Uninstalling apps on a Chromebook is usually a straightforward process that can be done through the Settings menu. However, there may be times when you need to uninstall an app via the Terminal, especially if the app is not listed in the Settings menu or if you are experiencing issues uninstalling it through the traditional method.
To uninstall an app via the Terminal, you will need to know the package name of the app you want to remove. You can find the package name by opening the Terminal and typing the following command:
dpkg -l | grep ```
Replace with the name of the app you want to uninstall. The package name will be listed in the output of the command.
Once you have the package name, you can uninstall the app by typing the following command:
sudo apt-get remove ``` Replace with the package name of the app you want to uninstall. You will be prompted to enter your password. Once you have entered your password, the app will be uninstalled.
Accessing the Terminal
The Terminal is a command-line interface that allows you to access and manage your Chromebook’s system settings and files. To access the Terminal, follow these steps:
- Press the “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “T” keys simultaneously. This will open a new Terminal window.
- If the Terminal window does not open, you can also access it through the ChromeOS Settings menu. To do this, click on the clock in the bottom right corner of the screen, then select the “Settings” icon. In the Settings menu, scroll down and click on the “Advanced” tab. Under the “Developers” section, you will find the “Terminal” option. Click on this option to open the Terminal window.
- Once the Terminal window is open, you can begin entering commands to manage your Chromebook’s system settings and files. To learn more about the commands available in the Terminal, you can type “help” and press enter. This will display a list of all the available commands and their descriptions.
| Access the Terminal |
|---|
| Press “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “T” |
| Go to Settings > Advanced > Developers > Terminal |
Listing Installed Apps
To list all installed apps on your Chromebook using the Terminal, follow these steps:
- Open the Terminal application.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
dpkg -l | grep "chromium" - This will display a list of all installed apps, including the package name and version number.
Identifying the Package Name
The package name is the unique identifier for each app. It is used to install, update, and remove apps. To identify the package name of an app, follow these steps:
- Find the app in the list displayed by the
dpkg -l | grep "chromium"command. - The package name is listed in the first column of the table.
Example
The following table shows an example of the output of the dpkg -l | grep "chromium" command:
| Package Name | Version |
|---|---|
| chromium-browser | 108.0.5359.94-1 |
| chromium-os-packages-auto-update | 21854.0.0-rc1 |
In this example, the package name of the Chromium browser is chromium-browser.
Identifying the App to Uninstall
To uninstall an app via Terminal, you must first identify its App ID. This unique identifier can be found in several ways: 1. App Page on Google Play Store: Visit the app’s page on the Google Play Store and examine the URL in your browser’s address bar. The App ID is typically the last segment of the URL after “id=” or “details?id=”.
2. Terminal Command (for Chrome OS 90 or later): Open Terminal and type apt list-installed. This command displays a list of all installed apps along with their App IDs.
3. Terminal Command (for Chrome OS 89 or earlier): Use the following command to fetch the App ID for a specific app: sudo dpkg -s Replace `` with the actual name of the app you wish to uninstall. The App ID will be displayed within the Terminal output, typically in the line starting with “Package:”.
Once you have identified the App ID, you can proceed to the next step to uninstall the app via Terminal.
Using the “apt-get” Command
The “apt-get” command is a powerful tool that can be used to manage software packages on a Chromebook. To uninstall an app using the “apt-get” command, follow these steps:
-
Open the terminal by pressing “Ctrl” + “Alt” + “T.”
-
Type the following command to remove the app:
sudo apt-get remove [app-name]Example sudo apt-get remove geditReplace “[app-name]” with the name of the app you want to uninstall.
-
Enter your password when prompted.
-
The app will be uninstalled.
Here are some additional tips for using the “apt-get” command:
- You can use the “tab” key to autocomplete the name of the app you want to uninstall.
- You can use the “-y” option to automatically answer “yes” to any prompts.
- You can use the “-f” option to force the uninstallation of an app, even if it is not installed.
Confirming App Removal
After entering the above command, the terminal will prompt you to confirm the uninstallation. Type “y” (without quotes) and press Enter to confirm the removal. The app will be uninstalled, and the terminal will display a confirmation message.
