When you download some unwanted apps from Mac App Store by mistakes, or want to free up more storage on your Mac, it is very necessary for you to learn how to delete an app on Mac. Although it's quite easy to uninstall apps on Mac, some new Mac users still don't know the detailed solution. Step 1: Launch Clean My Mac app. Step 2: Select the things you want to clean up. Step 3: Check marks to free up more space with Clean My Mac. Step 4: Click on the scan icon to scan your Mac and fix other issues. Step 5: Click Clean Now to remove junk files, old apps, clear caches on Mac and more. Step 6: Click Optimize to help you free up more.
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].
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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]. .
![Delete Delete](/uploads/1/3/3/9/133919127/478308379.png)
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.
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
- 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
Installing a new application on Mac is such a simple task and even when you don’t want it anymore, you can finally get rid of it by uninstalling it. This might look simple and easy to note for, but some cases of uninstallation do not remove stubborn apps, or their leftover data as should have been. Their tag along run in the system and takes over your precious space without letting you know.
If this is what you are facing, begin with restarting the system and remove the applications once again. Even after this if the stubbornness remains alive, let’s go ahead!
How To Delete Apps On Mac Using Manual Method?
The most basic and simple method that you must be using by now is deleting apps by dragging it into the trash. This method has been mentioned for confirmation whether you are following it correctly or not. Plus, don’t forget to take these steps right after restarting the system once again.
Step 1: Close the program which you want to delete.
Step 2: Reach to the Applications folder or click the hard disk icon. In fact, you can search for a particular application by searching it in Finder.
Step 3: Drag the icon to the Trash. Finally, empty the trash to delete apps on mac.
How To Delete Apps On Mac That Won’t Delete?
Because all the programs and apps on mac store themselves in the Application directory, you need to make some extra efforts to remove orphan files from the system.
To begin with, you need to repeat the steps mentioned above or uninstall the application by dragging in the trash & emptying it.
After this, open Library > Preferences. How?
Step 1: Open Finder and choose Go option from the menu.
Step 2: Once the menu unfolds, press the Option key for a few seconds until the Library option appears on the screen. Open the files by searching the name of software using Spotlight and draw them into the trash as soon as found.
And it’s done!
But the question is, do you really wish to follow a long method? And what if you want to uninstall multiple apps at the same time? We do not want you to search for the topic of ‘how to delete apps on mac’ every time, and hence recommending an easy way out.
How To Delete Apps On Mac That Won’t Delete Using A Smart Tool?
Now that you have been looking for a smart and efficient tool to delete apps on mac, we would like to recommend tried, tested and trusted by many, Smart Mac Care!
Now as the name says, this tool is taking care of your system at one end whereas helping in uninstallation of unwanted applications on another.
Smart Mac Care though contains many advanced features of its own, Uninstaller has major quality of improving the performance and space in Mac by scanning the unused apps and providing an option to delete them.
You do not even need to bring unwanted applications to the software as Smart Mac Care deals with such situations just like that.
If you look for what it can do more, duplicate files remover, disk usage with capacity, memory optimizer, and privacy protection are other unmissable features of the same.
How to Remove Apps Using Smart Mac Care?
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Step 1: Install Smart Mac Care by clicking on the ‘Download’ link below.
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Step 2: The application will itself scan through the system to find the status of various parts of the system. Do not worry about the time taken as deep scanning does take some time!
Step 3: Reach the Uninstaller by coming to the panel of Advanced Features as shown in the image above.
Step 4: The scanning has already shown results to which you can select which app needs to be deleted and which ones not by marking on the white box beside. Select ‘Clean Now’ once selected.
This way, you can delete multiple applications, even those you were not aware of and lying in the system idle and eating space.
How To Delete Apps On Mac From Mac App Store?
If you do not want a particular application on the page of the Mac App store even, you have control for the same. Don’t worry, you can update or download it back from iTunes, in case future call its need.
So what you need to do is:
Step 1: Open the Launchpad by pressing F4 or clicking on the ‘Rocket’ icon.
Step 2: Now whatever is opened in front will be taken over by app icons.
Step 3: Click on the unwanted app for a longer time and all the other icons will show some buzzing. Do not worry, just click on ‘X’ sign above unwanted app and select ‘Delete’ from the next prompt.
And it’s done!
Microsoft made sure of that by limiting AD’s capabilities for both user and device management for Mac systems compared to Windows endpoints. Not surprisingly, Microsoft is still resisting the rise of Apple in the enterprise, making it difficult for sysadmins at each turn. Macos to google cloud app. Nevertheless, Macs continued to gain popularity in the enterprise.Today, Macs are a common sight in the office. The trouble is Google Cloud Identity is only interested in managing their respective services, which brings us back to the original question of how to connect Google Cloud Identity with Macs. That is why it is not uncommon for Mac shops to leverage solutions like Office 365, Azure, and AD.
What Are The Advantages Of Deleting Apps On Mac?
Let’s just say that even if you are not an organized person in real life, an organized space of computer system saves you from many problems in the near future. Let’s just look at why you should consider deleting those apps on the Mac that are not in use.
- Saves space for tomorrow: As you delete unwanted apps today, you are able to save a good space chunk for the future. Here, you can store new apps, movies, videos, and pictures with better space optimization.
- Performance Improvement: If you think that cluttered disk space doesn’t matter to the working performance, think again. When one part of the machine is not running straight, how could others be? And this is why your computer works better when optimum space is present by deleting unwanted apps on Mac.
Finally!
All the self-contained applications that an app invites into your system can be easily removed, hence removing even the last trace. From the various methods mentioned above, you can pick any of the manual method. But to be absolutely sure and let the work be done carefreely will definitely want you to try Smart Mac Care.
Now that when you search for information on how to delete apps on mac that won’t delete, don’t stop trying new tools and giving yourself space and performance.
If you have found out the solution you came here for, let us know in the comment section below. Photos app will not open mac. Along with that, we welcome your suggestions and feedback as well. At the same time, do not forget to keep an eye on our Facebook & YouTube page for more updates.
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