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.google.Chrome.savedState

Each of these commands clears out different bits of data Chrome might leave behind.

Method 3: Using a Third-Party Uninstaller

If you’re not comfortable with the manual methods, you can use an app like AppCleaner to do the job for you.

Step 1: Download and Install AppCleaner

Download AppCleaner from its official website (just Google “AppCleaner Mac” and grab it from freemacsoft.net). Install it by dragging it to your Applications folder.

Step 2: Remove Chrome Using AppCleaner

Open AppCleaner and drag Google Chrome from your Applications folder into the AppCleaner window. AppCleaner will find all associated files and list them for you.

Click “Remove” to delete Chrome and all the associated files in one go.

Method 4: CleanMyMac X

CleanMyMac X is another powerful tool you could use.

Step 1: Download and Install CleanMyMac X

Just like with AppCleaner, download CleanMyMac X from its official website and install it.

Step 2: Uninstall Chrome

Open CleanMyMac X and go to the Uninstaller module in the left-hand sidebar. Find Google Chrome in the list of apps and click on it. CleanMyMac X will show you the associated files that will be removed along with the program.

Click “Uninstall” to remove Chrome completely.

Tips for a Fresh Start After Uninstalling Chrome

Now that Chrome is off your Mac, if you decide to reinstall it, let’s make sure it runs smoothly:

Reinstalling Chrome

Download the latest version of Chrome from the official Google Chrome website. Once downloaded, open the DMG file and drag Chrome back to your Applications folder.

Setting Up from Scratch

Instead of importing old settings and data right away, take some time to set up Chrome from scratch. Customize your settings step-by-step and reinstall only the extensions you really need. This can often weed out the source of performance issues.

Regular Maintenance

Sometimes, browser issues come from old cache and excessive extensions. Regularly clearing your cache and reviewing your extensions can keep Chrome running well.

Okay, there you have it – multiple ways to uninstall Chrome from your Mac thoroughly. Hopefully, this helps you get things running smoother again. If you run into any issues during the uninstallation, feel free to ask for more help. Let’s get that Mac speedy again!