To verify that the app has been successfully uninstalled, you can use the following command:
dpkg -l | grep [app name]
If the command returns no results, the app has been successfully uninstalled. Here’s an example table summarizing the process:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
sudo apt-get remove [app name] |
Removes the app and its dependencies |
sudo apt-get autoremove |
Removes any unused dependencies |
| `dpkg -l | grep [app name]` |
Verifying Uninstallation
To verify that an app has been successfully uninstalled via the terminal, follow these steps:
1. Open Terminal
Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the Terminal window.
2. List Installed Apps
Enter the following command to display a list of all installed apps:
dpkg --list
3. Find the App Package Name
Locate the app you want to verify in the list. The package name is typically displayed in the “Name” column.
4. Check Uninstallation Status
To check if the app is uninstalled, enter the following command, replacing [package_name] with the package name you found in step 3:
dpkg -s [package_name]
5. Inspect Output
If the app is uninstalled, the output will look similar to the following:
dpkg-query: package '[package_name]' is not installed
6. Troubleshooting
If the app is still listed as installed after executing the uninstallation command, try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Ensure that the terminal has superuser (root) privileges by prefixing commands with
sudo. - Check that the app is not a core Chromebook app that cannot be uninstalled.
- Restart the Chromebook and try uninstalling the app again.
- Contact the app developer for assistance.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
1. “dpkg” command not found
If you encounter the error “dpkg: command not found,” it typically indicates that the dpkg package manager is not installed on your Chromebook. To resolve this issue, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Terminal app.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
sudo apt-get install dpkg
- Enter your password when prompted.
- Once the dpkg package is installed, retry the command to uninstall the app.
2. “No such file or directory” error
If you receive a “No such file or directory” error, it usually means that the app you are trying to uninstall is not installed on your Chromebook. Double-check the package name and ensure that you are entering it correctly.
3. “dpkg: dependency problems prevent…” error
This error can occur if the app you are trying to uninstall has dependencies on other packages. To resolve this issue, you can use the following command to remove the dependencies:
sudo apt-get remove --auto-remove [package name]
Once the dependencies are removed, retry the command to uninstall the app.
4. “Permission denied” error
If you encounter a “Permission denied” error, it means that you do not have sufficient permissions to uninstall the app. Make sure that you are using the sudo command to elevate your privileges.
5. “Operation not supported” error
This error can occur if you are trying to uninstall an app that is pre-installed on your Chromebook. Pre-installed apps cannot be removed using the dpkg command.
6. “Package is not installed” error
If you receive a “Package is not installed” error, it means that the app you are trying to uninstall is not installed on your Chromebook. Double-check the package name and ensure that you are entering it correctly.
7. Other issues
If you encounter any other issues while uninstalling apps via the Terminal, you can refer to the following table for common error messages and their possible solutions:
| Error Message | Possible Solution |
|---|---|
| “dpkg: error processing…” | Check the error message and ensure that you have the correct package name. |
| “dpkg: dependency problems prevent…” | Manually remove the dependencies using the –remove-without-dependencies option. |
| “dpkg: unrecognized option…” | Double-check the command syntax and ensure that you are using the correct options. |
| “dpkg-query: package…” | The package may have already been uninstalled. Use the dpkg -S command to check if the package is still installed. |
How to Uninstall Apps Via Terminal
To uninstall an app via terminal, open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T. Then, type the following command:
sudo apt-get remove [app-name]
For example, to uninstall the Google Chrome browser, you would type:
sudo apt-get remove google-chrome-stable
Once you have entered the command, press Enter and enter your password when prompted. The app will then be uninstalled.
Alternative Methods for Uninstalling Apps
1. Via the Launcher
Right-click on the app icon in the launcher and select Uninstall.
2. Via the Settings App
Go to Settings > Apps and select the app you want to uninstall. Then, click on the Uninstall button.
3. Via the Files App
Go to the Files app and navigate to the Linux Files folder. Then, right-click on the app’s .deb file and select Uninstall.
4. Via the GNOME Software App
Open the GNOME Software app and search for the app you want to uninstall. Then, click on the Uninstall button.
