# Uninstalling Nix

## Multi User

Removing a [multi-user installation](./installing-binary.md#multi-user-installation) depends on the operating system.

### Linux

If you are on Linux with systemd:

1. Remove the Nix daemon service:

   ```console
   sudo systemctl stop nix-daemon.service
   sudo systemctl disable nix-daemon.socket nix-daemon.service
   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   ```

Remove files created by Nix:

```console
sudo rm -rf /etc/nix /etc/profile.d/nix.sh /etc/tmpfiles.d/nix-daemon.conf /nix ~root/.nix-channels ~root/.nix-defexpr ~root/.nix-profile ~root/.cache/nix
```

Remove build users and their group:

```console
for i in $(seq 1 32); do
  sudo userdel nixbld$i
done
sudo groupdel nixbld
```

There may also be references to Nix in

- `/etc/bash.bashrc`
- `/etc/bashrc`
- `/etc/profile`
- `/etc/zsh/zshrc`
- `/etc/zshrc`

which you may remove.

### macOS

> **Updating to macOS 15 Sequoia**
>
> If you recently updated to macOS 15 Sequoia and are getting
> ```console
> error: the user '_nixbld1' in the group 'nixbld' does not exist
> ```
> when running Nix commands, refer to GitHub issue [NixOS/nix#10892](https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/10892) for instructions to fix your installation without reinstalling.

1. If system-wide shell initialisation files haven't been altered since installing Nix, use the backups made by the installer:

   ```console
   sudo mv /etc/zshrc.backup-before-nix /etc/zshrc
   sudo mv /etc/bashrc.backup-before-nix /etc/bashrc
   sudo mv /etc/bash.bashrc.backup-before-nix /etc/bash.bashrc
   ```

   Otherwise, edit `/etc/zshrc`, `/etc/bashrc`, and `/etc/bash.bashrc` to remove the lines sourcing `nix-daemon.sh`, which should look like this:

   ```bash
   # Nix
   if [ -e '/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/etc/profile.d/nix-daemon.sh' ]; then
     . '/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/etc/profile.d/nix-daemon.sh'
   fi
   # End Nix
   ```

2. Stop and remove the Nix daemon services:

   ```console
   sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.nixos.nix-daemon.plist
   sudo rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.nixos.nix-daemon.plist
   sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.nixos.darwin-store.plist
   sudo rm /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.nixos.darwin-store.plist
   ```

   This stops the Nix daemon and prevents it from being started next time you boot the system.

3. Remove the `nixbld` group and the `_nixbuildN` users:

   ```console
   sudo dscl . -delete /Groups/nixbld
   for u in $(sudo dscl . -list /Users | grep _nixbld); do sudo dscl . -delete /Users/$u; done
   ```

   This will remove all the build users that no longer serve a purpose.