Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?
If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong.
- Remove Email Account from Mac Using Mail App. If the Email Account that you want to delete from Mac is not associated with other Apps (Notes, Contacts), you can remove the Email Account by using the Mail App. Open the Mail App on your Mac select the Mail tab in.
- Usually, you can delete files and empty trash on Mac by following above steps. But there are some situations that you can’t delete the file, and you need extra solution to delete. Here we list some conditions and solutions to help you delete unwanted files permanently and speed up your Mac.
You probably know or guess that you can remove apps by dragging them to the Trash bin, but it is not quite so. Dragging normal files like documents and movies to the Trash works fine. But doing the same for apps leaves gigabytes of leftover junk files on your hard drive. We’re going to show you what gets left behind and what you can do to completely uninstall apps from here on out.
How to uninstall on Mac
If you are trying to delete an old application, reinstall a corrupted software or just free up disk space on your Mac, removing all components of the program is important. These include the app, its preferences and support files, and sometimes other hidden files.
To completely uninstall a program on Mac you have to choose one of three options:
- Using Trash.
- Using Launchpad.
- Using a native uninstaller
The ways mentioned above include navigating your Mac’s in search of the apps you want to remove and then locating their remaining data. The latter can take even more place than the app itself and can be stored anywhere in your folders.
Choose Apple menu About This Mac, click Storage, then click Manage. Click a category in the sidebar: Applications, Music, and Books: These categories list files individually. To delete an item, move the pointer over the file name, then click the Delete button.
I prefer clearing my Mac from apps using special software made for this particular task - CleanMyMac X. It’s Uninstaller feature, is an app-killer that sweeps away any program you don’t want on your Mac and clears remaining junk.
Now let’s go ahead and delete some apps!
1. Uninstall Mac apps using Trash
Whether you're running macOS Catalina or an earlier macOS, like Mojave or Sierra, the process of manually uninstalling remains relatively similar. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open Finder.
- Go to Applications.
- Choose the app you want to delete.
- Press Command + Delete (⌘⌫).
- Open Trash.
- Click the Empty button in the upper-right corner of the window.
And the app is gone.
Even uninstalling apps on macOS Catalina requires getting rid of leftovers, despite the fact that it's the latest and the most sophisticated system for Mac. Apple has done such a good job on macOS 10.15 but left this unfortunate issue unresolved for another year.
To completely remove programs from Mac manually, you have to find all the associated files that come along with the app. That means not just dragging the app icon to the Trash from your Applications folder, but searching the depths of the system files on your Mac.
We’re going to reveal the locations of the most common files that are associated with apps. To remove the app leftovers from your Mac just navigate to each of these folders and hunt for the app you want to remove. If you find files with the app name you can send them to the Trash.
So, when uninstalling any software, you have to go over each of these folders one by one and remove the following:
- Binary and dock icons are located in
/Applications/ - Application support files are located in
~/Library/Application Support - Support Caches can be found in
/Library/Caches/and~/Library/Caches - Plugins are located in
~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ - Library can be found in
~/Library/ - App preferences are located in
~/Library/Preferences/ - Crashes are found in
~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/ - App saved states are located in
~/Library/Saved Application State/
There are many more hidden files, some of which cannot be accessed by the user. And macOS/OS X will prevent you from deleting some app files.
As you can see, it's not that easy to uninstall applications Mac doesn't need, even when you know what to do. By the way, be sure to look for the name of the app in the file names of the files you remove. Don’t remove anything you don’t know! Do your due diligence before removing something from your system.
When you delete software on Mac manually, be sure only to remove an app file or folder when you’re sure of what it is. Look at the name very carefully before you nuke it. Removing the wrong files could cause problems with your system.
Remember, please be careful when deleting system files — you never know how it will affect your Mac if you remove the wrong ones (or the right ones for that matter!).
2. Uninstall Mac programs with Launchpad
How to uninstall on Mac by using the Launchpad? It's easy and this manual method works like this:
- Click Launchpad icon in your Mac's Dock.
- Find the app you want to delete.
- Click and hold the app until it starts shaking.
- Click X in the top-left corner of the app icon.
- Click Delete.
This will uninstall the app from your Mac. However, keep in mind that after removing the program, you should also delete its leftovers as we've described above.
Can't delete apps on Mac?
Unfortunately, manual methods won’t get everything. Some apps are pre-installed macOS components and protected by the system while others will refuse to delete because they are already open (even though that’s often not true).
So, how to delete the apps on Mac that won't delete? You can try the manual removal after force quitting the app in question (press Command-Option-Esc and if the app is on the list shut it down) or rebooting your Mac.
