How to Uninstall Apps on a Mac (Properly)

There's no "Add or Remove Programs" on a Mac, and that trips up a lot of people moving from Windows. Removing apps is actually simpler on a Mac, though. Most of the time you just drag the app to the Bin.

This works for almost every app.

1. Quit the app first (Command + Q).
2. Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar.
3. Drag the app's icon onto the Bin in the Dock. Or right-click it and choose Move to Bin.
4. Enter your Mac password if asked.
5. Right-click the Bin and choose Empty Bin to free up the space.

Keyboard shortcut: select the app in Finder and press Command + Delete.

This is great for finding big apps you'd forgotten about.

1. Open System Settings > General > Storage.
2. Click the ⓘ next to Applications.
3. Sort by Size or Last Accessed.
4. Select an app and click Delete.

Some larger apps install extra helpers, drivers or background services. Examples include Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, antivirus software and some printer or audio drivers. These usually come with their own Uninstaller. Look for one:

• in the app's folder inside Applications
• in the original installer (.dmg) you downloaded
• on the developer's website

If an uninstaller exists, use it rather than dragging the app to the Bin. That way everything gets removed cleanly.

On macOS Sequoia and earlier, you can open Launchpad, then press and hold Option until the icons jiggle. Click the ✕ on any app from the App Store to delete it.

On newer versions of macOS, Launchpad was replaced by the Apps view. In that case, use Method 1 or 2.

Apps sometimes leave small settings and cache files in your user Library folder. These are usually tiny and harmless. If you want to tidy up after a big app:

1. In Finder, press Shift + Command + G (Go to Folder).
2. Type ~/Library/Application Support and press Return.
3. Look for a folder with the app's (or developer's) name and move it to the Bin.

You can do the same in ~/Library/Caches and ~/Library/Preferences.

⚠️ Only delete folders you're sure belong to the app you removed. If you're unsure, leave it. Leftover settings files take up very little space.

Built-in apps like Safari, Mail and Messages are part of macOS and can't be removed. That's normal and keeps your system stable. If one bothers you, right-click its Dock icon and choose Options > Remove from Dock.

For 90% of apps: quit it, drag it to the Bin, empty the Bin. For big software suites, look for the official uninstaller first.