How to uninstall Zoom from a PC or mobile device

Although Zoom is a very popular conferencing tool that helps its users easily communicate whenever physical meetings aren't practical, it's not forever. Whether it's because you find the app unwieldy or you're concerned about personal data, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to delete Zoom. If you've ever wondered how to uninstall Zoom for any of the platforms it's available on, read on. We'll provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to do this.

How to Uninstall Zoom on Windows

Zoom for the Windows platform can be uninstalled from the System Settings menus, from the Control Panel, or directly from the Zoom folder itself. The instructions for doing so are as follows:

From the Zoom installation folder

1. Zoom's default install location on Windows is in the Start menu directory. This is normally located under
   C:/Users/username/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Zoom. If you can't find your Zoom folder, type Zoom in your search bar.
   
2. In the Zoom folder, click Uninstall Zoom.
   
3. Once the uninstallation process is complete, open the following directory C:/Users/username/App Data/Roaming
   
4. Find the Zoom folder and delete it.
   
5. This should completely uninstall the app on your PC.

Using the System Settings Menu

1. Click Start in the lower left corner of the screen.
   
2. Click Settings. It should be the gear icon.
   
3. From the Windows Settings screen, click the Apps icon.
   
4. Scroll through the list of installed programs or type Zoom in the search bar.
   
5. Click Zoom, then click Uninstall.
   
6. Ouvrez C:/Users/username/App Data/Roaming
   
7. Find the Zoom folder and then delete it. Zoom should now be completely removed from your computer.
   

Using the Control Panel

1. In your search bar, type Control Panel. If Search is not visible, right-click any free part of the taskbar, hover over Search in the menu, and choose Show Search Icon or Show Search Box.
   
2. Click Control Panel to open the Control Panel application.
   
3. On the screen, click the Programs icon.
   
4. In the list of installed programs, scroll down until you find Zoom.
   
5. Right click on Zoom then click on Uninstall.
   
6. Open the following directory C:/Users/username/App Data/Roaming
   
7. Find and delete the Zoom folder. This should completely remove it from your system.
   

How to Uninstall Zoom on Mac

There are also several ways to uninstall the Zoom app when using the Mac platform. Below are the different ways to achieve this:

For macOS versions 4.4.53932.0709 and later, you can remove Zoom through the app itself by doing the following:

1. Open your Zoom app.
   
2. In the top menu, click zoom.us. It should be right next to the Apple icon.
   
3. From the drop-down menu, choose and click Uninstall Zoom.
   
4. A window will appear asking for confirmation. Click OK.
   
5. Once the process is complete, type Zoom on the Finder.
   
6. Delete any remaining Zoom folders or files.
7. The Zoom app should now have been removed from your system.

For Macs with macOS 4.4.53909.0617 and earlier, you'll need to use the Finder function to remove the app. This is done by following these steps:

1. Open your Finder app.
   
2. In the top menu, click Go.
   
3. Scroll down the drop-down menu and click Go to Folder.
   
4. In the text box that appears, type ~/.zoomus/ then click Go.
   
5. From the window, drag and drop ZoomOpener into the Trash.
6. Return to the Go menu and repeat steps four and five for the following folders and files:
   a. Open the /Applications/ folder and move the zoom.us.app file to the trash.
   b. Open the ~/Applications/ folder and delete zoom.us.app.
   vs. Open the /System/Library/Extensions/ folder and drag ZoomAudioDevice.kext to the trash.
   D. Open the ~/Library/Applications/Support/ folder and delete zoom.us.
7. Once removed, Zoom should now be removed from your computer.

Note that if you installed Zoom to another directory, you will need to find all the files listed in those directories instead. You can use the Finder to find individual files rather than opening specific folders.

How to Uninstall Zoom on Chromebook

If you have Zoom installed on your Chromebook, you can uninstall the program using the native uninstaller. To do this, follow these instructions:

1. Click the launcher icon on your Chromebook or the search key on the keyboard. The launcher icon is the circle in the lower left corner of your home screen.
2. In the list of apps that appears, scroll down until you find Zoom.
3. Right click on the Zoom icon.
4. From the context menu, select Uninstall or Remove from Chrome.
5. In the pop-up window, select Delete.

