Google Drive is a personal cloud storage and file-sharing platform available on different platforms, including macOS. It allows you to save your files and photos for easy access as needed. As a Mac user, Google Drive is iCloud’s alternative.
For whatever reason, you might want to uninstall it from your Mac, and Apple has made this easy for users. This simple guide will take you through the steps of removing it safely and creating more space on your Mac.
Prepare for the Uninstallation
Before uninstalling Google Drive, you must disconnect it from your Mac. On the menu bar, click the “Google Drive” icon > “Settings” > “Preferences,” and then “Disconnect Account.” Once you complete these steps, you can safely uninstall Google Drive from your Mac.
You have two options for uninstalling Google Drive, and you can pick one depending on what works for you best.
1. Uninstall Google Drive Manually
Before you start, ensure the Google Drive App isn’t running on your computer. Control-click the app’s icon and select “Quit” to close it if needed. On Mac, you can use Finder to remove Google Drive from your computer. Follow these steps:
- Open Finder by clicking its icon in the Dock
- Click “Applications” in Finder’s sidebar or select “Go” and then “Applications” on the menu bar to open the applications folder.
- Locate and select “Google Drive” and drag it to Trash or press “Command-Delete.”
You may be prompted to provide a username and password before removing the app. In this case, enter the username and password for your administrator account. The app should be deleted once you’re done with these steps.
You can go ahead and remove it from the Trash. Select Google Drive in the Trash and press Command-Delete to remove it permanently from your Mac. Or, while in Finder, select “Empty Trash” to delete the app.
2. Uninstall Using Software Solutions
Still, you can use uninstallers and app managers to remove Google Drive from your Mac. Remember to remove the uninstaller app if you’ll no longer be using it. There are different solutions you can use, and you’ll need to pick one that’s easy to use — it can be free or paid.
The process of using these tools is typically the same. You’ll need to open the tool; select the app(s) you want to remove, and click “Uninstall.” The good thing about such tools is that they can also clean the residue files.
However, some will need you to pay a fee to complete the uninstallation process. You can opt for this option if it works for you.
3. Clear Google Drive Cache and Preferences
To ensure the thorough removal of Google Drive from your Mac, you’ll want to delete the cache and preference files associated with the app. These files are usually stored in your user’s Library folder. Here’s how to find and delete them:
- Open Finder and click on the “Go” menu in the menu bar.
- Press and hold the “Option” key on your keyboard to reveal the hidden “Library” folder in the “Go” menu.
- Click on “Library” to open the folder.
- Inside the Library folder, locate and open the “Application Support” folder.
- Look for the “Google Drive” folder and move it to the Trash.
- Next, go back to the Library folder and open the “Preferences” folder.
- Find any files with “Google Drive” or “google drive” in their names, and move them to the Trash as well.
After completing these steps, you will have successfully removed all Google Drive-related files from your Mac. Remember to empty the Trash when you’re finished to permanently delete these files.
4. Disconnect and Remove Google Drive Sync Folders
If you have set up Google Drive to sync specific folders on your Mac, you will need to disconnect and remove these folders to complete the uninstallation process. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Finder and navigate to the folder(s) you have set to sync with Google Drive.
- Control-click on the folder and select “Get Info” from the context menu.
- In the “Get Info” window, click on the lock icon at the bottom right corner, and enter your administrator password when prompted.
- Under the “Sharing & Permissions” section, click the “+” button to add a new user or group.
- Select your user account from the list and click “Select.”
- Set the “Privilege” for your user account to “Read & Write.”
- Click the lock icon again to save the changes and close the “Get Info” window.
- You can now delete the synced folder(s) by moving them to the Trash and emptying it.
After following these steps, you will have completely removed Google Drive and all its associated files and folders from your Mac. This will help you reclaim valuable storage space and ensure that no remnants of the app are left behind.
Remove Google Drive from Your Mac
Google Drive is a helpful app for storing your files and photos. It syncs everything on your Mac to capture the latest additions to your space. It’s a great alternative to iCloud if you want additional storage for your files.
Still, you can uninstall it if you don’t need it or prefer iCloud. Apple allows you to remove apps easily using Finder, which only takes a few minutes. This can help save more precious space on your Mac and improve performance.
