Google Drive is an excellent cloud storage service that is also available on a number of platforms, including macOS. The desktop app for Google Drive combines backups from Google Drive and Google Photos into a single app.
However, if you no longer want to use the Google Drive desktop app, it’s possible to uninstall it. If you’re not sure how to, this guide will walk you through the process to correctly and safely uninstall Google Drive from a MacBook computer.
How can I Safely Uninstall Google Drive from a Mac?
Many Mac users tend to have trouble uninstalling Google Drive, but if you encounter a similar problem, simply follow the instructions below to uninstall Google Drive completely from your Mac.
Disconnect Your Google Account
Google Drive for desktop typically syncs files on your Mac with your Google account automatically. Therefore, before you uninstall Google Drive from your Mac, it’s important to disconnect your Google account to stop data syncing and terminate all related processes.
To do this, follow these steps:
- From the menu bar, select the Google Drive icon.
- Select the Settings icon, then Preferences from the dropdown menu.
- In the dialogue box, click the Settings button.
- Choose the Disconnect Account option next to your email address.
- Click Disconnect, followed by Done.
Now you can safely uninstall the Google Drive app from your Mac after disconnecting your Google account from it.
Uninstalling Google Drive from your Mac
You’ll first have toclose Google Drive on your Mac before removing it. To do so, go to the menu bar, click the Google Drive icon, then the Settings icon, and finally the Quit option.
It should now be easy to uninstall the Google Drive app on your Mac after quitting the application. There are several methods for uninstalling apps on a Mac, but the simplest is to drag them to the Trash.
Here’s what you should do:
- Launch the Application folder in Finder
- Control-click Google Drive and then choose Move to Trash. You could also just drag it to the Trash.
- Next, access Trash in the Mac’s Dock.
- Select the Delete Immediately option after control-clicking Google Drive.
Alternatively, you can Control-click on Trash and select Empty Trash to permanently uninstall Google Drive from your Mac.
Delete any Residual Google Drive files Using Finder
Even after uninstalling Google Drive from your Mac, it’s still important to remove the leftover files. If these junk files accumulate, they can harm your Mac in the long run.
So, to delete residual Google Drive files using Finder, simply follow these steps:
- Launch Finder and click Cmd + Shift + G.
- In the Go to Folder search box, type ~/Library/.
- Now, to find Google Drive, use the Search bar in the top-right corner.
- To narrow your search, choose “Library” instead of “This Mac”
- Locate any files that match, and if you find any, move them to the trash.
Again, you’ll need toempty your Mac’s Trash so you can permanently delete these residual files from your Mac. However, be careful when deleting these unwanted files to prevent accidentally deleting other important files; double-check before clicking Delete.
Besides the Library folder, you can look for any residual files in the following subfolders:
- /Library/Preferences
- /Library/Caches
- /Library/Application Support
- /Library/LaunchAgents
- /Library/PreferencePanes
- /Library/Saved Applications State
- /Library/StartupItems
- /Library/LaunchDaemons
Uninstall Google Drive from a Mac Using App Cleaner & Uninstaller
App Cleaner & Uninstaller is a utility that uninstalls apps completely and easily on a Mac. You’ll also be able to use this tool to quickly uninstall Google Drive from your Mac, or backup and sync apps along with all of their service files.
Follow these steps to uninstall Google Drive on a Mac with App Cleaner & Uninstaller:
- Open the app cleaner and Uninstaller
- Choose the Google Drive app
- Click the option to remove Google Drive
- Confirm your decision
This action will completely uninstall Google Drive on your Mac, including all of its support files such as caches, containers, and preferences.
To uninstall Backup and Sync from Google, follow these steps:
- In App Cleaner & Uninstaller, select Backup and Sync
- Uninstall the app by clicking the option
- Confirm the deletion of Backup and Sync
In conclusion, you can use any of the above methods to safely uninstall Google Drive from a Mac.
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