The app should now be removed from your system.

How to Uninstall Zoom Outlook Plugin

If you are using the plug-in version of Zoom for your Microsoft Outlook, you may be confused because you will not find Zoom on the list of apps to uninstall. Outlook plugins have separate folders and file types, and they can be removed by doing the following:

1. Open Outlook on your PC.
   
2. In the top menu, click File.
   
3. Look for add-ins in the menu, then click on it.
   
4. At the bottom of the window that appears, click Manage.
   
5. In the drop-down menu, click COM Add-ins.
6. Click Go.
   
7. In the COM Add-ins window, uncheck all boxes except Zoom to Outlook plug-in. Make sure no other plugins are checked before continuing.
   
8. Click the Delete button.
   
9. In the confirmation window, click OK.
   
10. The plug-in should now be removed from Microsoft Outlook.

Note that if you are using Outlook on a Mac, there may be a bug that causes the Zoom plugin to not appear on the plugins available for removal. To work around this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open Finder.
   
2. Find the Applications folder and open it.
   
3. Find a folder named Zoom plugin for Outlook and open it.
   
4. Click the uninstall icon inside the folder or right click and move to trash.
   
5. Open Outlook to check if the plugin has been removed.
   

How to Uninstall Zoom on Linux

If you're using Zoom on a Linux machine, there are several ways to uninstall the app depending on the Linux version you're using. These are:

For those using Devian, Linux Mint or Ubuntu

1. Open the Terminal window.
2. Type the command: sudo apt remove zoom then press Enter.
3. Close the Terminal window.
4. The app should now be removed from your computer.

For those using openSUSE

1. Open your Terminal window.
2. Type: sudo zypper remove zoom then press enter.
3. Close your Terminal screen.
4. The Zoom app should now have been uninstalled.

For those using CentOS, Fedora, Oracle Linux or Red Hat

1. Open the Terminal window.
2. Type the command: sudo yum remove zoom then press Enter.
3. Close the Terminal window.
4. Zoom should now be uninstalled from your device.

How to Uninstall Zoom for Android

If you are using Zoom on an Android device, you can uninstall the program by following these steps:

Uninstall from Play Store

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
   
2. In the search text bar, type Zoom Cloud Meetings.
   
3. Tap the result.
   
4. In the Zoom Cloud Meetings window, tap Uninstall.
   
5. In the confirmation window that appears, press Ok.
   
6. Zoom should now be uninstalled.

From device settings

1. Open your device's Settings menu from the main directory.
   
2. Choose Apps.
   
3. Find the Zoom app in the list of apps.
   
4. Tap uninstall.
   
5. When asked to confirm, tap OK.
   

Note that apps and the Settings menu may change depending on your Android device manufacturer.

How to Uninstall Zoom from an iPhone or iPad

If you are using the iOS version of the Zoom app, you can uninstall it by following these steps:

1. Tap the Settings app from the Home screen.
   
2. Tap General.
   
3. In the menu on the right, tap iPad Storage or iPhone Storage.
   
4. In the list of available apps, tap Zoom.
   
5. Tap Remove app.
   
6. A window will open asking you to confirm your choice. Tap Delete app.
   
7. You can now navigate outside of this window. Zoom should now be uninstalled from your iOS device.

Additional FAQ

Below is a common question that comes up in discussions about deleting the Zoom app.

Will uninstalling prevent it from opening on startup?

As uninstalling the app completely removes the program, this should also prevent it from opening every time you start your device. Even if the instructions to open Zoom were left in the registry or start menu, there would be no programs to run. So yes, uninstalling Zoom will prevent it from opening on startup.

A simple process

Uninstalling Zoom is a fairly simple process if you really know how to do it. While Zoom can be a handy tool for those who want to avoid the hassles of face-to-face meetings, it's not perfect. Knowing the steps needed to remove it for each platform is pretty handy information to have.

Do you know of any other ways to uninstall zoom on a particular device? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.