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. This will uninstall the app from your Mac. Uninstall Apps Using the Trash Can. The easiest way to uninstall an app or program from your Mac is by using the trash can located on the Dock. Drag the application from wherever it is located on your Mac and drop it on the trash can. When you empty the trash, the application is deleted. App Cleaner & Uninstaller The best app to remove applications service files on Mac OS X and uninstalling. $3.99 DOWNLOAD; Uninstaller Master Uninstaller Master has the following key features: Remove Install. DOWNLOAD; Uninstall Growl The uninstaller will remove Growl from both of the places where it might be. DOWNLOAD; Uninstaller-OS Cleaner Uninstaller-OS Cleaner is a free tool that.
Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?
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If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong. Presto pagemanager for mac.
Even the best Mac uninstaller you can find for free has its downsides. So there comes Mac app uninstaller software aiming to completely delete these applications from your Mac OS running machine. And with these apps, you can be sure that every single thing about an unwanted app will be removed from your MacBook or iMac. Revo Uninstaller is not available for Mac but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on macOS with similar functionality. The best Mac alternative is AppCleaner, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Revo Uninstaller and 15 are available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable.
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.
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 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
Deleting Apps Mac Os
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:
Sometimes we download apps and we realize that we do not need them anymore. But the regular app removal on macOS does not entirely remove everything about the app – It just deletes the program but not the preferences data, caches, downloading files, and history of the program. The worse is that you suddenly find some malicious programs that you cannot remove from your Mac computer.
So there comes Mac app uninstaller software aiming to completely delete these applications from your Mac OS running machine. And with these apps, you can be sure that every single thing about an unwanted app will be removed from your MacBook or iMac.
Top 4 app uninstaller for Mac [2020 Updated]
We’ve reviewed more than 10 programs to remove apps on Macs since 2018. By following some criteria, we finally picked out these best app uninstallers for you. And some of them are completely free.
As top apps in this area, these apps are compatible with all popular Mac operating system, including the latest macOS Catalina. They are easy-to-use, 100% safe, and cost-effective. To know more about their features, just go on your reading.
1. AppCleaner – free app uninstaller for Mac
FreeMacSoft developed one popular free app removers for Mac users – AppCleaner. With this freeware, you can easily search the apps, plugins, and widgets you don’t want anymore, and completely remove them from your Mac. Besides, it allows you to simply drag and drop any unwanted app for swift uninstallation.
Pros:
- Drag and Drop feature to quickly uninstall an app.
- This app is totally free to use.
- Recover the apps that you mistakenly deleted.
- Support all Macs including the latest macOS Catalina.
Cons
- It doesn’t have filters to get old and large apps.
- It has no filter to get and remove only the leftovers of missing apps.
- It can’t remove some apps and it shows these apps are protected.
2. AppZapper – perfect Mac app uninstaller
This software AppZapper has stood out amongst other uninstaller software for the macOS system because of its simplistic design and good capability of app removing. This software is also very deep with cleanups and can remove all unwanted apps and their settings, widgets, plugins, and so on. Just like AppCleaner, this software is also designed with the macOS drag and drop feature in mind.
Pros:
- Drag and Drop feature.
- Nice filters to get large-sized apps and old apps.
- With “Undo” to get back the apps that you deleted mistakenly.
- Supports Mac OS X 10.6.2 and later.
Cons:
- It is not very simple to use. (the app icons so big)
- It can’t find only the leftovers.
- Its free version is limited with only 5 zaps (You can perform 5 apps removing with AppZapper). And the price is 19.95 and above.
3. CleanMyMac – Best App to Remove Only The Leftover Files.
CleanMyMac gives you a lot of features to free up space on Mac. And its Uninstaller Tool could be one of the best tools for uninstalling Mac apps. It can perform its primary function of uninstalling applications and their related files just like other app removers we listed.
Pros:
- Better than other apps, CleanMyMac X is able to find and remove only the leftover files. And it also has various labels that help you easily find old and large apps.
- It provides several other useful features to clean your Mac storage to boost the performance.
- This app can find duplicate files on your mac and help you get rid of them. Its user interface is also very well designed and you can figure everything out intuitively.
Cons:
The trial version gives you only 2 applications removing for free.
4. AppDelete
This is another app remover for Mac computer. AppDelete is very thorough in removing applications from your mac, and this is one of its major strengths. Where other software might overlook, this software acts. This software can help remove widgets, screensavers, preference panes, widgets, plugins, app settings, and so on.
This application is also very flexible. It provides you with options as regards what to with the apps and files you want to remove. You can log such files, archive to a zip file, or completely remove such apps/files. Also, deleted apps are not removed straight away, but are kept in the recycle bin in case you made a mistake deletion.
Cons: This app is not a free one, and has a price of 5 – 7.99 dollars.
We didn’t cover all AppCleaner similar programs in this post, like the apps TrashMe, AppTrap, iTrash, and MacClean, since all of them are not freeware, and have almost the same features.
How to choose a qualified app uninstaller for Mac computer?
It’s easy to know what is an uninstaller app, but it may be hard to select one top uninstaller app for your Mac, which is a totally different ball game. So what are the factors and criteria you should consider when choosing a top app uninstaller for your Mac? Let’s check out the list below.
1. Level of App Cleanup
It is important for you to understand the level of cleanup that the software provides. Some software can remove all the files related to the unwanted app, while others just remove a few.
Also, some software cannot remove applications that run in the background. For the best App cleaning software, it should be in a top cleanup level to remove all leftover files.
2. Is It Safe to Use
Is it safe to use? You may ask this question before using a Mac uninstaller app. And this is one of the basic conditions all apps ought to have.
App Remover For Mac Os X
Actually, one app could be safe if the app has an official website with a real company address and online tech support, or it was recommended by some famous or trustworthy sites.
3. Computing Requirements
Osx Uninstaller Free Download
App Uninstaller For Mac Os 10.10
You can’t use a Mac uninstaller program if it is not compatible with your computer. Since all apps have basic requirements for the computer system, such as storage and system version, in order to run stably and use computing resources normally.
And the best app remover should be compatible with all the popular Mac OS, including the newest macOS Mojave and macOS Catalina. And we picked out the top app by following this criterion.
4. User Interface and Experience
You need to consider the user interface and experience of your desired uninstaller software.
If one app is poorly designed, it may cost you a lot of time to figure out how to use it. But as one of the top programs, it should be time-saving and highly effective.
5. Cost-Effective
Free Mac Os X Uninstaller Software
Most of the time the best app is not the free one since the software vendors will cost a lot to hire people to design and develop.
You’d better know the cost of these programs and find the most cost-effective one. And be careful that some apps require a one-time purchase license while some others require periodic subscriptions.
Surely, there are some other factors you may consider while selecting a qualified mac app cleaner, including the customer service, the money-back policy, and so on.
Conclusion
Completely Remove Apps From Mac
There you have it, the top best app uninstaller for Mac We gathered since. We all need one of these software on our computers in new macOS Mojave as unwanted apps are inevitable. Selecting the best one for you should not be too much of a trouble, as this article has provided you with more than enough information to make the best decision.