How to Uninstall Apps on a Mac
Key Takeaways
- You can use a third-party app like AppCleaner to fully delete unwanted apps and their leftover files.
- Some apps, like Adobe software, come with their own installers. In such cases, it’s better to use their dedicated uninstallers.
- You can use Terminal commands to forcefully remove apps and their residual files when other methods don’t work.
Most of the time, uninstalling apps on your Mac is pretty straightforward. However, some apps may leave behind traces even after you’ve uninstalled them. We’ll show you how to completely remove those apps, including any files they leave behind.
1. Move Apps to the Trash
The simplest way to uninstall an app from your Mac is to drag it to the Trash icon on your Mac’s Dock.
Note that you must do this from the Applications folder in Finder; you can’t uninstall an app by dragging the app’s icon from the Dock to the Trash. You can also Control-click on an app’s icon and select Move to Trash from the context menu.
If you’d like to remove multiple apps, hold the Command key and click the app icons to select them individually. Then, Control-click and select Move to Trash.
Now, to delete the app permanently, Control-click on the Trash icon in the Dock and select Empty Trash from the context menu. If you can’t empty the Trash, make sure the application isn’t running in the background.
This method removes all the app’s files from the Applications folder, which can sometimes be more than just the app itself. While most apps will completely uninstall using this method, others might leave some residual files behind. To get rid of everything from a given app, use the next method instead.
2. Use AppCleaner to Delete Apps Fully
macOS deals with app files in two separate ways. Besides the app itself, there are associated files spread across the file system. These can be in the Library folder or a related folder in an entirely different location. To completely uninstall an app, you need to delete those leftover files as well.
AppCleaner is a free utility that helps you delete all leftover files from an app. You can also use AppCleaner to delete unwanted apps that shipped with your Mac, such as iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, and more. After opening AppCleaner, you’ll see a blank area where you can drop any app you want to uninstall.
Download:AppCleaner (Free)
The best part about AppCleaner is the transparency it brings to the uninstallation process. You’ll see a list of all its associated files. The app will automatically select related files that are safe to delete. All you need to do is click Remove.
You can also set up AppCleaner to automatically delete any related Library files when you delete an app. To do this, click AppCleaner in the menu bar and select Settings from the dropdown menu. Now, switch to the SmartDelete tab and toggle the switch to ON.
Now, when you move an app to the Trash, you’ll see a pop-up asking if you want to move associated files to the Trash as well. Just uncheck the items you don’t want to delete and select Remove.
3. Use Dedicated App Uninstallers
Some Mac apps come with their own installers. These apps install their own helper and update utilities, which makes it much harder to completely uninstall them down the line.
Adobe, in particular, makes the process unnecessarily complex. Even if you delete an Adobe app, the helper utility and menu bar app will still say put. Even using an app like AppCleaner won’t be helpful in these cases.
The only way to get rid of apps like this is to use their own uninstaller. First, open Spotlight (or Finder search), and look for the app name followed by “uninstaller.” If you find one, open it and start the uninstallation process. A pop-up menu might appear asking you to enter your Mac’s password or use Touch ID.
If you can’t find it on your Mac, do a Google search. Some apps will let you download an app-specific uninstaller to remove them.
Application resources are stored in the Library folder. These are files that an app requires to function properly. When you delete an app on your Mac, the related files in the Library folder usually stay put unless you use a program like AppCleaner.
Messing around with Library files can be dangerous. If you delete a file that’s crucial to macOS, it can result in crashes and data loss. But if you know what you’re doing and you only want to delete specific files related to an app, here’s what you need to do:
- Open a Finder window and click Go in the menu bar while holding the Option key. From the dropdown, click on Library.
- Now click the Search button and enter the name of the app or the file you’re looking for. Click the Library button to narrow down your search to the Library folder.
- When you find a related file, select it and drag it to the Trash. Alternatively, you can Control-click the file and choose Move to Trash.
Remember to empty the Trash to permanently remove the residual file from your Mac.
5. Uninstall Mac Apps Using Terminal
Terminal is a powerful tool for taking matters into your own hands. Instead of downloading and trusting a third-party app, you can get the job done with just a command. Even if you’re new to Terminal, you can still use a simple command to uninstall an app.
Just open Terminal from Applications > Utilities in Finder and type the following command:
sudo uninstall file:// Next, drag the application icon to the Terminal window, and it will automatically enter the path of the app, as shown in the screenshot below:
sudo uninstall file:///Applications/Rove Papers.app 
Press Return (or Enter), input your admin password, and Terminal will uninstall the app for you. If you run into any trouble, use the following command instead:
sudo rm -rf Add a single space to the end of the command and drag the app into Terminal to input the path before pressing Return. As an example:
sudo rm -rf /Applications/Rove Papers.app 
You’ll be prompted to enter your Mac’s admin password again. Simply do that, and the app will be deleted from your Mac entirely.
Use caution while running the
sudo rm -rf
command. Inserting an incorrect path can lead to data loss.
Usually, deleting an app will result in the app and all its data being completely removed from your Mac. However, in the rare case that some data and leftover files remain, you can use any of the methods above to remove them from your Mac.