[ad_1]
You may have installed the Google Drive desktop app on your Windows or macOS computer and found that you don’t use it and no longer need it. You can uninstall it in a few steps on both platforms.
If you change your mind in the future, don’t worry. You can simply download and reinstall it from the Google Drive Desktop website as you did initially.
Uninstall Google Drive on Windows
Uninstalling Google Drive on Windows is a three-step process. First, you’ll disconnect your Google account, then you’ll exit the app, and finally you’ll uninstall it.
Note that we’re using Windows 10 in these screenshots, but the steps are essentially the same on Windows 11.
Disconnect your account in Windows
Before you can uninstall Google Drive, you must disconnect your Google account.
To unlink your account, select the Google Drive icon in the system tray. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner and select “Preferences.”
Select the gear icon on the next screen and choose “Disconnect account” at the top.
Confirm by clicking “Disconnect” in the pop-up window.
If you get a subsequent popup asking you to sign in to Google Drive, just close the window.
Exit application
After you log out and before you can uninstall Google Drive on Windows, you need to quit the app.
Select the Google Drive icon in the system tray once more. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner and select “Exit”.
Uninstall the app on Windows
The fastest way to uninstall Google Drive on Windows is to open the Start menu, right-click on Google Drive and select “Uninstall”.
When the Programs and Features window opens, right-click Google Drive and choose “Uninstall” again.
Click “Yes” when Windows asks if you want to allow the app to make changes (uninstall the app). Then, at the Google Drive prompt, select “Uninstall”.
The process may take a few moments. When complete, you will see a confirmation that Google Drive was uninstalled, click “Close” to confirm and close the window.
RELATED: How to uninstall an app in Windows 11
Uninstall Google Drive on Mac
Unlike Windows, you can simply exit the Google Drive app in the menu bar and then move it to the trash can as described below. However, if you prefer to disconnect your Google account first, it only takes a minute.
RELATED: How to set up and use Google Drive on your Mac
Disconnect your account on Mac
To disconnect your Google account, select the Google Drive icon in the menu bar. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner and select “Preferences.”
Select the gear icon on the next screen and choose “Disconnect account” at the top.
Confirm by clicking “Disconnect” in the pop-up window.
If you get a subsequent message asking you to sign in to Google Drive, just close the window.
Uninstall the app on Mac
After you sign out of Google Drive, you can uninstall the app like other apps on Mac. Using Finder, select Go > Apps from the menu bar.
Then move Google Drive to Trash in one of these ways:
- Drag the Google Drive app icon to your Trash in the Dock.
- Right-click or Control-click the Google Drive app. Select “Move to Trash” from the context menu.
Note: If you get a message that the app is still running, click the Google Drive icon in the menu bar, select the gear icon, and choose “Exit”. Then uninstall the app.
If you want, you can empty the trash or right-click the Google Drive app in the Trash folder to delete it completely.
You can still use Google Drive on the web or your mobile device like before, downloading the files you need instead of syncing them. You may also consider using an alternative free cloud storage solution.
RELATED: Top 5 Free Cloud Storage Services
[ad_2]
