Apple unveils a new MacBook Air during an Apple launch event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Oct. 30, 2018 in New York City. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Removing programs from a Macintosh can be very easy. In many cases, all you have to do is drag the application's icon to the Trash. Sometimes, though, applications store the files they need to run in other locations on your computer's hard drive, and finding them can take some detective work. If you are used to the uninstall option in Windows, you have a little culture shock — macOS does not have this feature built in.
Why would you want to uninstall a program? For the same reason you occasionally tidy your office or clean your garage. Clutter breeds inefficiency. Applications take up space on your hard disk and can slow your computer. Also, a new version of a program may not work correctly unless you get rid of the old one [source: Ritchie].
Learn how to remove extensions, stop plugins, and disable add-ons on your Mac. In this article, we are going to tell about plugins and highlight how to disable Chrome extension, how to remove Mozilla Firefox add-ons, how to remove Safari extensions, how to delete an extension in Opera and some alternative ways how. Click the check box next to an app to add or remove the permission. Apps that are marked with a blue check mark have permission to the service highlighted in the left pane of the window. If you don't see any apps here, it's because you have none that perform the selected service's function. If the apps and check boxes are greyed out, click on. To delete apps downloaded from the App Store: Click Launchpad on the Dock of your MacBook Air find the app you want to delete press and hold until all the app icons begin to jiggle then click the Delete button to remove it from your MacBook Air (Learn How To Uninstall Spotify Mac). Drag the app to trash by holding the app with a mouse button and dragging all the way to the trash. 400+ stores, automatic coupons, rewards galore – now on Android. Your Favorite Stores - Browse over 400 stores right in the app. If you see something you like, we’ll let you shop the store’s site without ever leaving Honey. From there, you can take a closer look, try coupons, and check out with ease. Our Biggest Deals - When you’re ready to checkout, that’s when the.
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Most of the time, uninstalling is this simple:
- Exit the program you want to delete.
- Open the Applications folder, which you'll find by opening a new window in the Finder, or clicking on the hard disk icon.
- Drag the icon of the program you want to uninstall to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash.
When files for the application you want to delete are all stored in one location, dragging the icon to the Trash will take care of most of the work. In Mac talk, apps like this are 'bundled.' To see the files in an application's bundle, click on its icon while holding down the Control key. You should see an option that says, 'show package contents.' Uninstalling applications downloaded from the Mac App Store is even easier — just delete the application from the Applications Folder and its accompanying folder in UserLibraryContainers [source: Tanous].
For some other programs, removal is more complicated. When installed, these programs create files in several locations, often in the System Folder. The first step in removing them is to check the program's documentation to see if there is an uninstall utility. If your program has an uninstall utility associated with it, it may have been installed with the program or included on the disk that came with it. If you downloaded a disk image to install the software, sometimes you'll find an uninstaller there. Running an uninstall utility can make removing a program much easier.
You should be aware that removing an unbundled program by moving it into the Trash can leave behind orphan files on your computer. Preferencefiles are usually small and you might want to ignore them if you're just trying to free up disk space. Background files or support files can be larger, especially for multimedia programs like GarageBand [source: MacRumors]. These files are likely to reside in Library folders in your hard drive or Home folder. They will usually be labeled with the name of the program, like Office or Acrobat, or the developer, such as Microsoft or Adobe. You can search for the relevant names using Spotlight, which is included with the Mac OS. Drag the files you find to the trash to get rid of them [source: Tanous]. .
Check out the next page for tips to make your uninstallation go even more smoothly.
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If searching through obscure corners of your computer for what could be hundreds of files sounds like something a machine could do better than you, you're right. There are plenty of software programs that do just that. They're usually your best bet for really cleaning an app off your Mac, and some of them are free. Popular examples include AppTrap, Appcleaner, and AppZapper.
Some of the files that a program might create on your hard disk are invisible. It may be tempting, especially for neat freaks, to find and delete these files. But some files are deliberately hidden because they are essential to the computer's operating system. Deleting the wrong file could land you in deep trouble [source: Landau]. The best advice is not to go where even experienced techies fear to tread. Uninstall utilities can search out and destroy these files, but doing so on your own invites trouble.
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Another important thing to do is empty your Trash when you're finished uninstalling. Moving a program's icon to the Trash doesn't actually remove the files from your hard disk or clear up any space. Only when you empty the Trash is the application really gone.
