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How to Uninstall Claude Code Completely

Remove Claude Code with the command for how you installed it, then delete ~/.claude and ~/.claude.json if you want your settings gone too.

Local servers
Yes
runs stdio servers
Hosted servers
Yes
connects by URL
Config
CLI + JSON
how servers are added
Plugins
Yes
plugin marketplaces

Claude Code can be installed with the native installer, Homebrew, WinGet, apt, dnf, apk or npm. Each has its own uninstall command, and removing one leaves the others in place. Run which -a claude (macOS/Linux) or where.exe claude (Windows) first to see every copy on your PATH.

Uninstalling the program keeps your settings, MCP servers and session history in ~/.claude/ and ~/.claude.json. Delete those only if you want a clean slate, and remove the VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin and Desktop app first, because they recreate ~/.claude/.

Good for

  • Anyone removing Claude Code from macOS, Linux, WSL or Windows
  • Users with two installs who see the wrong version of claude
  • Developers resetting Claude Code to a clean state

Uninstall Claude Code completely

  1. 1

    Find every installed copy

    On macOS or Linux run which -a claude to list each claude on your PATH. Then check the three places a copy can live:

    • ls -la ~/.local/bin/claude (native installer)
    • ls -la ~/.claude/local/ (legacy local npm install)
    • npm -g ls @anthropic-ai/claude-code (global npm)

    On Windows run where.exe claude and Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe". "No such file or directory" just means nothing is installed there.

  2. 2

    Remove the native install

    macOS, Linux or WSL:

    • rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude
    • rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude

    Windows PowerShell:

    • Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" -Force
    • Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\claude" -Recurse -Force
  3. 3

    Or remove a package-manager install

    • npm: npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, and rm -rf ~/.claude/local for the legacy local install
    • Homebrew: brew uninstall --cask claude-code (or claude-code@latest if you installed that cask)
    • WinGet: winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode
    • apt: sudo apt remove claude-code, then remove /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-code.list and /etc/apt/keyrings/claude-code.asc
    • dnf: sudo dnf remove claude-code, then sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/claude-code.repo
    • apk: apk del claude-code (repository and key cleanup in the Code section)
  4. 4

    Remove the IDE extension and Desktop app

    In VS Code, open Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux), search "Claude Code" and click Uninstall. Running claude in a VS Code terminal reinstalls it, so do this after removing the CLI, or turn off Auto-install IDE extension in /config.

    Also uninstall the JetBrains plugin and the Claude Desktop app if you use them; both write to ~/.claude/.

  5. 5

    Delete settings and history (optional)

    This deletes your settings, allowed tools, MCP server configs and session history. macOS, Linux or WSL:

    • rm -rf ~/.claude
    • rm ~/.claude.json

    In each project, rm -rf .claude and rm -f .mcp.json remove project settings. Check first: teammates may rely on a committed .claude/ folder or .mcp.json. Windows commands are in the Code section.

  6. 6

    Confirm it is gone

    Open a new terminal and run claude --version. "command not found" means it is removed. If it still prints a version, run which -a claude again: a second install or an old shell alias is left. Look for an alias line in ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc.

Code

macOS, Linux, WSL
# See every copy on your PATH
which -a claude

# Native installer
rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude
rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude

# npm (global) and the legacy local npm install
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
rm -rf ~/.claude/local

# Homebrew (use claude-code@latest if you installed that cask)
brew uninstall --cask claude-code
From the Claude Code setup and troubleshooting docs.
Windows PowerShell
where.exe claude

# Native installer
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\claude" -Recurse -Force

# WinGet
winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode

# npm
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Run in PowerShell.
apt, dnf, apk
# apt
sudo apt remove claude-code
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-code.list /etc/apt/keyrings/claude-code.asc

# dnf
sudo dnf remove claude-code
sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/claude-code.repo

# apk
apk del claude-code
sed -i '\|downloads.claude.ai/claude-code/apk|d' /etc/apk/repositories
rm /etc/apk/keys/claude-code.rsa.pub
Removes the package and its repository configuration.
Remove settings (macOS, Linux, WSL)
# Deletes settings, allowed tools, MCP server configs and session history
rm -rf ~/.claude
rm ~/.claude.json

# Project settings (run inside each project)
rm -rf .claude
rm -f .mcp.json
Uninstall the VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin and Desktop app first, or ~/.claude comes back.
Remove settings (Windows PowerShell)
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude.json" -Force

# Project settings (run inside each project)
Remove-Item -Path ".claude" -Recurse -Force
Remove-Item -Path ".mcp.json" -Force
Deletes settings and history for good.
VS Code extension data
# macOS
rm -rf ~/Library/"Application Support"/Code/User/globalStorage/anthropic.claude-code

# Linux
rm -rf ~/.config/Code/User/globalStorage/anthropic.claude-code

# Windows (PowerShell)
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:APPDATA\Code\User\globalStorage\anthropic.claude-code"
Run after uninstalling the extension from the Extensions view.