If you're still unable to delete apps on Mac or if you’re worried you won't do it correctly and want a safer alternative, there’s the easy method of uninstalling apps from your Mac so you don't have to force delete applications. It actually does a better (and safer) job and in a fraction of the time. Read on to learn how to delete apps on Mac automatically.
3. Uninstall apps with CleanMyMac X
When I referred to the easy method of uninstalling apps, I meant using CleanMyMac X. As for me, deleting apps is a pretty tiresome task. I’ve always put away this chore, as it will waste a huge amount of my time. But, my Mac was running low on free storage, so I decided to try CleanMyMac X to fix this problem and uninstall programs on Mac with ease. I used the Uninstaller module to get rid of multiple apps at once. Here’s what you need to do:
- Download CleanMyMac X, install, and launch it (it takes less than a minute).
- Go to Uninstaller.
- Choose All Applications.
- Check the boxes next to the app you want to remove.
- Press Uninstall.
As you can see, CleanMyMac X shows precisely how much place each app takes, so it’s easier to detect the heaviest programs. Another benefit is that you can bulk uninstall programs on Mac without dragging each app and its files to the Trash.
Is it possible to delete system files on Mac?
CleanMyMac X doesn’t let you delete system apps like Safari. Neither of Mac cleaners can do that. But, CleanMyMac X allows you to delete the data associated with system apps and reset them completely. Click CleanMyMac X’s menu in the upper-left corner and choose Preferences. Go to Ignore List and click Uninstaller. Here uncheck the box next to “Ignore system applications.”
Now, you can close Preferences and go back to Uninstaller. Click ► next to the app's icon to show its files. Then check the data you want to delete and choose Reset from the drop-down list next to the app’s icon. Then press Remove.
It will help to clear some space on your Mac. Note that your app logs may also disappear after the reset.
4. Use the native uninstaller
Many applications are designed to clean after themselves. They come with a built-in uninstaller — a self-destroying utility bundled with the main app. This is mostly true for third-party apps that you download from the internet. That’s why native uninstallers remain more of a Windows thing, not much heard of in the Mac world.
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder (within the Applications folder) most likely it will have a separate uninstaller. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].
Open the folder, find the launcher, and just follow the onscreen instructions. After the removal is complete, you can enjoy your extra storage space!
Clear app leftovers: preferences files and caches
No sane developer wants people to delete their application. As your desperate ex, they would do everything to stay on your Mac, like planting pieces of their software around your Mac so one day they can return. Support files, preference files, and caches — all these will likely remain even if you’ve deleted the app itself.
Here I’ll show you how to root out these remaining traces. I’ll use the Telegram app as an example.
Delete application support files
Click on Finder > Go to Folder… (in the upper menu).
Paste in: ~/Library/Application Support/Your App Name
In my case it's: ~/Library/Application Support/Telegram
Now, delete the content of this folder.
Delete application Preferences
The Preferences folder contains your user settings. These files are tiny but there’s no reason not to delete them, just out of principle.
Click on Finder > Go to Folder…
Paste in: ~/Library/Preferences/
Open the folder. Now type the name of your app in the search bar. Click to search 'Preferences.” Delete the found items.
Delete the caches
In the same vein, you’ll have to delete the remaining app caches.
This time, use the following command to paste in Finder > Go to Folder...
Paste this: ~/Library/Caches/Your App Name
Note: In some cases, you need to search for the app developer's name, rather than the name of the app.
Delete leftovers with CleanMyMac X
If you’ve been doing a 'spring cleaning' in your Applications folder, chances are some files are still left somewhere in your Mac’s system. CleanMyMac X detects and collects them into the Leftovers tab.
Go to Uninstaller once again and select Leftovers. Select all the remaining files and press Uninstall to say goodbye to the app remains.
Now you are just as good at uninstalling applications on Mac as any Apple engineer. Hopefully, you now have plenty of free space. Don't miss a few related articles below.
These might also interest you:
Installing a software or app is extremely easy and so does uninstalling the software when you don't need them anymore? Many times, for some unknown reason, a Mac system denies to remove some data. If this is happening with you then the first thing you could try is to restart the computer and then try to remove it again, but still failed! Then what should you do?
On the other hand, there are many stubborn software that won't get uninstalled whatsoever. You will continuously get errors, warning and unknown issues when uninstalling them. These are usually infected with viruses or the developers don't intend to let you uninstall them. This could be really very intimidating especially when they are slowing down your computer. In this article, we will show you few simple tricks to remove unwanted apps or softwares that won't delete on Mac.
