How to Uninstall Mac Apps
Are you tired of having cluttered, unused apps taking up space on your Mac? Do you want to learn how to easily and effectively uninstall them from your Apple device? Look no further, because this guide will provide you with all the information you need to effectively remove apps from your Mac.
All these methods work for all MacOS devices such as MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini…
4 Ways to Uninstall Mac Apps – Apple Devices
There are several ways to uninstall Mac apps, and the method you choose will depend on the app you want to remove and your personal preference. Here are some common methods for uninstalling Mac apps:
- Drag and Drop: This is the easiest and most straightforward method for uninstalling apps on a Mac. To use this method, simply open your Applications folder and find the app you want to uninstall. Then, drag the app icon to the Trash bin in your Dock. This will remove the app from your Mac, but it won’t completely delete it.
- Use the “Launchpad”: The Launchpad is a feature on your Mac that allows you to view and manage all of your installed apps. To use it to uninstall an app, open the Launchpad and find the app you want to remove. Hold down the app’s icon until it starts to jiggle, and then click the “x” button that appears in the upper-left corner of the app icon. This will remove the app from your Mac, but it won’t completely delete it.
- Use the “Finder”: The Finder is the default file manager on a Mac, and it can also be used to uninstall apps. To use this method, open a Finder window and go to the Applications folder. Find the app you want to uninstall and right-click (or control-click) on its icon. Select the “Move to Trash” option from the contextual menu that appears. This will remove the app from your Mac, but it won’t completely delete it.
- Use the “Uninstaller”: Some apps come with their own uninstaller, which is a separate program that is specifically designed to remove the app from your Mac. To use an uninstaller, open the app’s folder in the Applications folder and look for an “Uninstaller” or “Uninstall” program. Double-click on the program to run it, and follow the on-screen instructions to remove the app from your Mac.
A Simple Guide to Uninstalling Mac Apps
Here is a step-by-step guide to uninstalling Mac apps using the drag and drop method:
- Open your Applications folder. You can do this by clicking on the “Finder” icon in your Dock, and then selecting “Applications” from the sidebar on the left.
- Find the app you want to uninstall. You can use the search bar at the top of the window to quickly find the app, or you can scroll through the list of apps to find it manually.
- Drag the app icon to the Trash bin in your Dock. This will remove the app from your Mac, but it won’t completely delete it.
- Empty the Trash. To completely delete the app, you will need to empty the Trash. To do this, right-click (or control-click) on the Trash bin in your Dock, and select the “Empty Trash” option from the contextual menu that appears.
Things You May Not Know About Uninstalling Mac Apps
Here are some things you may not know about uninstalling Mac apps on your Mac:
- Uninstalling an app will not delete any of its associated files or preferences. When you uninstall an app, the app itself is removed, but any files or preferences associated with the app will remain on your Mac. This means that if you later decide to re-install the app, it may still have all of its old settings and data. To completely delete an app and all of its associated files and preferences, you will need to use a different method, such as using the Terminal.
- Uninstalling an app will not free up all of the space it was using on your Mac. When you uninstall an app, the app itself is removed, but any large files or data associated with the app will remain on your Mac. To free up this space, you will need to manually delete these files or use a utility like CleanMyMac to scan your Mac for large, unused files and delete them for you.
- Some apps are more difficult to uninstall than others. Some apps, particularly those that come pre-installed on your Mac or are part of the macOS operating system, may be more difficult to uninstall. In these cases, you may need to use the Terminal or a third-party utility to remove the app.
How to Completely Delete Mac Apps
To completely delete a Mac app and all of its associated files and preferences, you will need to use a specific app like CleanMyMac or the Terminal (This is a powerful command-line tool that allows you to directly access and modify the files and settings on your Mac).
CleanMyMac – How to Completely Delete Mac Apps
To use CleanMyMac to completely uninstall a Mac app, follow these steps:
- Download and install CleanMyMac on your Mac. You can do this by visiting the CleanMyMac website and clicking on the “Download” button.
- Launch CleanMyMac and click on the “Uninstaller” tab. This will show you a list of all the apps installed on your Mac.
- Find the app you want to uninstall in the list and click on it. This will show you a detailed breakdown of the app, including its size, version, and associated files.
- Click on the “Uninstall” button to begin the uninstallation process. CleanMyMac will prompt you to confirm the uninstallation, and will then remove the app and all of its associated files and preferences from your Mac.
- Empty the Trash. To completely delete the app, you will need to empty the Trash. To do this, right-click (or control-click) on the Trash bin in your Dock, and select the “Empty Trash” option from the contextual menu that appears.
By using CleanMyMac, you can easily and effectively uninstall Mac apps and completely delete them, along with all of their associated files and preferences. This can help free up valuable storage space on your Mac and keep it running smoothly and efficiently.
Terminal – How to Completely Delete Mac Apps
Here is a step-by-step guide to using the Terminal to completely delete a Mac app:
- Open the Terminal. You can do this by clicking on the “Finder” icon in your Dock, and then selecting “Applications” from the sidebar on the left. In the Applications folder, open the “Utilities” folder, and double-click on the “Terminal” app to launch it.
- Use the “locate” command to find the app you want to delete. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press “Enter”:
locate [app name]Replace “[app name]” with the actual name of the app you want to delete. This will search your Mac for any files or folders associated with the app, and display their locations in the Terminal window.
- Use the “rm” command to delete the app’s files. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press “Enter”:
rm -rf [app path]Replace “[app path]” with the actual path of the app’s files, as shown by the “locate” command in the previous step. This will delete the app’s files from your Mac.
- Use the “rm” command to delete the app’s preferences. In the Terminal window, type the following command and press “Enter”:
rm -rf [preferences path]Replace “[preferences path]” with the actual path of the app’s preferences, as shown by the “locate” command in the first step. This will delete the app’s preferences from your Mac.
- Empty the Trash. To completely delete the app, you will need to empty the Trash. To do this, right-click (or control-click) on the Trash bin in your Dock, and select the “Empty Trash” option from the contextual menu that appears.
Conclusion
Uninstalling apps on a Mac is a simple and straightforward process, and there are several methods you can use to do it. Whether you prefer to use the drag and drop method, the Launchpad, the Finder, or an uninstaller, you can easily remove apps from your Mac.
If you want to completely delete an app and all of its associated files and preferences, you can use the Terminal or apps like CleanMyMac to do so.
Overall, uninstalling apps on a Mac is a great way to keep your Mac running smoothly and efficiently, and to free up valuable storage space. By following the steps in this guide, you can easily and effectively remove unwanted apps from your Mac.