Common errors and fixes

  • claude still runs after uninstalling

    Cause: A second installation (npm, Homebrew, native, or the legacy ~/.claude/local) or a leftover shell alias from an older installer.

    Fix: Run `which -a claude`, remove each copy with its own command, check ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc for an alias, and open a new terminal.

    claude-code Source

  • Cask 'claude-code@latest' is not installed

    Cause: Homebrew has two casks, claude-code and claude-code@latest, and the one you named is not the one installed.

    Fix: Run `brew list --cask | grep claude-code` to see which cask you have, then uninstall that one.

    claude-code Source

  • ~/.claude reappears after you deleted it

    Cause: The VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin or Desktop app is still installed and writes to ~/.claude/.

    Fix: Uninstall them first, then delete ~/.claude and ~/.claude.json.

    claude-code, vs-code, jetbrains, claude-desktop Source

  • The Claude Code VS Code extension comes back after uninstalling

    Cause: Running claude in a VS Code integrated terminal reinstalls the extension automatically.

    Fix: Turn off Auto-install IDE extension in /config, set autoInstallIdeExtension to false, or set CLAUDE_CODE_IDE_SKIP_AUTO_INSTALL=1.

    vs-code Source

  • Running claude on Windows opens the Desktop app instead of the CLI

    Cause: An older Claude Desktop registered a Claude.exe in WindowsApps that takes PATH priority.

    Fix: Update Claude Desktop to the latest version.

    claude-desktop Source

Verdict

Run the uninstall command for each copy that `which -a claude` finds, then delete ~/.claude and ~/.claude.json only if you want your settings and history gone.

The step people miss is the second copy. Older versions installed through npm into ~/.claude/local, and the VS Code extension reinstalls itself when claude runs in its terminal.

Best for

  • A clean reinstall
  • Fixing two installs that report different versions

Skip it if

  • You only want to stop updates: disable auto-updates instead of uninstalling

Questions

How do I uninstall Claude Code?

Use the command for how you installed it. Native installer: rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude and rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude. npm: npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Homebrew: brew uninstall --cask claude-code. WinGet: winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode. Then delete ~/.claude and ~/.claude.json if you also want your settings removed.

How do I uninstall Claude Code installed with npm?

Run npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Older versions of Claude Code also created a local npm install in ~/.claude/local/; remove it with rm -rf ~/.claude/local (macOS/Linux) or Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\local" (Windows).

How do I uninstall Claude Code on a Mac?

If you used the install script, run rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude and rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude. If you used Homebrew, run brew uninstall --cask claude-code (or claude-code@latest). For a full reset also run rm -rf ~/.claude and rm ~/.claude.json, and remove the extension data at ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/anthropic.claude-code if you used VS Code.

How do I uninstall Claude Code on Windows?

In PowerShell, remove the native install with Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" -Force and Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\claude" -Recurse -Force, or run winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode if you used WinGet. Settings live in $env:USERPROFILE\.claude and $env:USERPROFILE\.claude.json.

Why does claude still run after I uninstalled it?

You have a second installation or a leftover shell alias from an older installer. Run which -a claude (or where.exe claude on Windows) to list every copy, remove each one with its own command, and check ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc for an alias. Open a new terminal before testing again.

Does uninstalling delete my settings and chat history?

No. The uninstall commands remove the program only. Settings, allowed tools, MCP server configurations and session history stay in ~/.claude/ and ~/.claude.json until you delete them. Project settings stay in each project's .claude/ folder and .mcp.json.

How do I remove the Claude Code VS Code extension?

Open the Extensions view (Cmd+Shift+X or Ctrl+Shift+X), search "Claude Code" and click Uninstall. To stop it coming back, turn off Auto-install IDE extension in /config, set autoInstallIdeExtension to false, or set the environment variable CLAUDE_CODE_IDE_SKIP_AUTO_INSTALL=1. Its data lives in VS Code's globalStorage/anthropic.claude-code folder.

I deleted ~/.claude but it came back. Why?

The VS Code extension, the JetBrains plugin and the Desktop app also write to ~/.claude/. If any of them is still installed, the folder is recreated the next time it runs. Uninstall them first, then delete the folder.

Information

updated Nov 1, 2026

Transports
stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP
Config file (all)
.mcp.json (project) or ~/.claude.json (user)
MCP docs
code.claude.com

Docs

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 3
  1. Advanced setup: Uninstall Claude Code · code.claude.com
  2. Troubleshoot installation and login · code.claude.com
  3. Use Claude Code in VS Code · code.claude.com

Updated Nov 1, 2026.