The fastest way to delete Grammarly

Removing Grammarly depends on which part you want gone. The browser extension uninstalls separately from the desktop app, and you may have both installed without realizing it. Most people need to remove the browser extension first — that's what runs in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge and checks your writing as you type. Then uninstall the Grammarly desktop process if you installed that too.

The whole process takes about five minutes. You do not need to restart your computer, though restarting your browser is usually necessary to complete the removal.

Key Takeaways

  • The Grammarly browser extension and the desktop app are separate installations that must be removed independently.
  • To remove the extension, go to your browser's extension menu, find Grammarly, and click the remove or trash icon.
  • To remove the desktop app on Windows, use Settings > Apps > Apps and Features, search for Grammarly, and click Uninstall.
  • On Mac, drag the Grammarly app from Applications to Trash, then empty Trash to complete the removal.
  • After removing either component, close and reopen your browser to clear any remaining Grammarly elements.

Remove the Grammarly browser extension

The browser extension is what most people notice — it's the tool that underlines spelling and grammar mistakes in Gmail, Google Docs, and other websites. Removing it is the same process across all browsers, though the exact menu location changes slightly.

In Chrome: Click the puzzle piece icon in the top right corner of your browser. Find Grammarly in the list, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove from Chrome." Chrome will ask you to confirm; click "Remove" again.

In Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select "Add-ons and extensions," find Grammarly in the Extensions list, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove."

In Safari: Click Safari in the menu bar, then "Settings." Go to the Extensions tab, find Grammarly in the list on the left, click it, and click "Uninstall."

In Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, select "Extensions," find Grammarly, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove from Microsoft Edge."

After removing the extension, close your browser completely and reopen it. The extension will no longer appear on websites you visit.

Uninstall the Grammarly desktop app on Windows

The desktop process is a separate program that runs in the background on your computer. It handles the core Grammarly functions and communicates with your browser. If you installed Grammarly from the official website rather than just adding the browser extension, you have this app on your system.

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Click "Apps" in the left sidebar, then "Apps and Features." Scroll down or search for "Grammarly" in the search box at the top. When you find it, click it once to select it, then click the "Uninstall" button that appears.

Windows will open the Grammarly uninstaller window. Click "Uninstall" again to confirm. The process takes about 30 seconds. When it finishes, you may see a prompt asking if you want to keep your Grammarly account data — select "No" if you want a complete removal, or "Yes" if you think you might reinstall it later.

Restart your computer to finish the removal. The Grammarly app will no longer run in the background.

Uninstall the Grammarly desktop app on Mac

On Mac, you remove applications by dragging them to Trash. Open Finder and click "Applications" in the sidebar. Scroll down to find Grammarly, click it once, and drag it to the Trash icon in your dock. You can also right-click Grammarly and select "Move to Trash."

straightforward moving an app to Trash does not fully remove it — some files remain on your system. To complete the removal, click the Trash icon in your dock, find Grammarly in the Trash window, right-click it, and select "Delete when ready." This permanently removes the process and its associated files.

If you want to be thorough, you can also remove Grammarly's preference files. Open Finder, press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog, type ~/Library/Preferences, and press Enter. Look for any files starting with "com.grammarly" and drag them to Trash. Then empty Trash to finish.

What happens after you remove Grammarly

Once you remove both the extension and the desktop app, Grammarly stops checking your writing when ready. Any underlines or suggestions from Grammarly will disappear from websites and applications. If you use Gmail, Google Docs, or other web-based writing tools, they will no longer show Grammarly corrections.

Your Grammarly account remains active on Grammarly's servers even after you remove the software from your computer. If you want to delete your account entirely, you need to log into your Grammarly account on the Grammarly website, go to Account Settings, and look for a "Delete Account" or "Close Account" option. This is a separate step from removing the software.

If you reinstall Grammarly later, you can log back into the same account and your settings will be restored. You do not lose anything by removing the software.

Troubleshooting if Grammarly won't uninstall

On Windows, if the uninstall button is grayed out or the uninstaller won't open, restart your computer and try again. Sometimes Windows locks files that are currently in use. You can also try uninstalling through the Control Panel instead of Settings: press Windows+R, type "control panel," press Enter, click "Programs and Features," find Grammarly, and click "Uninstall."

On Mac, if you cannot move Grammarly to Trash because it says the file is in use, restart your computer first. If the problem persists, try restarting in Safe Mode by holding Shift while your Mac starts up, then attempt the removal again.

If the browser extension won't remove, try disabling it first rather than removing it. In Chrome, click the puzzle piece, find Grammarly, and toggle the switch off. Wait a few hours, then try removing it. Sometimes browser extensions lock temporarily after recent updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing Grammarly affect my documents or files?

No. Grammarly only reads your text while you type — it does not store or change your documents. Removing the software will not delete any files, emails, or documents you created while using it. Everything you wrote remains exactly as it was.

Do I need to remove the extension and the desktop app separately?

Yes. They are two different installations. You may have only the extension, only the desktop app, or both. Removing one does not remove the other. Check both your browser extensions and your installed applications to be sure Grammarly is completely gone.

Can I remove just the browser extension and keep the desktop app?

Yes. You can remove the extension from your browser while leaving the desktop app installed, or vice versa. However, the desktop app does very little without the browser extension, so most people remove both.

What if I see Grammarly still running after I uninstalled it?

Restart your browser completely — close all browser windows and reopen the browser. If you removed the desktop app, restart your computer. Sometimes processes continue running in memory until you restart. If Grammarly still appears after a full restart, you may have missed uninstalling one of the components.

Is there a way to temporarily disable Grammarly instead of removing it?

Yes. In your browser, click the puzzle piece icon, find Grammarly, and toggle the switch off. This disables the extension without removing it. You can turn it back on the same way. For the desktop app, you can prevent it from starting automatically by opening Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) and removing Grammarly from the startup list.