Ultimate Guide: How to Uninstall Applications in Ubuntu Safely

how to uninstall apps in ubuntu using old methods can fail. The Techno Sparks shares updated and safer Linux practices. Got an app you don’t use anymore on Ubuntu? Best way’s to delete it with the same method used to install. Looking up how to get rid of apps on Ubuntu? First, figure out what kind it is. Could be regular APT ones (.deb). 

Might be a Snap instead. Or maybe a Flatpak. Tossing the right one helps avoid clutter, stops broken shortcuts from hanging around, plus opens up a storage room. A quick test cuts delays down the road – plus it stops odd glitches from popping up.

Understanding How Ubuntu Installs and Manages Applications

Ubuntu handles app installation in different ways, so removal depends on how it was installed. Old-style programs come as .deb files – these rely on dpkg plus the APT system. Lots of modern setups go with snaps instead, which run through snapd inside separated spaces. 

Another choice is Flatpak, often set up manually and handled using the flatpak tool. App Center might display snap alongside Debian versions of one app – duplicates pop up now and then. 

Removing it deletes the installed package. Wipe clears settings across the system. Your stuff in Home won’t touch, just frees up storage space.

Different Ways to Uninstall Apps in Ubuntu

Some ways exist to delete programs – pick based on install method. Most folks using desktops find App Center simplest, just point and erase. 

When liking terminal stuff, try APT with apt remove; afterward run apt purge to clear junk left behind. For Snap apps, type snap remove instead. Use flatpak uninstall if it’s a Flatpak app. 

Software added via personal scripts might pack an uninstall.sh file or come with its own removal tool. To wipe apps fully from Ubuntu, go with purge alongside autoremove, then manually nuke extra config folders post-restart.

How to Uninstall Apps in Ubuntu Using Software Center

Open Ubuntu Software, visit App Center in recent builds to delete programs fast. Launch the app store, hit the Installed tab next. Spot the program you’d like gone, go into its details screen. 

Tap Remove, put in your password when prompted. Once the bar reaches the end, the app vanishes and so does its shortcut. In case there are two identical names listed, delete whichever you don’t need – then check if the leftover one still functions. 

Works most smoothly if the program originally came from the store. Keeps mistakes out of command-line inputs.

How to Uninstall Software in Ubuntu Using Terminal

Taking out a terminal might seem tough, yet it works fine when done right. Start by spotting what kind of package you’re dealing with. 

Use apt or snap list to see what’s already on board before making moves. With .deb files, go with sudo apt remove <name> – or use sudo apt purge <name>, – or try sudo apt autoremove after. 

To delete snaps, use sudo snap remove <name>. When dealing with Flatpaks, type flatpak uninstall <app-id> instead. 

That covers removing apps via Ubuntu’s terminal in common situations. Wondering how to get rid of App Connect on Ubuntu? In case you set up IBM App Connect Enterprise using a .deb file, remove it out with apt purge – or check IBM’s official removal guide.

How to Uninstall App in Ubuntu 20.04 Using Terminal

With Ubuntu 20.04, desktop programs usually come as APT installs or snaps – check first what type yours is. When it’s a .deb file, try dpkg -l | grep <name> to make sure, followed by sudo apt remove <name>.

For deleting settings from the system, go with sudo apt purge <name> instead. Next up, clean leftover bits using sudo apt autoremove. In case it’s a snap package, do snap list | grep <name>, then hit it with sudo snap remove <name>. 

Open the app menu again to check if the launcher disappeared. In case there’s still a folder in ~/.config, remove it.

How to Uninstall Software in Ubuntu Terminal?

Open Terminal. To start off, check how the app got installed. With regular APT apps, type apt list –installed | grep appname, then uninstall using sudo apt remove packagename. In case you’d like configs removed too, go with sudo apt purge packagename instead. 

After that, hit sudo apt autoremove to dump leftover dependencies. Check the snap list first – then type sudo snap remove snapname to delete it. 

With Flatpak, do flatpak list, followed by flatpak uninstall app-id. Should the icon stick around, restart your menu. Hit Tab to fill in names automatically. Spot a lock issue? Wait for updates to end before retrying. That clears up storage space.

How to Uninstall App in Ubuntu 20.04 Using Terminal?

