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To uninstall software on Ubuntu, first identify how it was installed: use App Center for a graphical removal, or use APT, Snap, or Flatpak for the matching package type. Their commands handle different formats, and they do not all treat configuration and application data the same way.
Identify how the application was installed
An Ubuntu app may be distributed as a Snap or a Debian package managed by APT, and some applications are available in both formats. App Center can show either; when both are available, it may list the Snap first. If you are unsure, look for the app in App Center’s installed-app view or check the package manager you used to install it. Use the removal method that matches the installed format rather than guessing from the app’s display name. Ubuntu’s 26.04 desktop guide explains App Center management.
Remove an application with App Center
- Open App Center.
- Open the installed-apps or management view. In the Ubuntu 26.04 desktop guide, select Manage in the sidebar; other Ubuntu help documentation uses an Installed button.
- Select the application and choose Uninstall.
- Authenticate if prompted. If App Center proposes removing dependent software or packages, review the list before confirming.
The label and layout can vary with the Ubuntu release. See the stable Ubuntu help page for its App Center and Installed-button wording. App Center also supports removing software without using its graphical interface, as described in the 26.04 guide.
Remove APT packages
APT manages Debian packages. Use the package name, which may differ from the name shown in the app launcher.
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Keep or remove package configuration
sudo apt remove PACKAGEThis removes the package but retains its package configuration files. To remove those configuration files as well, use:
sudo apt purge PACKAGENeither command guarantees that every file created by the application is removed. In particular, user data stored separately in a home directory is not the same as package configuration. Ubuntu documents the distinction in its Server package-management guide and its APT and dpkg removal guide.
Remove unused dependencies carefully
sudo apt autoremoveAPT proposes packages it considers no longer needed as dependencies. Read the proposed list before accepting: Ubuntu warns that removing default-installed packages can unexpectedly remove functionality. A package not strictly required by another package is not necessarily safe to remove, and package priority alone is not a reliable reason to remove it. See the Ubuntu Security package-management guidance.
Remove a Snap
For a Snap package, run:
sudo snap remove NAMEOn the Snap manpage for Ubuntu Jammy, removal normally saves a snapshot of the Snap’s data unless automatic snapshots have been disabled. To suppress that automatic snapshot, add --purge:
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Remove a Flatpak
If the application was installed as a Flatpak, uninstall it with its application ID:
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flatpak uninstall APP-IDTo also remove the app data stored in ~/.var/app and its stored permissions, use:
flatpak uninstall --delete-data APP-IDConfirm the app ID and whether you want its data deleted before using the second command. The Ubuntu Flatpak 1.18.0-1 manpage describes this option in its uninstall reference.
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If the application is not listed in a package manager
Some software is installed by a downloaded script, a manual installation, or an application-specific installer rather than App Center, APT, Snap, or Flatpak. There is no universal Ubuntu command established for removing every such installation or its home-directory data. Consult the original installer or the software publisher’s uninstall instructions. Avoid deleting files indiscriminately: doing so can remove data without correctly undoing the installation.
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| Method | Package or app removal | Configuration and application data | Other software |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Center | Removes the selected app | Behavior depends on the package type; review the package-specific notes in this guide | May propose removing dependent software; review the confirmation prompt |
apt remove |
Removes the APT package | Retains package configuration; does not guarantee deletion of user-created or home-directory files | Does not by itself remove every unused dependency |
apt purge |
Removes the APT package | Removes package configuration; does not guarantee deletion of user-created or home-directory files | Does not by itself remove every unused dependency |
snap remove |
Removes the Snap | Normally saves a data snapshot unless automatic snapshots are disabled | Not stated in the cited Snap manpage |
snap remove --purge |
Removes the Snap without its automatic removal snapshot | Suppresses that snapshot; this alone does not establish that all data is irrecoverably erased | Not stated in the cited Snap manpage |
flatpak uninstall |
Uninstalls the Flatpak app | Does not request deletion of app data and stored permissions | Not stated in the cited Flatpak manpage |
flatpak uninstall --delete-data |
Uninstalls the Flatpak app | Deletes app data in ~/.var/app and stored permissions |
Not stated in the cited Flatpak manpage |
The APT behavior is documented in the Ubuntu Server package-management guide; Snap behavior in the Jammy Snap manpage; and Flatpak behavior in the Ubuntu Flatpak uninstall manpage.
Do not remove default software just to reduce package count
Ubuntu cautions that removing a package supplied by the default installation can cause unexpected loss of functionality, even if APT does not consider it strictly required. Before removing a system or desktop package, check what APT plans to remove and whether the feature is still needed. The Ubuntu Security guidance also advises against relying on package priority alone to decide what is dispensable.
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