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Although Google Drive is one of the most popular services for backing up and managing your files, it doesn’t mean it’s without drawbacks or bugs. Like any other system, it can present issues that can cause problems for its users.
So, whether you want to fix a temporary glitch or simply don’t want to use Google’s service anymore, we’re here to give you a hand. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed step-by-step guide on how to uninstall Google Drive across different platforms.
How to Uninstall Google Drive on a Windows PC
Uninstalling Google Drive on a Windows PC can be done in a few steps. First, you’ll need to disconnect your account from the app. Then, you’ll need to access the settings and uninstall the program. Here are the steps on how to do it:
- Open Google Drive on your Windows PC. It should be in your system tray under the name “Backup and Sync from Google.” It’s the cloud icon with an upward-facing arrow.
- Press the three dots at the right corner and tap “Preferences.”
- Select “Google drive” from the options on the left.
- Unmark the checkbox next to “Sync My Drive to this computer.”
- Choose “Settings” from the options on the right.
- Press “Disconnect account.” Wait a few seconds until you’re logged out and exit the app.
- Open the Start menu, search for and open “Apps & Features.”
- Locate “Google Drive” on the list and select it.
- Press “Uninstall.”
- Follow the on-screen instruction to finish uninstalling the app.
You can also uninstall Google Drive from the Control Panel:
- Open the Start menu, start typing “Control Panel,” and open it.
- Tap “Programs.”
- Tap “Programs and Features.”
- Find “Google Drive” on the list or use the search bar to locate it.
- Right-click on it and tap “Uninstall.”
Note: Uninstalling Google Drive won’t delete the files you’ve already backed up. You can always access and move them as needed.
How to Uninstall Google Drive on a Mac
Uninstalling Google Drive on a Mac consists of several steps. Firstly, you need to make sure your files aren’t synced anymore and disconnect your account. Then, you’ll need to uninstall the app. Finally, you’ll need to check for any residual files that might be hiding within your device. Let’s jump right on it:
- Open the “Backup and Sync from Google” icon at the top-right corner. If you don’t see it, open it from the Applications folder.
- Press the three dots at the top-right corner, and then press “Preferences.”
- Go to the Google Drive tab and unmark “Sync My Drive to this computer.”
- Go to the Settings tab and press “Disconnect account.”
- Find the app’s icon in the top menu, press the three dots, and then press “Quit.”
- Go to the Applications folder and find Backup and Sync. Drag the icon to the trash can. Then, open Trash and empty it.
Now that you’ve uninstalled Google Drive, let’s get rid of the residual files:
- Open Finder.
- Press “Go.”
- Press “Go to Folder.”
- Enter “~/Library” and tap “Go.”
- Delete files related to Google Drive or Back up and Sync from Google.
You’ve now completed the uninstallation process. All the synced files will remain in Google Drive, and you can access them anytime.
How to Uninstall Google Drive on an Android Device
Google Drive comes preinstalled on most Android devices. But, this doesn’t mean you can’t uninstall it. If you don’t like using the app on your phone, you’ll be happy to know there are several ways to uninstall it.
The first way is to locate the device in your menu:
- Go to your menu and find the Google Drive icon. It will be in the folder named “Google.”
- Press and hold the icon until you see several options appear.
- Tap “Uninstall.”
Another way is to do it through settings:
- Go to the settings on your device.
- Tap “Apps.”
- Scroll down to find Google Drive and tap it.
- Tap “Uninstall.”
You can also use the Play Store to uninstall Google Drive:
- Go to the Play Store.
- Tap “Profile” on the right of the search bar.
- Tap “My apps & games.”
- Go to the “Installed” tab and look for Google Drive.
- Open the app and tap “Uninstall.”
Uninstalling the app won’t delete the synced files. Plus, if you want to keep using Google Drive on a different device, it’s good to know uninstalling the Android app won’t affect it.
How to Uninstall Google Drive on an iPhone
If you don’t want to use Google Drive on your iPhone anymore or want to reinstall it, there are several ways to uninstall it.
One of the ways is through the menu:
- Open your menu and find Google Drive.
- Tap and hold the app until you see an “x” at the top-left corner of the icon.
- Tap the “x” and then tap “Delete.”
You can also uninstall it by accessing your settings:
- Open your settings.
- Tap “General.”
- Tap “iPhone Storage.”
- Tap “Google Drive.”
- Tap “Delete App.”
As you can see, uninstalling Google Drive from your iPhone is a straightforward process. If you want to keep using the app on other devices, uninstalling the iPhone version won’t affect it. All the files you’ve synced through your iPhone will remain in the cloud.
How to Uninstall Google Drive File Stream
Google Drive File Stream is an app you’ll come across if you use a PC or a Mac. This app is a part of Google Drive (hence the name), and it’s responsible for syncing your computer to it. Uninstalling it isn’t complicated, but there are slight differences between the PC and the Mac version.
How to Uninstall Google Drive File Stream on a PC
If you’re using a PC, here’s how to uninstall Google Drive File Stream:
- Find the File Stream icon at the system tray.
- Open it and tap the three dots at the top-right corner.
- Tap “Quit.” Important: make sure no files are syncing when you quit. If some files are in the process of synchronizing, wait until it’s done. When you see “Everything is up to date,” you can proceed with the uninstallation.
- Open the Start menu, start typing “Control Panel,” and open it.
- Tap “Programs.”
- Tap “Programs and Features.”
- Find Google Drive File Stream, right-click on it, and tap “Uninstall.”
How to Uninstall Google Drive File Stream on a Mac
Here are the steps for uninstalling Google Drive File Stream on a Mac device:
- Find the Google Drive File Stream in the navigation bar at the top-right corner.
- Press the three dots, and then tap “Quit.”
- Go to the Applications folder and locate the app.
- Right-click on it and tap “Move to trash.”
If you’ve completed these steps and you see a notification saying some of the app’s extensions are in use, follow the steps below:
- Press the Apple icon.
- Select “System Preferences.”
- Press “Extensions.”
- Tap “Finder.”
- Unmark the checkbox next to “Google Drive File Stream.”
- Go back to the app and tap “Move to trash.”
- Enter your password if needed, and the app will be uninstalled.
Google Drive Is Out
Different methods for uninstalling Google Drive are available and depend on the platform you’re using. Learning how to uninstall Google Drive can be useful regardless of whether you plan on reinstalling it. What’s best is that Google Drive doesn’t delete the synced files when you uninstall it, so you can access them any time you want.
Have you ever tried to uninstall Google Drive? Did you use one of the methods we mentioned in the article? Tell us in the comments section below.
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