Ubuntu 20.04 works with APT along with Snap – don’t forget to look at both. Try typing apt list –installed | grep appname if you’re hunting down a .deb file. When it shows up, get rid of it using sudo apt remove packagename; go for sudo apt purge packagename instead if configs need deleting as well. 

After that, remove leftover junk by running sudo apt autoremove. If APT doesn’t show anything, try snap list | grep appname instead. When it pops up, remove it using sudo snap remove snapname. In case you blanked on the name, search with dpkg -l | grep keyword to track it down. 

Go offline then log in again if the icon takes loading. Give the system a restart when that fails. Look at the list once more afterward.

These were all the processes that solved the query: how to uninstall app in Ubuntu terminal.

How to Uninstall Apps in Ubuntu: Complete Beginner-to-Advanced Guide

Getting rid of apps on Ubuntu isn’t hard – if you know how they were put in place. Ubuntu might run software through APT (Deb stuff), Snap, Flatpak, or just a downloaded .deb file. 

Since each one uses its own way to delete things, what works for removal ties back to how it was added. This walk-through covers secure cleanup steps, clearing out leftover bits, along with sorting typical hiccups.

First, Identify How the App Was Installed

Before you remove anything, figure out the package type.

• If the app came via Ubuntu Software, it is often Snap or APT.
• If you installed via Terminal using apt, it is APT.
• If you ran snap install, it is Snap.
• If you ran flatpak install, it is Flatpak.
• If you downloaded a .deb file, it is usually handled by APT or dpkg.

Quick checks:

# APT package check

apt list –installed 2>/dev/null | grep -i appname

# Snap package check

snap list | grep -i appname

# Flatpak package check

flatpak list | grep -i appname

Replace appname with a part of the app name.

Method 1. Uninstall Using Ubuntu Software (GUI)

This is the easiest route for new users.

1. Open Ubuntu Software.
2. Go to Installed.
3. Find the app.
4. Click Remove.

If the app does not show there, it may be a manual install or a different package type. Then use the Terminal steps below.

Method 2. Uninstall APT Apps (Most Common)

APT apps are classic Linux packages.

Find the Exact Package Name

Sometimes the menu name and package name differ.

apt list –installed 2>/dev/null | grep -i appname

If you want a cleaner search:

dpkg -l | grep -i appname

Remove the App

This removes the app but can keep config files.

sudo apt remove package-name

Example:

sudo apt remove vlc

Remove the App and Its System Config Files (Purge)

Use purge when you want a cleaner uninstall.

sudo apt purge package-name

Example:

sudo apt purge vlc

Remove Unused Dependencies

After removing apps, you may have libraries that are not needed.

sudo apt autoremove

You can also clean package cache:

sudo apt clean

Tip: clean clears cached .deb files. It does not delete your installed apps.

Method 3: Uninstall Snap Apps

Many apps in Ubuntu Software are Snap packages.

Check if the App is a Snap

snap list | grep -i appname

Remove a Snap App

sudo snap remove snap-name

Example:

sudo snap remove spotify

Remove a Snap App and Its Saved Data

Some snaps support a “purge” style remove that also removes related data.

sudo snap remove –purge snap-name

If you still see leftover user settings, you can remove user config folders later (see the “Leftovers” section).

Method 4: Uninstall Flatpak Apps

Flatpak is common when you added Flatpak support or installed apps via Flathub.

Check if the App is Flatpak

flatpak list | grep -i appname

Remove the Flatpak App

flatpak uninstall app-id

Example (app IDs look like this):

flatpak uninstall com.spotify.Client

Remove Unused Flatpak Runtime Files

Flatpak apps rely on runtime packages. Clean unused ones:

flatpak uninstall –unused

Method 5: Uninstall a .deb App Installed Manually

If you installed a .deb file using a GUI installer, APT usually still tracks it. Try APT first:

sudo apt remove package-name

If APT does not find it, use dpkg:

sudo dpkg -r package-name

For a purge-style removal:

sudo dpkg -P package-name

Then run:

sudo apt -f install

sudo apt autoremove

That -f step fixes missing dependencies that can appear after manual installs.

Remove Repos and PPAs Linked to the App

If you added a PPA to install an app, removing the app does not remove that PPA.

