Uninstall Chrome on Windows

To remove Chrome from a Windows computer, open your Settings menu and navigate to Apps. Click Apps and Features, then scroll down to find Google Chrome in the list. Click it once to select it, then click the Uninstall button that appears. Windows will ask you to confirm — click Uninstall again.

A small window will pop up asking whether you want to delete your browsing data. You can check the box to remove your history, cookies, and saved passwords, or leave it unchecked if you want to keep that information. Click Delete to finish. Windows will remove Chrome from your computer, and the process usually takes less than a minute.

If you cannot find Chrome in the Apps and Features list, it may have been installed for a single user account only. Sign into that account and repeat the steps above. You can also uninstall Chrome directly by going to Control Panel, selecting Programs, then Programs and Features, finding Chrome, and clicking Uninstall.

Uninstall Chrome on Mac

On a Mac, removing Chrome is simpler than on Windows. Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar. Scroll down to find Google Chrome, click it once, and drag it to the Trash. You can also right-click Chrome and select Move to Trash from the menu that appears.

After you move Chrome to Trash, empty the Trash to permanently remove it. Right-click the Trash icon in your dock and select Empty Trash. This deletes Chrome and all its files from your Mac. If you want to keep your browsing data for later use, back up your Chrome profile folder before you delete the application — it is stored in ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.

Remove Chrome From Your iPhone or iPad

On an iPhone or iPad, press and hold the Chrome icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen or Delete App. If you choose Delete App, you will see a warning asking you to confirm — tap Delete to proceed.

Deleting Chrome from your home screen does not remove it from your device completely. To fully remove Chrome from your iPhone or iPad, open the App Store, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, go to Purchased, find Google Chrome, and tap the cloud icon with a minus sign. Confirm that you want to remove the app.

Remove Chrome From Android Devices

On an Android phone or tablet, open Settings and go to Apps or Application Manager. Scroll down to find Google Chrome and tap it. Tap Uninstall, then confirm by tapping OK or Uninstall again when prompted. Chrome will be removed from your device.

If you cannot uninstall Chrome on your Android device, it may be a system app that came pre-installed. In that case, you can disable it instead. Go to Settings, find Chrome in your Apps list, and tap Disable. This turns off Chrome so it no longer runs in the background, though you cannot remove it completely.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Settings, go to Apps and Features, find Google Chrome, and click Uninstall to remove it completely.
  • On Mac, drag Chrome from Applications to the Trash, then empty the Trash to delete it permanently.
  • On iPhone and iPad, you can remove Chrome from your home screen through the home screen menu, or fully remove it through the App Store by tapping your profile and selecting the remove option.
  • On Android, open Settings, find Chrome in your Apps list, and tap Uninstall, or tap Disable if uninstall is not available.
  • Uninstalling Chrome does not automatically delete your browsing history and saved data unless you choose that option during the removal process.

What Happens to Your Data When You Uninstall Chrome

When you uninstall Chrome, your browsing history, saved passwords, and bookmarks stay on your computer unless you specifically tell the uninstaller to delete them. Most uninstallers ask whether you want to remove this data — if you check that box, everything goes. If you leave it unchecked, the data remains even after Chrome is gone.

If you are signed into a Google Account in Chrome, your bookmarks and some settings are backed up to Google's servers. You can access them later by signing into Chrome on another device or by logging into your Google Account online. Your local browsing history and cached files are only stored on your computer, so they disappear when you uninstall Chrome unless you chose to keep them.

Reinstalling Chrome Later

If you decide you want Chrome back, you can download it again from google.com/chrome. The download is free and takes a few minutes. When you reinstall Chrome and sign into your Google Account, your bookmarks and some settings will return automatically because they were saved to your account.

Your old browsing history will not return unless you backed it up before you uninstalled. If you want to save your history before removing Chrome, open Chrome, go to Settings, click History, then click History again in the menu. You can export your bookmarks by going to Settings, clicking Bookmarks, then selecting Export Bookmarks.

Troubleshooting Uninstall Problems

If the Uninstall button is grayed out or does not work on Windows, Chrome may still be running in the background. Close all Chrome windows and tabs, then try again. You can also restart your computer and attempt the uninstall immediately after startup, before Chrome has a chance to launch.

On Mac, if you cannot move Chrome to the Trash because it says the file is in use, quit Chrome completely by clicking Chrome in the menu bar and selecting Quit Google Chrome. Then try dragging it to the Trash again. If it still will not move, restart your Mac and try once more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling Chrome delete my Gmail account?

No. Your Gmail account exists on Google's servers and is separate from the Chrome browser. Uninstalling Chrome does not affect your Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google service. You can still access them through any other browser or by logging into google.com directly.

Can I uninstall Chrome if it is my default browser?

Yes. You can uninstall Chrome even if it is set as your default browser. When you uninstall it, your operating system will ask you to choose a new default browser, or it will automatically switch to another browser like Safari or Edge. You can then set a different browser as your default.

Does uninstalling Chrome remove extensions I installed?

Yes. All extensions you added to Chrome are removed when you uninstall the browser. If you reinstall Chrome later, those extensions will not return unless you add them again manually. Your bookmarks will return if you sign into your Google Account, but extensions must be reinstalled one by one.

What if Chrome is frozen and I cannot uninstall it?

Restart your computer first — this closes Chrome completely and clears it from memory. Then try the uninstall process again. On Windows, you can also use the Control Panel instead of Settings. On Mac, force-quit Chrome by pressing Command-Option-Esc, select Chrome, and click Force Quit before trying to move it to the Trash.

Can I uninstall just one part of Chrome, like the sync feature?

No. You cannot uninstall individual features of Chrome — you either uninstall the entire browser or keep it. However, you can turn off sync by opening Chrome, clicking your profile icon, and selecting Turn Off. This stops Chrome from syncing your data to your Google Account without removing the browser itself.