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Here are some other important tips:
- When you install a program, check to see how to uninstall it. Make a note if it has its own uninstall utility or instructions.
- Before you begin any uninstalling process, check to make sure your Trash is empty or contains nothing you might want to save.
- Log on as your computer's administrator whenever you uninstall. If you're uninstalling at work and don't have administrator privileges, you'll have to consult with your tech people [source: Ritchie].
- If you opt for a third-party uninstall utility, look at the features. Some developers charge for their software, but you may not need the bells and whistles. Free utilities may work fine.
- It often makes sense to leave preference files alone. If you ever reinstall the same software, you won't have to set the preferences.
- Suites of software from a developer, such as the Office suite from Microsoft, often share files. Removing the files of one component may affect the others, so it's good to be cautious with these [source: The X Lab].
- If, after you remove a program, the icon is still in your dock, you can get rid of it by simply dragging it off the dock and letting it go [source: Tech-FAQ].
Removing software from your Mac is a lot less of a hassle than cleaning your office or garage. But clearing away computer clutter and making space on your hard disk can be just as satisfying.
Originally Published: Aug 8, 2011
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Sources
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/3/4/1/134136618/297299665.jpg)
- Landau, Ted. 'Tutorial: Now you see 'em, now you don't: Invisible files in Mac OS X,' cnet.com, May 19, 2004. (Feb. 14, 2019) https://www.cnet.com/news/tutorial-now-you-see-em-now-you-dont-invisible-files-in-mac-os-x/
- FacRumors. 'Uninstalling Applications in Mac OS X,' MacRumors.com. (Feb. 16, 2019) https://web.archive.org/web/20170715163609/http://guides.macrumors.com/Uninstalling_Applications_in_Mac_OS_Xp
- Ritchie, David. 'How to Uninstall Mac Programs,' TheMacLawyer.com. October 13, 2010. (Feb. 16, 2019) http://www.themaclawyer.com/2010/10/articles/guest-posts/guest-post-how-to-uninstall-mac-programs/
- Tanous, Jim. 'How to Uninstall & Remove Mac OS X Programs and Applications,' The Mac Observer. Feb. 1, 2013. (Feb. 16, 2019) https://www.macobserver.com/tmo/answers/how-to-uninstall-remove-mac-os-x-programs-and-applications
- Tech-FAQ. 'How to Uninstall Programs on a Mac,' Tech-FAQ.com. (Feb. 16, 2019) http://www.tech-faq.com/how-to-uninstall-programs-on-a-mac.html
- The X Lab. 'Uninstalling applications,' TheXLab.com. (Feb. 16, 2019) http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/uninstallingapps.html
Have you ever installed an app on your MacBook Pro only to find that it isn’t quite what you’re looking for? Maybe you just used an app for a while, but it’s no longer needed.
Whether you’re trying to save space on your hard drive or just want to get rid of bothersome app files, uninstalling these apps can be bothersome. Especially if you’re new to the Mac, the process of deleting unwanted apps can be confusing.
In this guide, we’ll show you some built-in, free, and paid methods for clearing up apps thoroughly; together with the pros and cons of each method.
We’ll also point out some additional features that will also free up space and keep your MacBook Pro from getting bogged down with old files.
1. Move to Trash
While you may have used the trash for standard files like old documents and images, the trash is a method of uninstalling apps on your MacBook as well. Here’s how to do it:
First, open Finder and locate the app you want to delete. Select it by clicking once, so that it is highlighted.
Then, press control + trackpad to bring up the supplementary menu. Here, you can select Move to Trash. Once you do, the application will be automatically moved to the trash and disappear from the Finder window you are viewing.
Once the application is in the trash, you can no longer use it. However, it is still taking up space on your computer until you empty the trash. To do this, open the Trash from your dock, then navigate to the top right corner of the window, where it says “Empty”.
Once you empty the trash, the window will close automatically, and you’ll have regained some valuable disk space for future use.
2. Uninstall Apps with AppCleaner
One software you can use to remove unwanted applications is AppCleaner. Because third-party applications distribute their files throughout your disk rather than storing them in a single location, you may accidentally leave chunks of the application on your Mac even after you think you’ve deleted it. AppCleaner will make sure to catch these extra files, even when you don’t know they exist.
