How to uninstall Chrome on Mac: Complete guide

Key Takeaways

You can fully uninstall Chrome on Mac with a one-click tool.
Using CleanMyMac removes Chrome along with hidden support files like caches, logs, cookies, and background agents that macOS doesn't delete on its own.
A manual Chrome uninstall requires removing multiple folders.
To delete Chrome manually, you must trash the app, clear the Chrome folder in Application Support, and remove GoogleSoftwareUpdate from the Library.
Backing up your Mac before uninstalling is recommended.
Get Backup Pro helps you create full, cloned, incremental, or versioned backups so you can restore important data if something goes wrong.
Monitoring your Mac after uninstalling helps prevent performance issues.
iStat Menus gives real-time CPU, memory, temperature, and network insights so you can catch high-usage apps early and maintain a smooth system.
Setapp gives you all the tools for backup, uninstalling, and monitoring.
CleanMyMac, Get Backup Pro, iStat Menus, and Tab Finder are all available in the Setapp 7-day free trial so you can manage and optimize your Mac more efficiently.

Google Chrome is by far the most dominant web browser out there today and has been for quite a while. As such, Google Chrome virtually sets the direction the web is heading.

However, sometimes, you might actually need to delete Chrome from your Mac for various reasons. Let’s see why uninstalling Chrome on Mac might be necessary and how to uninstall Chrome in the easiest way possible.

Before uninstalling Google Chrome

Uninstalling Chrome on Mac requires a few extra steps compared to other apps. This is because Chrome stores data in multiple locations, which may not be obvious at first.

If you want to fully uninstall Chrome, please make sure you have the tools to really delete the associated items, because simply deleting the app won’t do it. Here are the three tools I found with the help of Productivity tool finder, and I recommend keeping them handy:

To get rid of all the data generated by Chrome and stored on your drive, you’ll need CleanMyMac.
If you’re worried about losing something important, you can create a bootable backup of your drive before deleting Chrome with Get Backup Pro.
If you delete Chrome because of excessive CPU consumption, consider installing iStat Menus. It will help you control the CPU from the menu bar.

I'll cover these tools in detail below.

How to uninstall Google Chrome with one click

If you want to know how to uninstall Google Chrome on Mac completely, your best option is a reliable uninstaller app like CleanMyMac. While you can delete Chrome manually, macOS doesn’t remove all the supporting files the browser leaves behind — things like caches, cookies, saved logs, browsing data, background services, and hidden folders in Library. CleanMyMac handles all of this automatically for you.

To uninstall Google Chrome completely:

Install and open CleanMyMac.
Click Applications > Scan.
Click Manage My Applications.
Search for Chrome > Select it.
Click Uninstall.

The Applications Manager tab of CleanMyMac, a Mac optimization app that is available on Setapp.

Additionally, check out how to clean up and optimize your Mac to make it run like new.

How to remove Google Chrome from a Mac manually

Before you start deleting Google Chrome manually, I'd suggest backing up your Mac to an external drive.

Get Backup Pro is a solid backup manager that I've found works well for this kind of task. This utility can save you from any data catastrophe by offering a mix of backup methods for any scenario. You can create a simple copy, clone, or do an incremental or versioned backup. Once saved, you can recover data on the fly as well, and not just to your Mac — to any computer, even without Get Backup Pro.

The Photos library backup in Get Backup Pro, a backup app that is available on Setapp.

Here's how to manually uninstall Google Chrome on Mac, after the backup:

Quit your Google Chrome app.
Go to Finder > Applications.
Find Google Chrome > Right-click and choose Move to Trash or use the Command + Delete shortcut.
Right-click on the Trash icon and choose Empty Trash.
Select all files inside the Chrome folder and delete them too.
Type in ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome and press Return.
While in Finder, go to the menu bar and then click Go > Go to Folder ( or press Shift + Command + G).
Still in Finder, type ~/Library/Google/ in the search bar and drag GoogleSoftwareUpdate (sometimes called Keystone) to the Trash — this is the small auto-update agent Chrome leaves behind. Then empty the Trash once more.
Empty Trash.

Now your Mac should be completely free of Google Chrome and all its leftover files.

How to monitor your Mac after removing Chrome

If you removed Chrome because it was putting too much pressure on your system, a monitoring tool like iStat Menus can help you stay ahead of these issues.

iStat Menus is one of the most comprehensive Mac monitoring utilities. Always visible in your menu bar, it gives you real-time insights into CPU load, memory usage, network activity, disk performance, temperature sensors, battery health, and more.

With this level of visibility, it’s easy to spot when Chrome (or any other app) starts consuming more resources than it should. I rely on it to catch spikes early and shut down problem apps before they slow down my entire system.

The many bar stats of CPU in iStat Menus, a Mac system monitoring app that is available on Setapp.

Why you might delete Google Chrome from Mac

You might be wondering why you'd want to remove Chrome when it's such a popular browser. Here are a few reasons people consider uninstalling it:

You like other browsers more. Although Chrome is pretty flexible, it still dictates a certain way of doing things, which you might like less than the UX of other browsers, such as Safari or Firefox. Check out the Safari vs. Chrome comparison.
You find your Chrome version to be buggy. It’s not uncommon for Chrome to start consuming more than 100% of your CPU or completely stall on a task.
You need to reset your macOS. Sometimes you want to delete all third-party apps and bring your Mac back to its original state.
You want to sync with iOS devices. Even though Chrome has an iOS version as well, it’s really Safari with a Chrome wrapper around it. Switching to Safari on both Mac and iOS would offer more syncing possibilities.
You’re conscious of privacy. Being an advertising company, Google doesn’t have a stellar reputation when it comes to privacy. Switching to a more private browser is definitely an option. For more details on what Google collects and how your data is used, see the Google Privacy Policy.

How to uninstall Chrome on Mac: Final thoughts

So there you have it — you can uninstall Chrome automatically with CleanMyMac or manually, in which case you have to be careful not to delete anything extra, and ideally back everything up in Get Backup Pro. If you’re about to reinstall Google Chrome later, make sure to keep an eye on it with iStat Menus for the best Mac performance.

Lastly, if you use more than one browser on your Mac, consider installing Tab Finder for easier navigation between tabs.

Best of all, CleanMyMac, iStat Menus, Get Backup Pro, and Tab Finder are available to you absolutely free through the seven-day trial of Setapp, a platform with more than 250 best-in-class macOS and iOS apps that can transform your Mac into a power machine. Try every Setapp app today at no cost and see how fast your Mac can really be.

FAQ

How do I reset Google Chrome on Mac without uninstalling it?

To reset Google Chrome on your Mac without uninstalling, open Chrome and go to Settings > Reset settings > Click Restore settings to their original defaults. This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs, and disable all extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords will not be deleted.

Why can’t I delete Google Chrome on Mac?

If Chrome works in the background, you won’t be able to completely remove it from your Mac. If you find Chrome leftovers on your drive, use CleanMyMac to get rid of them.

Can I uninstall Chrome and reinstall it?

Yes, you can uninstall Chrome and reinstall it. Just remove the app from your Mac (ideally using a tool like CleanMyMac to delete all leftover files), then download a fresh copy from Google’s official website and install it again. Your bookmarks and settings will sync once you sign back into your Google account.

What happens if I delete my Chrome app?

When you delete the Chrome app from your Mac, your system will no longer use Chrome as the default browser to open links. Instead, macOS will automatically switch to another browser set as the default. If you had not explicitly set another default browser, it typically reverts to Safari, the built-in Mac browser.