Mac · Guide
How to Uninstall Apps on a Mac Completely
Short answer
Drag the app from Applications to the Trash for a basic removal, or use AppCleaner to also delete the preference, cache, and support files the app leaves in your Library folder.
Requirements
- A Mac running a current macOS release
- Optional: AppCleaner
- The app closed before you start
Steps
1. Quit the application
Right-click its Dock icon and choose Quit. macOS refuses to remove a running app.
2. Check for a vendor uninstaller
Antivirus tools, VPNs, and drivers often install system extensions that only their own uninstaller removes cleanly. Use it when it exists.
3. Remove the app
Drag it from Applications to the Trash, or open AppCleaner and drop the app onto its window.
4. Review related files
AppCleaner lists preference and support files. Read the list — a shared file may belong to another app from the same developer.
5. Empty the Trash
Disk space returns only after the Trash is emptied.
6. Check login items
System Settings > General > Login Items removes leftover background agents that survive an app deletion.
Alternative methods
1. Use Launchpad for App Store apps
Press and hold an icon in Launchpad, then click the X. This works only for apps installed from the Mac App Store.
2. Remove leftovers by hand
Check ~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/Preferences, and ~/Library/Caches for folders named after the developer.
Troubleshooting
"The item can't be moved to the Trash because it's open"
Quit the app, and check Activity Monitor for a helper process still running under the same name.
A background process keeps reappearing
Look under Login Items and in Library/LaunchAgents for the app's launch entry.
The app is not in Applications
Some tools install to a user folder. Use Spotlight or Finder's Go to Folder to locate the bundle.
Frequently asked questions
Do leftover files actually matter?
Usually they are small. They matter when you want a genuinely clean reinstall or when a corrupted preference file is causing the problem.
Do I need a paid cleaner app?
No. AppCleaner is free and handles the common case without a subscription.