Part 1. How to Delete Apps in the Finder on Mac Manually (the Hard Way)
Unlike Windows computers, Mac works a little distinctly. All the programs and apps are stored in the Application directory. The app and software configuration settings are saved in the Library/Preferences folder and any other additional supporting data are saved in the /Library/Application_Support folder. In order to remove the Apps in Mac, you only have to open the application folder and drag the app to the Bin or Trash Can. This is rather easy if the program is uninstalled simply.
However, if the application still denies to uninstall and stays on the Mac then we need to get another solution below.
Delete the Preferences
If you can't delete the app by using the above method then the reason could be that the preferences folder of that app still exists. Let's go and delete that first.
Step 1. Open Finder then click on the Go option from the dropdown menu.
Step 2. When the menu pops down, simple press the Option key and keep holding it.
Step 3. You will now see the Library option right between the Computer and Home options. Click on it and the folder should open.
NOTE The final necessary thing to do after uninstalling a program is to empty the trash can or Bin. Dragging and dropping a software shortcut icon to the Bin will actually do nothing. It is only erasing the shortcut, this won't uninstall the program. It is still laying somewhere in your computer however, if you empty the trash then the application is truly removed.
However, there's also a chance that the software files must have stored in the computer somehow, which happens quite often. So, if you are not able to remove Apps by yourself then it's better to take help from an automatic Mac program remover like CleanGeeker in Part 2..
Part 2: Completely Remove Unwanted Apps that Won't Delete on Mac (Easy Way)
When any app is fishy enough not to get deleted from a Launchpad or Finder then you will have to use some sort of force to delete that. TunesBro CleanGeeker is one of the most powerful Mac app remover that helps to remove any app or software as well as the trace from the Mac without destroying your system. Unlike other App removers, CleanGeeker can deeply scan and remove multiple apps at once, including corresponding files and preferences. It also has other miscellaneous functions as well like cleaning junk files, clearing app caches and finding + deleting duplicate items from the computer like music, documents, pictures, videos, etc. To summarize, CleanGeeker is used to optimize and organize your Mac so that it remains clean and fast as a thunder.
CleanGeeker - Force to Delete Apps on Mac, Easy and Safe!
- Locate all the installed apps on your Mac and shows them in a list.
- Deeply scan and remove apps along with its remaining files like caches, or junk files.
- Force to remove unwanted app that won’t uninstalled, easy and safe! Never destroy your system.
- Optimize and improve your Mac’s space and performance.
Step 1Download and Install App Remover Tool on Your Mac
Download the App remover and install it normally on your Mac. Launch the program and enter the license code to activate the software. On the main user interface, you will be able to see multiple options on the screen. Just click on 'Uninstaller' from the mid left sidebar.
Step 2Scan All Apps that Installed On Your Mac
Let the program search all the apps installed in your computer. It may take few minutes.
Step 2 Found and Remove Unwanted Applications on Mac
Once the scanning is done, you should be able to look on all the apps that has been installed in the system. Choose the app that you want to remove and select the 'Delete' button once.
There's no software or apps that cannot be removed with CleanGeeker and that's why it's now a must have tool for everyone. Moreover, it helps to speed up your computer unbelievably fast and run it like it used to when you first bought it.
Part 3: Delete Apps Downloaded from Mac App Store
One of the best alternative to delete any app is by simply deleting it from the sales page from the App Store. Once you have done that, you will no longer be able to download it form there anymore. But, the app will remain active in the iTunes account which is associated with that. So, if you wish to download or update it later from the iTunes then you will be able to do that. But the important thing is: Once you delete any app which you have downloaded from Apple App Store, you won’t be able to recover that app or find the SKU to install it again.
So, if you want to delete any app from App Store without actually removing it then follow these steps –
Step 1. Open the Launchpad from the Dock section. At this point you should be familiar with it if not then just find the Rocket icon.
Step 2. After the Launchpad is opened, it will replace the existing Windows with the apps that are provided by default in alphabetic order. You can obviously do many things using this tool but at this moment we are just erasing the unwanted apps.
Where Is My Deleted Stuff
Step 3. Just like any iPhone or Android phone, click and hold on the app that you want to delete until it starts dancing. Next, click on the 'X' mark with your mouse or touchscreen.
Step 4. Now, confirm that you want to delete by clicking on the 'Delete' button once and the system will get rid of it instantly.
Done! Keep in mind, that you should not worry about accidentally delete the apps that you want to keep in Mac. You’re allowed to obviously re-install any app that you have deleted before without paying any extra. Simply go to the app store and it’s done.