How to Completely Remove (Purge) MySQL from Ubuntu 22.04

How to Completely Remove (Purge) MySQL from Ubuntu 22.04

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Sometimes you need to completely remove MySQL from Ubuntu — maybe you’re switching to PostgreSQL or MariaDB, fixing a broken installation, or cleaning up a server. A standard apt remove leaves behind config files and databases. This guide shows you how to purge everything so there are no traces of MySQL left on the system.

These commands work on Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04, including EC2 instances and WSL2.

Back Up Your Data First

Purging MySQL permanently deletes all databases, users, and configuration. If you have data you need to keep, export it before continuing:

sudo mysqldump --all-databases > mysql-backup.sql

For automated backups to S3, see How to Automate MySQL Database Backups on EC2 to Amazon S3.

Step 1: Stop the MySQL Service

Stop MySQL so no processes are using the files you’re about to remove:

sudo systemctl stop mysql

Step 2: Purge MySQL Packages

Use apt purge to remove MySQL packages along with their configuration files. A regular apt remove leaves config files behind — purge deletes everything.

sudo apt purge mysql-server mysql-client mysql-common mysql-server-core-* mysql-client-core-*

Step 3: Remove Data and Config Directories

The purge command removes packages but may leave behind the data directory and config files. Delete them manually:

sudo rm -rf /etc/mysql /var/lib/mysql /var/log/mysql
  • /etc/mysql — configuration files
  • /var/lib/mysql — all databases and table data
  • /var/log/mysql — log files

Step 4: Remove Orphaned Dependencies

Clean up packages that were installed as MySQL dependencies and are no longer needed:

sudo apt autoremove -y

Step 5: Verify the Removal

Check that no MySQL packages remain on the system:

dpkg -l | grep mysql

If this returns no output, MySQL has been fully removed. If you still see packages listed, run the purge command again targeting those specific package names.

You can also confirm the service is gone:

sudo systemctl status mysql

This should return Unit mysql.service could not be found.

Conclusion

MySQL is now fully removed from your system, including all databases, config files, and logs. If you want to reinstall it later, see How to Install MySQL Database on EC2 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. If you’re switching databases, check out How to Install PostgreSQL on WSL Ubuntu 22.04.