How to Uninstall Apps on Mac

If you want to completely uninstall an application on Mac, you’ll be pleased to know it’s a fairly simple process. Most apps can be removed by right-clicking their icon in the Applications folder, then selecting the Move to Trash option. Remember to Empty Bin.

However, if you don’t remove your unwanted software properly, you could leave behind unnecessary files that take up valuable storage space and may cause problems later down the line. In this guide, we’ll show you how to correctly uninstall a program on Mac with six easiest and most effective methods. For now, read their pros and cons.

A note from our experts:

 

A quick and efficient way to uninstall apps on Mac is to use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller. It takes care of all the hard work for you, so you don’t have to mess around with removing apps manually, and it ensures you don’t accidentally remove important system files that macOS needs.

 

Try this:

1. In MacKeeper, select Smart Uninstaller, then click Start Scan.
2. Select Applications, then check all the apps you want to remove.
3. Click Remove Selected to start deleting your unwanted programs.

How to delete apps on Mac

There are several effective ways to delete apps off a MacBook, such as dragging them to the trash, removing them from Launchpad, or uninstalling them via Terminal. We usually recommend using an app uninstaller, as they not only delete the program you don’t want, but also any associated files and data.

1. Delete apps using Trash

One of the easiest ways to remove programs on Mac—whether you’re running macOS Sequoia and Sonoma, or an older release like OSX Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, or Catalina—is to drag them to the Trash (known as the Bin in some regions). Emptying the Trash will then delete these apps permanently:

1. Go to your Applications folder in Finder. Find the app you want to delete, then click and drag it to the Trash icon in your Dock. Enter your Mac’s password if prompted.
2. Right-click the Trash icon and select Empty Bin.
3. Click Empty Bin once again to confirm.

Important: Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process. After selecting an app in the Applications folder, press Command + Delete on your keyboard to send the app to the Trash. You can then press Command + Shift + Backspace to empty the Trash while Finder is active.

2. Remove programs with Launchpad

Another quick and simple way to remove programs from Mac is via Launchpad:

1. Click the Launchpad icon in your Dock.
2. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard. A small X will appear in the corner of some apps—click it, then select Delete to uninstall the app.

Note from our team: This method is only available for applications that were downloaded from the App Store—it doesn’t work for those that were acquired from other sources. It’s unclear why Apple hasn’t figured out a way to make this option available for all apps, but you can use one of the other solutions listed instead.

3. Uninstall software via the native uninstaller

One of the most effective ways to fully uninstall apps on Mac is to use the software’s native uninstaller. Try this:

1. Open the Applications folder in Finder and find the software you want to remove.
2. If a native uninstaller is available, it should appear alongside the app’s icon. Double-click the uninstaller to run it.

Hint from us: 

 

Using a native, in-built uninstaller will, in most cases, also remove all associated files that are hidden away and hard to find. With some uninstallers, this is optional, so be sure to agree to the deletion of additional data if asked.

 

Sadly, not many MacBook or Mac mini applications come with a native uninstaller, so you may find that this method doesn’t work for the software you want to remove.

4. Uninstall programs using the Mac Terminal

Using Terminal is a powerful and advanced way to remove programs on a Mac. This method can be used on stubborn apps that won’t delete from Launchpad or in Finder. With just a simple command, you can force uninstall programs from your system.

Here’s the Terminal command to uninstall an app on Mac:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Type sudo uninstall file://, but don’t press enter.
3. Drag an app you don’t want from Applications into Terminal.
4. Press enter to confirm.

Warning from our team: Before you use Terminal, bear in mind that entering incorrect commands can lead to unintended consequences that could cause issues, and may not be immediately obvious. Given that there are much easier ways to remove apps, we don’t recommend this one to anyone who isn’t experienced with Terminal.

5. Delete apps in Finder

To delete Mac apps using Finder, follow these steps:

1. Open Finder, then select Applications.
2. Right-click an app you want to delete, then select Move to Trash.
3. Empty the Trash.

Alternatively, you can select an app icon in the Applications folder and then press Command + Delete on your keyboard to remove it. You’ll still need to empty the Trash afterward, so don’t forget this step. Apps aren’t properly uninstalled until the Trash can is emptied.

If you’re deleting apps using this method, be sure to remove any associated files, too. Even with so many improvements in recent macOS versions, including Sequoia, the removal process still requires manually dealing with leftovers.

To completely uninstall programs on Mac, you need to know how to delete leftover files. This means not just moving the app to the Trash but going through each of the following folders in Finder and ensuring any remnants of uninstalled apps are removed:

• /Applications/
• ~/Library
• ~/Library/Application Support
• ~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/
• /Library/Caches and ~/Library/Caches
• ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
• ~/Library/Preferences
• ~/Library/Saved Application State/

We advise you to take care when navigating these folders and removing files. Many of them contain files that macOS and your third-party apps rely on to function properly, and if you accidentally remove one of those, you could end up with instabilities or complete system crashes.

6. Completely uninstall applications with Launchpad

To undownload an app on Mac that was installed from the App Store, we can simply delete it in Launchpad like so:

1. Open Launchpad from your Mac’s dock, or from Finder > Applications.
2. Find the app you want to delete, then click and hold its icon until it starts wiggling.
3. Click the X in the top-left corner of the icon, then select Delete.

You can also remove App Store apps from Finder, but this requires you to empty the Trash afterwards. The Launchpad method takes care of this step for you.

7. Completely uninstall applications with MacKeeper

A much safer and more effective way to completely delete an app on Mac, including all associated files, is to use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller, which offers:

• Batch app removal to delete the hidden files you can’t find manually
• A simple and easy-to-use interface to enjoy
• Safe removal of all associated files that are hidden away
• The ability to delete preferences, plugins, browser extensions, and other leftovers as well.

Why can’t I uninstall an app on my Mac?

There are various reasons why you may find that you can’t uninstall something on Mac. For instance, Apple doesn’t let you delete certain pre-installed macOS apps like Safari and Maps, and you can’t uninstall an app that’s currently running. In addition, some programs, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and Microsoft Office, come with their own uninstallers, and it’s often not possible to delete them using other methods.

How to delete apps on Mac that won’t delete

When you’re trying to delete an app on Mac that won’t delete, try these tricks:

• Make sure the app you want to delete is properly closed first.
• Perform a system restart to kill all background processes.
• See if the app comes with its own uninstaller, and if so, use that.
• Use an app uninstaller like MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller.
• Uninstall the program using Terminal commands as we outlined above.

Clean and uninstall Mac apps easily

There are many ways to successfully uninstall an app from Mac, such as dragging its icon to the Trash can, removing it from Launchpad, or using a native uninstaller if available. However, while many of these solutions are simple, some are not as effective as others at completely removing an unwanted program.

MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller isn’t only easy to use, but it lets you remove multiple apps at once in just a few clicks. Most importantly, the powerful utility ensures that all associated files are also cleared whenever an app is uninstalled, so nothing gets left behind to clog up your startup disk.