How to Completely Uninstall Google Drive on Mac: Step By Step

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Clare Weaver
Last updated: Aug 1, 2023
Summary: This post will guide you to uninstall Google Drive completely. Choose the manual or quick way according to your actual needs!

Google Drive provides you with 15 GB of free space to store your files, photos, etc.

Although it's convenient and easy to use, there are still some reasons like not enough space, no longer need, etc. you may want to completely uninstall Google Drive on Mac. In this post, you will learn how to uninstall Google Drive on Mac in 2 ways.

Uninstall Google Drive on Mac

How to Disconnect Your Google Account

Before uninstalling Google Drive on Mac completely, the first thing you need to do is to disconnect your Google account.

Uninstall Google Drive will not delete files from the cloud. The files you have synced will stay in your Google Drive. And the next time you reinstall Google Drive and sign in with your Google account, you can still get access to your files.

Here is how to disconnect your Google account:

  1. Click the Google Drive icon on the Menu Bar.
  2. Click the Settings button>Preferences>the Settings button.
  3. Click Disconnect accountDisconnect.
    Disconnect Google Account in Google Drive
Tip
Removing Google Drive sync from Mac means keeping your files from sync to Google Drive. And here is how to disable the sync feature: click the Google Drive icon on the Menu Bar>click the Settings Button>Pause syncing.

How to Manually Uninstall Google Drive on Mac Using Finder

The first method to be introduced is to use Finder. Here you will get to know the detailed steps to uninstall Google Drive and remove Google Drive related files using Finder.

  1. Quit Google Drive

Before uninstalling Google Drive, you have to quit this app first. Or you may receive a message showing "The item can't be moved to the Trash because it's open".

To quit Google Drive: click the Google Drive icon on the Menu Bar>the Settings button>Quit.

Quit Google Drive

If you cannot quit Google Drive directly, use Activity Monitor to force quit this application.

And here is how to force quit Google Drive on Mac via Activity Monitor:

Open Activity Monitor via Spotlight>Enter Google Drive in the search box>Click Google Drive and then the X button>Quit/Force Quit.

Force Quit Google Drive via Activity Monitor
  1. Open FinderApplications>Find and right-click Google DriveMove to Trash.

  2. Delete Google Drive Leftovers.

Although you uninstalled the Google Drive app, there are still some related files remaining. Follow the steps below to delete Google Drive related files:

(1) Click Go Menu >Go to Folder. (Or Command+Shift+G)

(2) Copy and paste ~/Library in the search box.

(3) Click the search bar and enter Google Drive.

(4) Select Library (Not This Mac) and move the unwanted files to the Trash.

(5) Find and delete the related files in the following:

  • ~/Library/Caches
  • ~/Library/Preferences
  • ~/Library/Application Support
  • ~/Library/Saved Applications State
  • ~/Library/LaunchAgents
  • ~/Library/LaunchDaemons
  • ~/Library/PreferencePanes
  • ~/Library/StartupItems

(6) Move all unwanted files to the Trash and empty the Trash.

Note
Be careful when deleting these related files. Check twice before you completely delete them in case you delete some important files by mistake. So it's recommended that you'd better use a Mac app uninstaller to delete these files.

How to Uninstall Google Drive on Mac Using BuhoCleaner (Fast & Thorough)

The easiest and most thorough way to uninstall Google Drive on Mac is to use a third-party Mac app uninstaller - BuhoCleaner.

With it, you don't have to find the Google Drive related files manually. This tool will automatically scan these leftover files for you. After scanning, all Google Drive related files will be listed below Google Drive, making it easy to delete.

And here is how to completely remove Google Drive Using BuhoCleaner:

Free DownloadFor macOS 10.10 and above
100,000+ Satisfied Users Worldwide
  1. Free download, install, and launch BuhoCleaner.
  2. Click App Uninstall>Find and check Google Drive and its related files.
    Completely Uninstall Google Drive with BuhoCleaner
  3. Click Remove.

Final Words

After finishing this post, have a try at the method you prefer. Hope it helps you completely uninstall Google Drive and delete all its related files.

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Clare Weaver

Clare Weaver has been captivated by the world of Apple products since the launch of iconic iPhone in 2007. With a wealth of experience, Clare is your go-to source for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and all things Apple.