1. You can delete apps from Launchpad—no emptying trash necessary. When you delete an app through Launchpad, OS X will delete it right away—you won’t be able to rummage through the Trash.
2. Dec 06, 2019  Use the Finder to delete an app Locate the app in the Finder. Most apps are in your Applications folder, which you can open by clicking Applications in. Drag the app to the Trash, or select the app and choose File Move to Trash. If you're asked for a user name and password, enter the name.
3. Jul 22, 2015  Installing apps on your Mac is one of the easiest tasks, you can install almost all the apps using a simple drag and drop operation. However a proper uninstallation isn’t that simple. Unlike Windows, OS X doesn’t ship with a built-in uninstaller. You can delete an app by dragging it from Applications folder to Trash, but.

1. How To Remove Apps From Mac
2. Right Way To Remove Apps From Mac Computer
3. Best Way To Delete Apps From Mac

Question:

Matt writes: I’ve been a lifelong PC user but I recently switched to the Mac. Windows has a program manager in the Control Panel that lets me uninstall applications, but I can’t find a similar function on my Mac. What’s the best way to remove or uninstall OS X apps, ensuring that both the application binary and its accompanying support files are properly and safely removed?

Answer:

Open the App Store. Tap your profile picture on the top right. Scroll down to the Updated Recently or Available Updates section. Find the app you want to delete, and swipe left. Jun 13, 2019  There are different ways to remove apps and programs, so if you can't find the one you're looking for, you can try another location. Press and hold (or right-click) on the app, then select Uninstall. Uninstall from the Settings page. Select the Start button, then select Settings Apps Apps & features. Or just click the shortcut link at. Mar 03, 2020  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. Drag the application from wherever it is located on your Mac and drop it on the trash can.

In general, applications in OS X are packaged into a “.app” bundle that appears to be a single file but is actually a self-contained folder. Unlike Windows, in which an application usually installs a folder that contains the executable and supporting files, most of what an OS X app needs to run is stored within the .app bundle (if you’re curious, right-click on any .app file and select “Show Package Contents” to see what’s inside).

Deleting an application bundle will remove that application’s binary and all the supporting files contained within. Many apps, however, also install additional files in the user’s Library folder, such as application preferences and caches.

To manually remove an OS X app, first make sure the app is closed and that no services associated with it are running. You can check this by looking at the processes listed in the Activity Monitor application (there’s a search filter there to narrow the list down if it’s too long). Select any associated processes and click “Quit Process” to end them.

Next, head to the user’s library folder (in OS X Lion and above, hold down the Option key while selecting the “Go” menu from the Finder’s menu bar and select “Library”). Here, you’ll want to check for references to the application in the Preferences, LaunchAgents, and Application Support folders. Remove any files or folders that you are certain belong to the application you’re trying to uninstall.

You may also want to check the System Library folder by navigating to the top level of your hard drive and opening the /System folder, although most applications will confine their files to the user-specific Library.

Once that’s complete, check to see if the application had a Dock icon. If so, drag it off the dock to remove it or right click on the icon and select Options > Remove from Dock.

To aid in the process of hunting down rogue application support files, use Spotlight in Finder to search, but make sure that Spotlight is configured to display system files in its search results.

Due to sandboxing requirements imposed by Apple, apps obtained from the Mac App Store are even easier to remove. Simply delete two items: the application file itself from the Applications folder and the application-specific folder in UserLibraryContainers.

There are many third-party app removal tools for OS X.

Another way to remove OS X apps is to use third-party tools. Applications like AppDelete, AppZapper, AppCleaner, and Hazel all automate the removal of an application and its supporting files, no matter where they reside on your Mac’s drive.

Take note, however, that automated tools can sometimes miss certain files or folders, and users employing these tools should always perform a manual check to ensure that all remnants of the application have indeed been removed.

Finally, some applications such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite have their own uninstaller application. Wherever possible, use the application-specific uninstaller for these applications, which can usually be located on the installation disk, installation image, or in the application’s folder. You may also be able to download certain application-specific uninstallers from a developer’s support site.

An application-specific uninstaller for Adobe's Creative Suite.

How To Remove Apps From Mac

Regardless of which method you choose, remember that leaving behind the occasional abandoned preference file is not likely to cause harm or performance issues. In general, removing the app bundle from the Applications folder and a file or two from the user’s library folder is enough to remove the application from the drive and free up disk space.

Right Way To Remove Apps From Mac Computer

Q&A

Best Way To Delete Apps From Mac

• Doesn't native Mac software uninstall third-party apps?
  It does, but it leaves some junk files that could have been wiped better. That's why the entire class of uninstallers exists.
• If I use uninstall software from Mac with a program uninstaller, won't it damage other applications or files?
  It shouldn't. It removes files according to the system records that list all the necessary ones - and nothing else.
• Can I uninstall system apps with it?
  No, this feature is blocked by Apple. You'll have to live with Mail, despite using web interface, with Photos app even if you prefer a third-party viewer, and with App Store even if you only buy apps from developers directly. That's because of high software integration within OS X.
• Are these apps worth purchasing?
  With such an app, you can work, for example, with your 128GB MacBook almost as efficiently as if it was a 256GB model. And the price of these two differs. You can even save a bit if you purchase a model with less storage but keep it in order.