Pros:
- It’s completely free.
- Extremely effective at removing hidden extra folders when you want to get rid of an entire application rather than just the surface level files.
- Easy to use, simply drag unwanted apps into the window and let AppCleaner find all the files associated with it
Cons:
- 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.
3. 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 features and tools. If you’re looking for something a wider set of abilities, this might be the more fitting app.
Pros:
- Fast and easy application uninstaller for catching unseen folders.
- Also includes general file cleaner for places where temporary files collect and eat up space such as Safari’s catch, preferences, and downloads.
- Junk files can be scheduled for regular deletion so you can worry about more important tasks.
Cons:
- If you want to access all the features, you’ll need to pay for the upgraded version.
- Some users report complications when trying to select which files to delete and which to keep.
4. Via CleanMyMac Uninstaller
If you want a sleek, long-term solution to ridding yourself of unwanted apps and files, CleanMyMac X is a well-developed app that will keep your Mac in top shape. In addition to offering the smart Uninstaller that allows you to remove apps in batch and grabs hidden folders, it can also scan for junk files and securely delete sensitive files. Made by MacPaw, it’s an application you can trust to work smoothly and do exactly what it claims to.
Pros:
- Smart uninstaller makes sure all files associated with a program are deleted and not left behind to take up space.
- Clean out system junk and unnecessary files with tools to delete unwanted attachments or full caches.
- Integrates with iPhoto (now Photos) to reduce space taken by photos on your Mac.
- The combination of tools will help make any MacBook that feels sluggish get back to speed with very little effort on your part.
- Plenty of support and help resources, an extremely clean interface for easy and intuitive use.
Cons:
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- Not a free software (though a trial version is available and allows you to remove up to 500 MB data), this is understandable given the breadth of features available.
5. Via MacBooster Uninstaller
Another great alternative for clearing out old apps and programs is MacBooster, made by IOBit. Besides removing apps from your MacBook, it also includes a built-in junk file remover and a duplicate file identifier. The duplicate identifier is especially useful because it can eliminate everything from double pictures to over-saved documents, among other files that can quickly add up over time.
The Adobe Application Updater helps you in installing the updates for Creative Cloud apps. Open the Adobe Application Updater by selecting Help Updates from your Creative Cloud app. Find the app you want to update and click Update. To update all apps at once, click Update All. The apps downloads and updates automatically. Opening the Adobe Application Manager prompts the user to check for updates. You have launched the Adobe Application Manager from one of the following locations: Help Updates from within one of the CS6 products. /Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Adobe/OOBE/PDApp/core/PDApp.exe. /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Application Manager/core/Adobe Application Manager.app. How to update adobe application manager app for mac. Go to hard drive Applications Utility Adobe Installers. Double-click the Install Adobe Creative Cloud icon. Follow the onscreen instructions. Run the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to remove the Creative Cloud desktop app. Once you've run the tool, reinstall the Creative Cloud desktop app. Mac users interested in Mac adobe application manager generally download: Adobe Application Manager 10.0 Free Manage, download, install, or update apps belonging to various Adobe creative suites.
Screenshot app mac os. Pros:
- Clean and simple interface, intuitive to use.
- Combines duplicate file searching program with junk file eliminator for the greatest level of excess file removal.
- Can find unknown folders attached to unwanted apps and delete them to save you space and completely erase unnecessary files.
- Optimize the memory on your MacBook and keep everything running smoothly with just one program, and keep track of everything with the menu bar widget.
Cons:
- Excessive cleaning can be detrimental to Mac performance as your laptop rebuilds necessary caches it references frequently.
- It’s not freeware, though a free evaluation version is available.
We hope this guide has given you an idea of the many ways you can rely on to keep your Mac clean of unwanted apps and make it run at peak performance even after long periods of use.
Mac How To Uninstall
The built-in process of moving an application to the trash will always work, but if you want to go a bit deeper, all the apps mentioned above can fill in the gap and provide additional services.
Got an app that doesn’t seem to delete or keeps reappearing? You may have a virus or malware on your Mac – these are possible to accidentally catch on Mac and you’ll want to check out this article from MacWorld on how to remove them from your MacBook.
What’s your preferred method for removing apps on your MacBook Pro? Tell us more in the comments below.