Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?
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- 4 Ways To Uninstall Apps On A Mac - MacPaw
- How To Uninstall A Program From MacBook Pro | Tom's Guide Forum
- How To Delete Apps From A MacBook Pro | Techwalla
If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong.
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Uninstall an app. Click X from the top-left corner of the unwanted app’s icon (PDF Reader Pro Free for this example), and click Delete in the confirmation box. This uninstalls the app from your Mac. Once done, you can follow the method explained earlier to remove its icon from the Dock as well. How can I completely remove an old non-functional McAfee virus protection app from my MacBook Pro? It seems that a ghost of it still appears at the top of the screen on the upper menu bar. I'm thinking that there may be other (hidden) components that could safely be removed too. This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only. Apple may provide or recommend responses as a possible solution based on the information provided; every potential issue may involve several factors not detailed in the conversations captured in an electronic forum and Apple can therefore provide no guarantee as to the.
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.
- Downloading an app to remove apps seems a bit counterproductive. Doesn’t have support/a help reference, but the app should be pretty easy to use anyways. Get AppCleaner Remove Apps with CCleaner. Just like AppCleaner, CCleaner for Mac will remove hidden files associated with an unwanted app. However, it has a greater variety of.
- How To Uninstall Apps On Mac OS X Using The Command Line Most of users don’t like to use commands in Terminal to do anything because those commands are not easy to remember. They feel not comfortable and will look for solutions which easier to do, such as an app with a friendly and simple user interface.
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
- 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.
4 Ways To Uninstall Apps On A Mac - MacPaw
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:
- 1. Mac Files Tips
- 2. Mac Software
- 3. Mac Storage Tips
- 4. Mac Troubleshooting
- 5. Mac OS
by Jenefey AaronUpdated on 2020-01-10 / Update for OS X
In modern days data storing on the cloud is a great option. Almost everybody with smartphones is into cloud storage. What you get is a wide range of variety to choose from, like Google Photos, Dropbox etc. Coming to Dropbox, it is mostly popular among commercial users though general users are also quite into it. But recently some users have raised their concerns about the security and privacy settings of this app, and because of that many users are leaving Dropbox and taking their business somewhere else. So, recently the internet was flooded with one and only concern of the users and that is how to uninstall Dropbox from Mac. If you are among them please read the following article to know further.
How to Delete Dropbox from Mac
If you want to uninstall the Dropbox app, it will completely eliminate the software from your computer. Actually, when you remove the Dropbox app you won’t be able to access the Dropbox menu and the Dropbox synchronization will no longer be available. But you should know that if you uninstall the Dropbox from your Mac that does not mean that your Dropbox account and the Dropbox folder will be eliminated.
Uninstalling Dropbox from Mac
If you want to remove Dropbox from Mac then read the following instructions so that you can perform the task smoothly.
1. Turn on Mac and run Dropbox app by clicking on the icon.
2. You will find a “Gear” icon on the panel, click on that icon and then go to “Preferences”.
3. After that, go to “Account”.
4. Now, you need to select the option “Unlink this Dropbox”.
5. Again click on the Dropbox icon.
6. Now click on the “Gear” icon but this time select “Quit Dropbox” option.
7. Next, go to Finder and click on the “Applications” folder.
8. Finally, select the Dropbox app from the “Applications” folder and move it to the “Trash”.
This way you can delete Dropbox from Mac but it won’t delete the Dropbox folder and the files inside it.
Deleting Dropbox Files
Now, that you have uninstalled the Dropbox app, you may not need the additional Dropbox files inside the Dropbox folder. So, if you want to delete those files or folders from your drive you just have to select that particular Dropbox folder and take it to the trash.
After you have completed this action all of your Dropbox related files will be deleted completely from your hard drive.
Extra Tip: How to Delete Dropbox Account on Mac
If you just uninstalled the Dropbox app from your Mac, it won’t delete your Dropbox account or the files it contains. So, if you want to completely remove Dropbox from your computer then you have to manually delete the Dropbox account after you have uninstalled the software. After you delete the Dropbox account, you will be able to eliminate all the stored data from dropbox.com and all of your devices will be unsigned from the app. Therefore, if you want to know how to delete Dropbox account then read the instructions below:
1. After you have uninstalled the app, you need to log-in to dropbox.com from Safari.
2. Enter your profile and go to Settings.
3. You will find the “Delete my Account” option under “General”.
After you delete the account, the devices that were linked to the account like your computer, tablets and even your phone will not be able to sync anymore. You cannot even sign-in to your account on dropbox.com. The shared files will not be available to you anymore and Dropbox will delete all of your files from its server.
Conclusion
There is no concrete evidence proving that Dropbox is not secure, but if the users want to get out and go for another cloud service then there is nothing to do. The main question comes here is how much you trust the app, because the final decision will be yours no matter what anyone is saying. But if you do not feel secure and want to know how to delete Dropbox from Mac or simply how to uninstall Dropbox, you know where to find your answer. Also if you have somehow accidentally deleted some important files during the deletion of Dropbox files, you can recover them with the help of Tenorshare Any Data Recovery for Mac app. It is a potent data recovery tool available for both Windows and Mac. It is a highly recommended software for all your data recovery needs.
How To Uninstall A Program From MacBook Pro | Tom's Guide Forum
- Recover data deleted, formatted or lost on Mac;
- Restore files from hard drive and external storage devices;
- Recover data from failed/crashed/dead MacBook;
- Fully supported latest macOS 10.15 Catalina;
How To Delete Apps From A MacBook Pro | Techwalla
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