Communication

How to Completely Uninstall Discord on Mac

To uninstall Discord, drag the application icon to the Trash. However, this action alone does not remove associated data folders, which typically occupy 500 MB – 8 GB.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove Discord and everything it leaves behind

Discord data usually takes 500 MB – 8 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Discord
Typical data size: 500 MB – 8 GB
Category: Communication
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/discord

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Discord from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Discord left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Discord keeps on your Mac

4 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Application Support/discord App data · Cache, Code Cache, GPUCache, settings and login session Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord Cache · app cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.plist Settings · app settings Yes, settings reset~/Library/Saved Application State/com.hnc.Discord.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/discord/Cache Cache · Chromium disk cache for web content Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/discord/Code Cache Cache · compiled JavaScript cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/discord/GPUCache Cache · GPU shader cache Yes, rebuilt automatically

Locations are the standard macOS folders Discord uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What Discord leaves behind

Specific to Discord

Dragging the app to the Trash preserves settings, login sessions, and various caches in your library. These include the Chromium disk cache for web content and GPU shader caches that grow as you view media. Since these remain, you must manually navigate to the hidden ~/Library folder via Finder > Go > Go to Folder to remove them.

Account and sync: Messages, servers and friends live in your Discord account; the Mac only stores caches and the login session.

Preparing to remove Discord

Before deletion, ensure you have access to your account since messages and friends are stored on their servers rather than locally. You should identify any local files you wish to preserve from your conversations. Finally, make sure the app is fully closed so background processes stop running.

Save all images or files from chats you want to keepVerify your login credentials and two-factor backup codesQuit the app from the menu bar to stop background activity

0 of 3 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	4 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every Discord file and its size. No account needed.
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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Discord is installed, so remove them after the app.

Will I lose my server list and messages if I delete the app?

No, because these live in your account and not on your Mac.

Why is the remaining data folder so large?

The bulk of the size comes from cached images, GIFs, and videos.