You may have installed the Google Drive desktop application on your Windows or macOS computer and realize 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 down the road, not to 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 quit the application, and finally you’ll uninstall it.
Note that we’re using Windows 10 in these screenshots, but the steps are essentially the same in Windows 11.
Disconnect Your Account on Windows
Before you can uninstall Google Drive, you need to disconnect your Google account from it.
To unlink your account, select the Google Drive icon in the System Tray. Click the gear icon on the top right and pick “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 receive a subsequent pop-up asking you to sign in to Google Drive, simply close the window.
Quit the Application
After you disconnect and before you can uninstall Google Drive on Windows, you must Quit the application.
Select the Google Drive icon in the System Tray once more. Click the gear icon on the top right and pick “Quit.”
Uninstall the Application on Windows
The quickest way to uninstall Google Drive on Windows is to open the Start menu, right-click Google Drive, and pick “Uninstall.”
When the Programs and Features window opens, right-click Google Drive and pick “Uninstall” again.
Click “Yes” when Windows asks if you want to allow the app to make changes (uninstall the application.) Then in the prompt from Google Drive, select “Uninstall.”
The process may take a few moments. When it completes, you’ll see a confirmation that Google Drive was uninstalled, click “Close” to acknowledge and close the window.
RELATED: How to Uninstall an Application on Windows 11
Uninstall Google Drive on Mac
Unlike Windows, you can simply quit the Google Drive application in the menu bar and then move it to the trash as described below. However, if you prefer to disconnect your Google account first, it takes only 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 on the top right and pick “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 receive a subsequent prompt asking you to sign in to Google Drive, simply close the window.
Uninstall the Application on Mac
After you disconnect from Google Drive, you can uninstall the application like other apps on Mac. Using Finder, select Go > Applications in the menu bar.
Then, move Google Drive to the trash in one of these ways:
Drag the Google Drive application icon to your Trash in the Dock. Right-click or hold Control and click the Google Drive application. Select “Move to Trash” in the shortcut menu.
If you like, you can empty the trash or right-click the Google Drive application in the Trash folder to remove it completely.
You can still use Google Drive on the web or your mobile device as before, downloading the files you need instead of syncing them. You may also consider using an alternative free cloud storage solution.
RELATED: The 5 Best Free Cloud Storage Services
