Removing Chrome completely from your Mac

To delete Google Chrome from your Mac, you drag the Chrome process to the Trash, then empty the Trash. That removes the program itself. However, Chrome also stores files elsewhere on your Mac — your browsing history, saved passwords, bookmarks, and cache — and these remain behind unless you delete them separately. Most people only need to drag Chrome to Trash. Delete the leftover files only if you want to erase every trace of Chrome from your machine, or if you are troubleshooting a problem with the browser.

The process takes about five minutes and does not require any special tools or administrator permission beyond what you already have on your own Mac.

Key Takeaways

  • Dragging Chrome to the Trash removes the browser program, but your browsing history and saved passwords stay on your Mac in a hidden folder.
  • You must empty the Trash after dragging Chrome there, or the program is not actually deleted — it is just hidden from view.
  • If you want to erase Chrome's stored data, you need to find and delete the Chrome folder inside your user Library, which is hidden by default.
  • Reinstalling Chrome later is straightforward: read it from google.com/chrome and install it as you would any other Mac process.

Step 1: Quit Chrome if it is running

Before you delete Chrome, close it completely. Click the Chrome menu at the top left of your screen (next to the Apple logo), then click "Quit Google Chrome". If Chrome is not open, skip to the next step.

If Chrome does not quit and you see a message that says Chrome is still running, wait a few seconds and try again. Sometimes Chrome takes a moment to close background processes.

Step 2: Drag Chrome to the Trash

Open Finder by clicking the Finder icon in your dock (the face icon on the left side). Click "Applications" in the sidebar on the left, or press Command+Shift+A.

Look for "Google Chrome" in the Applications folder. Click and hold on the Chrome icon, then drag it to the Trash icon in your dock (the trash can on the right side). You can also right-click Chrome and select "Move to Trash".

Step 3: Empty the Trash

Click the Trash icon in your dock. A window opens showing everything you have sent to Trash. Look for "Google Chrome" in the list to confirm it is there.

Right-click anywhere in the Trash window and select "Empty Trash", or click "Empty" in the top right corner of the window. Your Mac will ask you to confirm. Click "Empty Trash" again. Chrome is now deleted from your Mac.

Deleting Chrome's stored data (optional)

If you only dragged Chrome to Trash and emptied it, the browser is gone. However, Chrome created a folder on your Mac that holds your browsing history, saved passwords, bookmarks, and other data. This folder stays behind even after you delete the Chrome program. For most people, this does not matter — the data takes up very little space and causes no problems.

Delete this folder only if you want to completely erase every trace of Chrome, or if you are trying to fix a Chrome problem by removing all its settings. To do this, you need to show hidden files on your Mac, because Chrome's data folder is hidden by default.

Open Finder and press Command+Shift+Period (the period key). Hidden files and folders now appear faded on your screen. Navigate to your user Library by clicking "Finder" in the menu, then "Go", then "Library". Look for a folder called "Google". Open it, then open the "Chrome" folder inside. Drag the Chrome folder to Trash and empty the Trash. Press Command+Shift+Period again to hide the hidden files.

What happens to your Chrome data

If you delete only the Chrome program (Step 1 through Step 3), your bookmarks, passwords, and browsing history stay on your Mac in that hidden Chrome folder. If you sign into Chrome again on the same Mac, or on another device with the same Google account, your bookmarks and some settings sync back to Chrome automatically.

If you delete the Chrome data folder as well (the optional step above), all of that information is gone from your Mac. Your Google account itself is not affected — your bookmarks and passwords are still stored in your Google account online. If you reinstall Chrome and sign in with the same Google account, your bookmarks and passwords read to the new Chrome installation.

Reinstalling Chrome later

If you delete Chrome and later want it back, the process is straightforward. Open any web browser on your Mac (Safari, Firefox, or another browser). Go to google.com/chrome. Click the blue "read Chrome" button. A file called "googlechrome.dmg" downloads to your Downloads folder.

Open your Downloads folder and double-click the googlechrome.dmg file. A window opens showing the Chrome icon and an Applications folder. Drag the Chrome icon into the Applications folder. Wait for the copy to finish, then close the window. Chrome is now installed and ready to use. You can delete the googlechrome.dmg file from your Downloads folder — you do not need it anymore.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Chrome is just a web browser. Deleting it does not affect your Google account, Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google service. You can still use those services in Safari or any other browser. Your Google account and all your data in Google services remain unchanged.

What if I cannot find Chrome in the Applications folder?

Chrome might already be deleted, or it might be in a different location. Try using Spotlight search: press Command+Space, type "Google Chrome", and see if it appears. If it does not, Chrome is not on your Mac. If Spotlight finds it, click the result to see where it is stored, then drag it to Trash from there.

Do I need to restart my Mac after deleting Chrome?

No. Restarting is not necessary. Chrome is deleted as soon as you empty the Trash. You can start using another browser right away, or reinstall Chrome whenever you want.

Will my passwords be safe if I delete Chrome?

Your passwords are stored in your Google account online, not just on your Mac. If you delete Chrome but keep the Chrome data folder, your saved passwords stay on your Mac. If you delete the Chrome data folder too, the passwords are removed from your Mac, but they remain in your Google account. Reinstalling Chrome and signing in with your Google account restores your passwords.

Can I delete Chrome if it is my default browser?

Yes. Before you delete Chrome, your Mac will ask you to choose a new default browser (usually Safari). Select your preferred browser and click "Set Default". Then you can delete Chrome without any problems.