_content/doc/manage-install.html

<!--{
    "Title": "Managing Go installations"
}-->

<p>
This topic describes how to install multiple versions of Go on the same machine, as well as how to uninstall Go.
</p>

<p>For other content on installing, you might be interested in:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/doc/install">Download and install</a> -- The simplest way to get installed and running.</li>
<li><a href="/doc/install/source">Installing Go from source</a> -- How to check out the sources, build them on your own machine, and run them.</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="installing-multiple">Installing multiple Go versions</h2>

<p>
You can install multiple Go versions on the same machine. For example, you might want to test your code on multiple Go versions. For a list of versions you can install this way, see the <a href="/dl/">download page</a>.
</p>

<p>
<strong>Note:</strong> To install using the method described here, you'll need to have <a href="https://git-scm.com/">git</a> installed.
</p>

<p>
To install additional Go versions, run the <a href="/cmd/go/#hdr-Compile_and_install_packages_and_dependencies"><code>go install</code> command</a>, specifying the download location of the version you want to install. The following example illustrates with version 1.10.7:
</p>

<pre>
$ go install golang.org/dl/go1.10.7@latest
$ go1.10.7 download
</pre>

<p>
To run <code>go</code> commands with the newly-downloaded version, append the version number to the <code>go</code> command, as follows:
</p>

<pre>
$ go1.10.7 version
go version go1.10.7 linux/amd64
</pre>

<p>
When you have multiple versions installed, you can discover where each is installed, look at the version's <code>GOROOT</code> value. For example, run a command such as the following:
</p>

<pre>
$ go1.10.7 env GOROOT
</pre>

<p>
To uninstall a downloaded version, just remove the directory specified by its <code>GOROOT</code> environment variable and the goX.Y.Z binary.
</p>

<h2 id="uninstalling">Uninstalling Go</h2>

<p>
You can remove Go from your system using the steps described in this topic.
</p>

<h3 id="linux-mac-bsd">Linux / macOS / FreeBSD</h3>

<ol>

<li>Delete the go directory.

<p>
This is usually /usr/local/go.
</p>

</li>

<li>Remove the Go bin directory from your <code>PATH</code> environment variable.

<p>
Under Linux and FreeBSD, edit /etc/profile or $HOME/.profile. If you installed Go with the macOS package, remove the /etc/paths.d/go file.
</p>

</li>

</ol>

<h3 id="windows">Windows</h3>

<p>
The simplest way to remove Go is via Add/Remove Programs in the Windows control panel:
</p>

<ol>

<li>In Control Panel, double-click <strong>Add/Remove Programs</strong>.</li>
<li>In <strong>Add/Remove Programs</strong>, select <strong>Go Programming Language,</strong> click Uninstall, then follow the prompts.</li>

</ol>

<p>
For removing Go with tools, you can also use the command line:
</p>

<ul>

<li>Uninstall using the command line by running the following command:

<pre>
msiexec /x go{{version}}.windows-{{cpu-arch}}.msi /q
</pre>

<p>

<strong>Note:</strong> Using this uninstall process for Windows will automatically remove Windows environment variables created by the original installation.
</p>

</li>

</ul>