TidyMacQuit Chrome, drag it from Applications to the Trash, then remove ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome (your profile: bookmarks, history, saved passwords, extensions), its caches, preferences and saved state. Turn on sync or export bookmarks and passwords first. Remove Google’s updater only if you don’t use other Google apps.
Uninstall Google Chrome step by step
- Turn on Chrome sync, or export bookmarks (Bookmark manager › Export bookmarks) and passwords (Google Password Manager › Settings › Export).
- Quit Chrome (Chrome › Quit Google Chrome).
- Drag Google Chrome from Applications to the Trash.
- Move ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome to the Trash.
- Move ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome and ~/Library/Caches/com.google.Chrome to the Trash.
- Move ~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist and its Saved Application State to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash when you’re sure.
Where Google Chrome leaves files
| Location | What it is | After uninstalling |
|---|---|---|
| ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome | Your profile: bookmarks, history, passwords, extensions, site data | Check first |
| ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome | Web cache | Safe |
| ~/Library/Caches/com.google.Chrome | App cache | Safe |
| ~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist | Preferences | Safe |
| ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.google.Chrome.savedState | Window positions | Safe |
| ~/Applications/Chrome Apps.localized | Web apps you installed from Chrome | Check first |
| ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate | Google’s updater (older versions); shared with other Google apps | Check first |
| ~/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater | Google’s updater (newer versions); shared with other Google apps | Check first |
In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G) and paste a path to open it. Safe means nothing you made is inside; Check first means it may hold the only copy of something. To see how much space they use, run this read-only command in Terminal:
du -sh ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome ~/Library/Caches/com.google.Chrome ~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.google.Chrome.savedState ~/Applications/Chrome\ Apps.localized ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/GoogleUpdater 2>/dev/nullThe profile is the part to think about
Everything personal in Chrome lives in ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome. With sync on, it all comes back when you sign in again. Without sync, deleting this folder deletes your local bookmarks, history and saved passwords for good.
The Google updater is shared
Google installs one updater for all its Mac apps. If you still use Google Drive or another Google app, leave the updater folders alone. If Chrome was your only Google app, they’re leftovers.
Just want space back?
Chrome’s cache is safe to clear without uninstalling: Settings › Privacy and security › Delete browsing data › Cached images and files. More about the Chrome folder
Uninstall Google Chrome with TidyMac
TidyMac’s uninstaller lists every app with its size and last use, and finds the leftovers that belong to it by bundle ID. Remove Google Chrome and its leftovers in one review: everything goes to the Trash first, you confirm twice, TidyMac checks the disk afterwards, and you can put anything back. Leftovers from apps you already deleted are found too, labelled Check first.
Uninstall apps and their leftovers in one step
See every part of your storage explained, and clean only what’s safe after you confirm twice. $9.99, one time.
Frequently asked questions
Does dragging Google Chrome to the Trash uninstall it completely?
No. It removes the app, but Google Chrome leaves 8 kinds of files behind in your Library and elsewhere: your profile: bookmarks, history, passwords, extensions, site data; web cache; app cache. The steps above remove them.
What is Google Chrome’s bundle ID on Mac?
com.google.Chrome. Most of its leftover files and folders are named after it, which is how you (and TidyMac) can tell they belong to Google Chrome.
Can I reinstall Google Chrome later?
Yes. Download it again from Google. Anything stored in your account online comes back when you sign in; local-only data you removed does not.