Quick Summary: Uninstalling Claude Code requires different steps depending on your installation method (native installer, npm, or Homebrew). To uninstall a native installation, run the command claude uninstall in your terminal (available on Windows, macOS, and Linux). All methods require manually removing configuration files from ~/.claude/ to ensure complete removal.
Need to remove Claude Code from your system? The uninstall process isn’t as straightforward as it should be. The method varies dramatically based on how you originally installed the tool.
Here’s what makes this tricky: Claude Code can be installed through native installers, npm, Homebrew, or other package managers. Each method leaves behind different artifacts.
Identify Your Installation Method First
Before uninstalling, determine how Claude Code was installed on your system. Run this command in your terminal:
| claude –version |
Check these common installation locations:
- Native installer (Windows): Program Files or AppData
- Native installer (macOS): Applications folder
- npm installation: ~/.npm-global/bin/
- Homebrew: /usr/local/bin/ or /opt/homebrew/bin/
Uninstall via Native Installer
For Windows installations using the PowerShell script (irm claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex), the process differs from standard applications.
Windows 10/11:
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps
- Search for “Claude Code”
- Click the three dots and select Uninstall
- Confirm the removal
macOS:
- Open Finder and navigate to Applications
- Locate Claude Code
- Drag it to Trash or right-click and select Move to Trash
- Empty Trash to complete removal
According to GitHub issues (#6920), some users report the native Windows installer lacks uninstall documentation. If Claude Code doesn’t appear in your standard application list, you’ll need alternative removal methods.
Remove via Package Managers
For npm installations, run these commands:
| npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code rm -f $HOME/.npm-global/bin/claude |
For Homebrew on macOS:
| brew uninstall –cask claude-code |
Community discussions on Reddit confirm that package manager installations often leave configuration files behind. The uninstall command removes the binary but not your settings.
Delete Configuration Files
This step is critical. The uninstaller doesn’t remove your configuration files, which can cause issues if you reinstall later.
Remove these directories and files manually:
| rm -rf ~/.claude/ rm ~/.claude.json rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude rm -f $HOME/.local/bin/claude rm -rf $HOME/.bun/bin/../install/global/node_modules/@anthropic-ai |
On Windows, delete these folders:
- %USERPROFILE%\.claude\
- %APPDATA%\Claude\
- %LOCALAPPDATA%\Claude\
Verify Complete Removal
After uninstalling, confirm Claude Code is gone:
| which claude claude –version |
Both commands should return “command not found” or similar errors. If they still execute, check your PATH variable for remaining references.
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Common Uninstall Issues
Based on GitHub bug report #11789, some users on Linux reported being unable to uninstall without an active paid account, though this appears to be a platform-specific issue.
If you face this problem, bypass the standard uninstaller and manually delete the application files and directories listed above. This removes Claude Code without requiring authentication.
Another issue: disabled MCP servers and plugins remain on your system. To remove MCP servers, use the command claude mcp remove [server-name].
FAQs
Do I need an active account to uninstall Claude Code?
No. While some Linux users reported authentication errors when using ‘claude uninstall’, manual file deletion removes Claude Code without account verification. Delete the application files and configuration directories directly.
Will uninstalling remove my project settings?
Manual removal of ~/.claude/ will delete user-scope settings. However, project-level .claude/ directories committed to git are not automatically deleted and must be manually removed.
Can I reinstall after uninstalling?
Absolutely. Reinstallation works normally after complete removal. Removing configuration files ensures a clean installation without conflicts from previous settings.
What happens to MCP servers after uninstall?
MCP servers persist in your configuration even when disabled. Manually delete the MCP configuration from ~/.claude/ to fully remove them, as the UI doesn’t provide an uninstall option.
Does Windows require admin rights to uninstall?
Typically yes, especially for system-wide installations. User-level installations may not require elevation, but configuration cleanup in system directories needs administrator access.
How do I uninstall on WSL2?
WSL2 installations follow Linux uninstall procedures. Use the package manager method or manually remove files from the Linux filesystem, not the Windows side.
Why doesn’t uninstalling remove all files?
Standard uninstallers preserve user configuration data for potential reinstallation. This is common practice but requires manual cleanup for complete removal.