List Added Repos

ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

Remove a PPA

If you know the PPA name:

sudo add-apt-repository –remove ppa:owner/ppa-name

sudo apt update

If you do not remember the PPA, open the .list file name you suspect and remove it:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/file-name.list

Then update again:

sudo apt update

Clean Leftovers (Safe and Practical)

Even after uninstalling, some user settings can remain. These usually live in your home folder. Removing them resets the app “like new” if you reinstall later.

Common places to check:

• ~/.config/
• ~/.local/share/
• ~/.cache/

Example cleanup:

rm -r ~/.config/appname

rm -r ~/.local/share/appname

rm -r ~/.cache/appname

Be careful here. Only delete folders you are sure belong to that app.

Troubleshooting Common Uninstall Problems

“Could not get lock” Error

This happens when another package tool is running.

• Close Ubuntu Software and any update windows.
• Wait a minute.
• Try again.

If it still persists, check running processes:

ps aux | grep -E “apt|dpkg”

Broken Packages After Removal

Fix dependency issues:

sudo apt -f install

sudo apt update

sudo apt autoremove

App Still Shows in the Menu

Sometimes desktop entries remain. Refresh the menu by logging out and logging in. If the app still shows, search for .desktop files related to it:

ls ~/.local/share/applications | grep -i appname

Then delete the matching desktop file:

rm ~/.local/share/applications/appname.desktop

You Are Not Sure What to Remove

If you only know the app’s command name, you can locate it:

which appname

Then check the owning package:

dpkg -S /path/that/which/printed

Now you have the package name to remove.

Cleaning Leftover Files After Uninstalling Apps in Ubuntu

Removing the app wipes most files, yet tiny bits might stick around. With APT packages, type sudo apt autoremove –purge to remove leftover deps plus configs. After that, use sudo apt clean so cached packages get wiped out. When dealing with snaps, peek into ~/snap then wipe the app’s folder if still there.

To get rid of unused runtimes with Flatpak, use flatpak uninstall –unused. Then check inside ~/.config along with ~/.local/share for anything linked to the app. 

When necessary, remove related files from ~/.cache. Only erase stuff you know is safe to remove. Look inside your Home folder, find the app by its name – remove any old files taking up space. 

After that, restart the device so you can check how much room is cleared.

FAQ

How do I uninstall apps in Ubuntu using the Software Center?

Open Ubuntu Software or App Center, then go to Installed. Select the app, click Remove, and confirm with your password.

How do I use the terminal to uninstall software in Ubuntu?

For APT apps, run sudo apt remove packagename or sudo apt purge packagename. For snaps, run sudo snap remove snapname. For Flatpak, run flatpak uninstall app-id.

How to uninstall app in Ubuntu Completely in the 20.04 terminal?

Check apt list –installed | grep name, then run sudo apt remove packagename. If it is a snap, use snap list | grep name and run sudo snap remove snapname.

How do I remove Snap applications in Ubuntu?

Run snap list to confirm the app is a snap. Then run sudo snap remove snapname and reopen your app menu.

How can I remove Flatpak apps in Ubuntu?

Run flatpak list to get the app ID. Then run flatpak uninstall app-id, and remove unused runtimes with flatpak uninstall –unused.

Why is an app not uninstalling in Ubuntu?

Often an update process is running, so APT is locked and uninstall fails. Close the App Center and wait a minute. If it still fails, reboot, then try again in the terminal.

How do I force uninstall an application using a terminal?

Try sudo apt purge packagename, then run sudo apt -f install to fix broken states. If it still fails, use sudo dpkg -r packagename, then rerun sudo apt autoremove.

How can I check whether an app was installed using APT or Snap?

Run apt list –installed | grep name and snap list | grep name. If it appears in one list, that is the install type.

How do I uninstall apps installed through .deb files?

Most .deb installs become APT packages, so sudo apt remove packagename works. If you only know a keyword, use dpkg -l | grep keyword to find the exact name.

How can I remove system apps safely in Ubuntu?

Do not remove core desktop packages unless you know the impact. If apt wants to remove ubuntu-desktop or your display manager, cancel and recheck.

How do I completely clean Ubuntu after uninstalling apps?

Run sudo apt autoremove –purge and sudo apt clean. Then delete old app folders in your Home directory if you no longer need them.

(Code methods skipped, with them its 12%, which can’t be treated due to codes included in the guide)

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