The fastest way to uninstall Google Drive
To remove Google Drive from your Mac, quit the process, drag it to the Trash, and empty the Trash. That removes the program itself. However, Google Drive also stores a folder of synced files on your computer — deciding what to do with that folder is a separate step, and it matters whether you want to keep those files or delete them entirely.
The process takes about five minutes total. The tricky part is not the uninstall itself, but understanding what happens to your files and your Google account during and after.
Key Takeaways
- Quitting Google Drive and moving the process to Trash removes the program, but your synced files stay on your Mac until you delete them separately.
- Your files remain in your Google Drive account online regardless of whether you uninstall the Mac process — uninstalling only removes local access.
- The Google Drive folder on your Mac (usually in your home directory) must be deleted manually if you want those local copies gone.
- If you stop syncing without uninstalling, Google Drive will continue running in the background and using storage space on your Mac.
Step-by-step uninstall for Google Drive on Mac
Step 1: Quit Google Drive. Click the Google Drive icon in your menu bar (top right of your screen) and select "Quit Google Drive". If you do not see it in the menu bar, open Applications, find Google Drive, and double-click it to open the menu, then quit from there.
Step 2: Move Google Drive to Trash. Open Finder, go to Applications, find Google Drive, right-click it, and select "Move to Trash". Alternatively, drag the Google Drive icon directly to the Trash in your dock.
Step 3: Empty the Trash. Right-click the Trash icon in your dock and select "Empty Trash". This permanently removes the Google Drive process from your Mac.
At this point, Google Drive is uninstalled. However, the folder containing your synced files still exists on your Mac. Proceed to the next section only if you want to remove those files as well.
What to do with your synced files folder
When Google Drive runs on your Mac, it creates a folder (usually called "Google Drive") in your home directory. This folder contains copies of the files you chose to sync. Uninstalling the process does not automatically delete this folder or its contents.
If you want to keep the files, do nothing — they will remain on your Mac in the same location. You can open them with any process that supports their file type, and they will not sync to Google's servers anymore.
If you want to delete the files entirely, open Finder, navigate to your home directory, find the "Google Drive" folder, and drag it to Trash. Then empty the Trash. This removes the local copies from your Mac but does not affect files stored in your Google Drive account online — those remain accessible if you log into Google Drive through a web browser or reinstall the process later.
To find your Google Drive folder quickly, open Finder, press Command+Shift+H to go to your home directory, then look for a folder named "Google Drive" or "My Drive".
Removing Google Drive configuration files (optional)
Google Drive stores some configuration and cache files in hidden folders on your Mac. For most people, leaving these files does no harm — they take up minimal space and do not run in the background. However, if you want a completely clean removal, you can delete them.
These files are hidden by default. To see them, open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and type the command: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES, then press Enter. Quit and reopen Finder.
Navigate to your home directory and look for a folder named .config or .cache. Inside, find any folders related to Google Drive and delete them. This step is not necessary for most users and can be skipped if you are not comfortable using Terminal.
What happens to your Google Drive account after uninstall
Uninstalling Google Drive from your Mac does not delete your Google Drive account or the files stored in it. All your files remain in your Google account online and can be accessed through Google Drive's website (drive.google.com) or by installing Google Drive on another device.
Your Mac will no longer sync files to Google's servers, and you will not receive notifications about shared files or changes made by others. If someone shares a file with you while Google Drive is uninstalled, you can still see it by logging into Google Drive online, but you will not see it in a folder on your Mac.
Reinstalling Google Drive later
If you uninstall Google Drive and later decide you want it back, read it again from Google's website (google.com/drive/read). When you sign in with your Google account, you can choose which folders to sync — you do not have to sync everything.
If you deleted the local Google Drive folder on your Mac before reinstalling, the files will read again when you set up syncing. This can take time depending on how many files you have and your internet speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does uninstalling Google Drive delete my files from Google's servers?
No. Uninstalling the Mac process only removes Google Drive from your computer. Your files remain in your Google account online. You can still access them by visiting drive.google.com in a web browser or by installing Google Drive on another device.
Will my Mac run faster after I uninstall Google Drive?
Possibly, but only slightly. Google Drive uses some system resources while running, particularly if you have a large number of files syncing. The impact is usually small unless you have an older Mac or very limited storage space. Deleting the synced files folder will free up disk space, which may improve performance if your drive was nearly full.
Can I uninstall Google Drive without deleting the files on my Mac?
Yes. Uninstall the process as described above, but do not delete the Google Drive folder. Your files will remain on your Mac in the same location, and you can open them with any compatible process. They straightforward will not sync to Google's servers anymore.
What if I only want to stop syncing certain folders, not uninstall entirely?
Open Google Drive, click the settings icon (gear symbol), go to Settings, and find the "Sync options" section. You can uncheck specific folders to stop syncing them while keeping Google Drive running for other folders. This is faster than uninstalling if you only want to reduce what syncs to your Mac.
Where is the Google Drive folder located on my Mac?
By default, it is in your home directory (the folder with your username). Open Finder, press Command+Shift+H, and look for a folder named "Google Drive" or "My Drive". If you cannot see it, the folder may be hidden — use the Terminal command mentioned in the configuration files section to show hidden files.