Uninstall Chrome and delete all its files

To completely remove Google Chrome, you need to do two things: uninstall the program itself, then delete the folder where Chrome stores your settings, bookmarks, and browsing history. Most people stop after the first step and leave behind gigabytes of data. Both steps take about five minutes total.

The process is different on Windows and Mac, so follow the section that matches your computer. Either way, close Chrome completely before you start — if the program is running, the uninstall will not work properly.

Key Takeaways

  • Uninstalling Chrome from your Programs list removes the application, but leaves behind your saved passwords, bookmarks, and browsing history in a hidden folder.
  • On Windows, you must also delete the folder at C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome to remove all traces.
  • On Mac, delete the Chrome application from your Applications folder, then remove the folder at ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.
  • If Chrome will not uninstall, restart your computer first, then try again — a running process is usually the reason.
  • You can export your bookmarks before uninstalling if you want to keep them for another browser.

Remove Chrome on Windows

Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Click "Apps" in the left sidebar, then click "Apps & features". Scroll down until you see "Google Chrome" in the list, click it once, then click the "Uninstall" button that appears.

A window will pop up asking if you want to delete browsing data. You can check or uncheck this box — it does not matter, because you will delete the Chrome folder manually in the next step anyway. Click "Uninstall" to finish.

Now open File Explorer and paste this path into the address bar at the top: C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome. Replace "[Your Username]" with your actual Windows username. Press Enter. You should see a folder called "Chrome" — right-click it and select "Delete". If you see a message saying the folder is in use, restart your computer and try again.

Check one more location to be thorough. Paste this path into File Explorer: C:\ProgramData\Google. If a "Chrome" folder exists here, delete it as well. You have now removed Chrome completely.

Remove Chrome on Mac

Open Finder and click "Applications" in the sidebar on the left. Scroll down until you see "Google Chrome", right-click it, and select "Move to Trash". Empty the Trash by right-clicking the Trash icon in your dock and selecting "Empty Trash".

That removes the application, but Chrome stores your data in a hidden folder. Open Finder again and press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog. Paste this path: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome. Press Enter. You should see a folder called "Chrome" — drag it to the Trash, then empty the Trash again.

Check one more location. Press Command+Shift+G again and paste: ~/Library/Preferences. Look for a file called "com.google.Chrome.plist" — if it exists, drag it to the Trash and empty the Trash. Chrome is now completely removed from your Mac.

Export your bookmarks before you uninstall

If you have bookmarks you want to keep, export them before you uninstall Chrome. Open Chrome, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner, then click "Bookmarks" and "Bookmark manager". Click the three-dot menu again and select "Export bookmarks". Choose where to save the file — your Desktop is easiest to find later — and click "Save".

The file will be named "bookmarks.html". You can now import this file into another browser like Firefox or Edge. In Firefox, click the menu button, go to "Bookmarks", then "Manage Bookmarks", click the menu in that window, and select "Import and Backup" then "Import Bookmarks from HTML". Select your bookmarks.html file and click "Open".

What to do if Chrome will not uninstall

If you click "Uninstall" and nothing happens, or you get an error message, Chrome is probably still running in the background. Restart your computer completely, then try the uninstall steps again immediately after it boots up, before you open any other programs.

On Windows, you can also try opening Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, looking for any process with "Chrome" in the name, right-clicking it, and selecting "End Task". Wait a few seconds, then try uninstalling again. On Mac, open Activity Monitor by pressing Command+Space, typing "Activity Monitor", and pressing Enter. Search for "Chrome", click any result, click the X button, and select "Force Quit".

If uninstall still fails after a restart, your user account may not have permission to remove programs. Log in with an administrator account and try again. If you are already on an administrator account and it still does not work, try uninstalling in Safe Mode — on Windows, restart and hold Shift while clicking the power button, then select "Troubleshoot" and "Startup Settings". On Mac, restart and hold Command+S immediately after the startup sound.

Reinstall Chrome later if you change your mind

If you remove Chrome and later decide you want it back, go to google.com/chrome in any other browser, click "Download Chrome", and follow the installer. Your bookmarks, passwords, and history will not come back — they were deleted when you removed the Chrome folder. You will start with a fresh installation.

If you want to keep your Chrome data but just remove the program temporarily, you can skip the step where you delete the Chrome folder. The next time you install Chrome, it will find that folder and restore all your bookmarks and settings. However, this defeats the purpose of a complete removal, so only do this if you are certain you want your data back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing Chrome affect other Google services like Gmail or Google Drive?

No. Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and other Google services work in any web browser. Removing Chrome does not affect your Google account or any data stored in Google services — you can still access them through Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser.

What happens to my saved passwords when I uninstall Chrome?

Your passwords are deleted when you delete the Chrome folder. If you saved passwords in Chrome and want to use them in another browser, you will need to manually enter them again or use your browser's password manager to store them. Chrome does not transfer passwords to other browsers automatically.

Can I remove Chrome without uninstalling it?

You can disable Chrome from running at startup on Windows by opening Task Manager, clicking the "Startup" tab, right-clicking "Google Chrome", and selecting "Disable". This stops Chrome from launching automatically but does not remove it. To fully remove it, you must uninstall and delete the folder.

Do I need to remove Chrome from my Google account?

No. Uninstalling Chrome from your computer does not sign you out of your Google account or remove the computer from your account. If you want to remove the device from your Google account, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Security" on the left, scroll to "Your devices", and click "Manage all devices", then select the device and click "Sign out".

Will deleting the Chrome folder delete my Google account?

No. Your Google account exists on Google's servers, not on your computer. Deleting the Chrome folder only removes the copy of your bookmarks and settings that Chrome stored locally. Your actual Google account remains active and unchanged.