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I know that there are similar questions in Ask Ubuntu regarding uninstalling Google Chrome, like these:

But the answers of those posts are kinda outdated.


As far as I remember, the steps I followed to install Google Chrome were:

  1. I downloaded the 64-bit .deb package from https://www.google.com/chrome/.
  2. I installed the .deb package (I don't remember if I installed it using the terminal or GUI, but I guess it doesn't matter).

One thing which is crucial to note, which is mentioned before downloading the .deb package from the website, is (emphasis from the original):

Note: Installing Google Chrome will add the Google repository so your system will automatically keep Google Chrome up to date. If you don’t want Google's repository, do “sudo touch /etc/default/google-chrome” before installing the package.

Screenshot of Google Chrome's download page (https://www.google.com/chrome/)

As far as I remember, I didn't execute sudo touch /etc/default/google-chrome before installing the package .

So as far as I know about Ubuntu and package management, I must remove the Google repository and then uninstall the app. I've heard of ppa-purge but I'm not sure if ppa-purge is helpful in this case since Google is using a repository, not PPA. Or am I mistaken?

What's the proper way to uninstall Google Chrome (I don't need any configuration files to be left behind)?

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2 Answers 2

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To completely uninstall Google Chrome do the following:

  1. Run the following command to remove Google Chrome along with any dependencies:

    sudo apt purge --auto-remove google-chrome-stable
    
  2. Run the following command to remove the Google Chrome repository:

    sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list*
    
  3. Run the following command to remove Google Chrome directories in your ~ directory:

    rm -rf ~/{.cache,.config}/google-chrome
    

If you'd like to do all the above in one line, you can run:

sudo apt purge --auto-remove google-chrome-stable && sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list* && rm -rf ~/{.cache,.config}/google-chrome

Regarding ppa-purge, you are right. You cannot use it to remove the Chrome repository, since it is not a PPA.

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  • purge is for removing configuration files and --autoremove is for removing dependencies of Google Chrome only. And the files in the home directory (created by Google Chrome) will not be removed by purge. So this command rm -rf ~/{.cache,.config}/google-chrome removes them. Am I right? Oct 25, 2020 at 7:01
  • What does the asterik (*) do in this command: sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list*? Oct 25, 2020 at 7:04
  • When we use &&, will the sudo be used for all the commands or only for the commands in which it is mentioned specifically? Oct 25, 2020 at 7:07
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    1. Yes. apt does not remove any configuration files and directories from ~, so we have to do it manually. 2. * is a wildcard that allows to remove the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list.save file that exists in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/. Also read here. 3. Each command that we want to run with root privileges must have sudo. See this relevant question. Oct 25, 2020 at 7:23
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    I don't have much to say. touch file is used to update the timestamp of file. If file does not exist, touch creates it (empty). sudo touch /etc/default/google-chrome creates the file google-chrome in /etc/default/. I suppose that the Google Chrome installer checks for the existence of this file and, if it exists, does not add the repository. Oct 25, 2020 at 10:02
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  1. To remove the repository, open Software & UpdatesOther Software, click on the repository of Chrome, and click on Remove.

  2. To remove Google Chrome as well as its configuration files, enter the command:

    sudo apt purge google-chrome-stable
    

You may want also to run sudo apt autoremove to remove any unused dependencies.

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    remove should be purge, if you don't want any config files left behind. autoremove can remove software that you really don't want removed... so be careful.
    – heynnema
    Oct 24, 2020 at 16:45
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    What do you mean by "Software Sources"? Is there any app named Software Sources? (If yes, I can't see any such app in my PC.) Oct 25, 2020 at 7:09
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    @technastic_tc The name of that app depends on the version and the flavor of Ubuntu. Nowadays it is probably called Software & Updates in vanilla Ubuntu with GNOME help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-help/addremove-sources.html It used to be called Software Sources before i.stack.imgur.com/K7OG4.png (after which I moved to KDE) Oct 25, 2020 at 8:50

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