Installing DeepSeek locally on your system is pretty quick and easy and can be done in less than 5 minutes. However, uninstalling it is a little more tricky. Whilst it's easy there isn't a simple uninstall option inside of Control Panel that you can use. So follow along as we show you how to Uninstall DeepSeek models from your computer.
Takeaways:
- How do you uninstall DeepSeek models on Windows?
- Where are DeepSeek files stored on Windows? And how do you delete them?
Table of Contents
How to Uninstall DeepSeek R1 Models - Remove DeepSeek AI Models From PC
Unlike most other software DeepSeek doesn't install as a typical program and uninstalling ollama won't remove DeepSeek from your device, instead, you'll need to manually remove DeepSeek models. And there are a couple of different ways you can do this.
In order to remove DeepSeek models, you'll need to do the following:
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Open a terminal (PowerShell)
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Run the following command:
ollama list
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This will show the models you have installed. Now run the following command to remove any of the models you don't want. Just replace "deepseek-r1:8b" with the model you want to remove.
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For example in my case:
ollama rm "deepseek-r1:8b"
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This will only remove the DeepSeek Models, you'll still have to remove ollama. But that can be done from the Control Panel like any other software.
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Uninstall oLlama from Control Panel: Go to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a Program, select oLlama, and click Uninstall.
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Manually Delete Model Files: Go to the following locations. Remember to swap out username for your username. Then just delete the models folder and you're good to go!
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macOS: ~/.ollama/models
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Linux: /usr/share/ollama/.ollama/models
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Windows: C:\Users\username\.ollama\models
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Can you have Multiple DeepSeek models Installed? How do you Only Delete One?
If you have multiple DeepSeek Models installed you are essentially wasting space and time. Just get the biggest one you can realistically use and leave it at that. However, if you have accidentally downloaded multiple models, you can remove them individually by using the steps shown above. Just run the allama list command to see the models you have installed then remove the one that you don't want by tweaking the second command.
What to Do If You Encounter Errors During DeepSeek Model Removal
Sometimes, you may get errors when attempting to uninstall DeepSeek models. These issues usually occur due to file permission restrictions, corrupted files, or background processes locking certain files. Here's how to troubleshoot and resolve common errors:
Ensure You Have Administrative Privileges
Make sure you're running PowerShell or Terminal as an administrator. On Windows, right-click PowerShell and select Run as Administrator. On macOS or Linux, prepend commands with sudo.
Close Background Applications
Some background applications or system services may be accessing the model files. Close any apps that might be using DeepSeek models and try the removal command again.