5. Via the Package Manager
Open a terminal and type the following command:
dpkg -r [app-name]
6. Via the APT Command
Open a terminal and type the following command:
apt-get remove [app-name]
7. Via the Yum Command
Open a terminal and type the following command:
yum remove [app-name]
8. Via the Pacman Command
Open a terminal and type the following command:
pacman -R [app-name]
Best Practices for App Uninstallation
To ensure a clean and efficient app uninstallation process on your Chromebook, follow these best practices:
1. Use the Uninstall Option:
Always opt for the built-in uninstall option from the app launcher or settings to ensure a complete and safe removal.
2. Uninstall Unused Apps:
Regularly review installed apps and remove any that you no longer use to free up storage space and improve performance.
3. Check App Dependencies:
Before uninstalling an app, verify if it has any dependencies on other apps. Uninstalling these dependencies could lead to system issues.
4. Clear App Data and Cache:
To completely remove app-related data, clear its local storage, data, and cache before uninstalling.
5. Disable Extensions:
If you’re uninstalling an app with associated extensions, disable or remove them first to avoid any potential conflicts.
6. Use Powerwash:
In case of persistent app-related issues, consider using the Powerwash feature to reset your Chromebook and remove all installed apps.
7. Check for Updates:
Make sure your Chromebook’s operating system is up to date as it may contain bug fixes or improvements for app uninstallation.
8. Troubleshoot App Removal:
If you encounter any errors during app uninstallation, consult official documentation or support forums for troubleshooting tips.
9. Uninstall Apps Via Terminal (Advanced):
For advanced users, the terminal command line provides a precise method for app uninstallation. To do this, open the Terminal app (Ctrl+Alt+T) and enter the following command:
How To Uninstall App Via Terminal
To uninstall an app via terminal, follow these steps:
-
Open the Terminal app.
-
Type the following command, replacing [app_name] with the name of the app you want to uninstall:
sudo apt-get remove [app_name]
-
Press Enter.
-
Enter your password when prompted.
-
Press Enter again.
-
The app will be uninstalled.
Additional Resources for Assistance
If you need further assistance, you can refer to the following resources:
- Chromebook Help Center: https://support.google.com/chromebook/?hl=en
- Chromium OS Developers: https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/docs/+/HEAD/user_guide_advanced.md
- Ubuntu Forums: https://ubuntuforums.org/
10. Additional Tips for Uninstalling Apps
Here are some additional tips for uninstalling apps via terminal:
- If you are unsure of the exact name of the app you want to uninstall, you can use the following command to search for it:
dpkg -l | grep [app_name]
- If you want to uninstall multiple apps at once, you can use the following command, replacing [app_name1], [app_name2], etc. with the names of the apps you want to uninstall:
sudo apt-get remove [app_name1] [app_name2] …
- If you want to remove all of the apps that are installed on your Chromebook, you can use the following command:
sudo apt-get purge *
Caution: This command will remove all of the apps that are installed on your Chromebook, including any apps that you have installed from the Google Play Store.
- If you encounter any problems when uninstalling apps via terminal, you can try restarting your Chromebook and then trying again.
How to Uninstall Apps Using the Terminal on a Chromebook
The Terminal is a powerful command-line interface on Chromebooks that allows you to perform advanced tasks, including uninstalling apps. This method is particularly useful if the app does not appear in the Launcher or Settings menu, or if the app is causing problems.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open the Terminal.
- Run the following command, replacing
app\_namewith the name of the app you want to uninstall:
sudo apt-get remove app_name
- Enter your Chromebook’s password when prompted.
- Type y to confirm the uninstallation.
Once the command completes, the app will be uninstalled from your Chromebook.
People Also Ask
How do I find the app name to uninstall?
To find the app name, open the Terminal and run the following command:
dpkg -l | grep installed | grep app_name
What if the app is not listed in the Terminal?
If the app is not listed in the Terminal, it is not installed via the package manager. You can try searching for the app in the Launcher or Settings menu, or contacting the app developer for assistance.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| dpkg –remove | Uninstalls a specific app package |
| dpkg –purge | Uninstalls an app package and removes its configuration files |