How to Completely Uninstall Apps on Mac Without Leaving Leftovers

On a Mac, most apps are uninstalled by dragging them to the Trash. But while you use an app, it stores caches, settings, logs and data elsewhere, and some apps install background items that run when you log in. Once the app itself is gone, those files stay behind, anywhere from a few megabytes to several gigabytes.

It's also worth knowing that, as Apple points out, deleting an app doesn't remove documents you created with it, and it doesn't cancel any subscription you bought through it.

#Where apps leave files

Most are in your personal Library folder (~/Library), usually named after the app or its identifier (something like com.example.app):

• ~/Library/Application Support: app data, plug-ins and databases;
• ~/Library/Caches: caches;
• ~/Library/Preferences: preference files ending in .plist;
• ~/Library/Containers and ~/Library/Group Containers: data for sandboxed apps, which includes every app from the App Store;
• ~/Library/Saved Application State: saved window data;
• ~/Library/Logs: logs;
• ~/Library/HTTPStorages and ~/Library/WebKit: data from web content shown inside the app;
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents: background items that start when you log in.

Some files apply to all users and need an administrator password to change: /Library/Application Support, /Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons and /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools.

#What to remove and what to keep

• Caches, logs and saved window data can all be recreated, so remove them along with an app you no longer use.
• Preferences, app support files and private app data may hold your settings, templates, game saves or local notes. If you might reinstall later, or there's something in them you want, back them up or keep them.
• Folders shared by several apps: apps from the same developer sometimes share a folder in Group Containers. If you're not sure, leave it.

#Uninstall an app by hand

#1. Quit the app and note its identifier

Quit the app first, including any menu bar icon it has. If you're not sure whether it's still running in the background, check Activity Monitor. Then note the app's identifier, which you'll need when looking for leftovers. In Terminal, type mdls -name kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier -raw (with a space at the end), drag the app from the Applications folder into the window, then press Return:

mdls -name kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier -raw /Applications/Safari.app

The output, com.apple.Safari, is Safari's identifier.

#2. Use the app's uninstaller, or move it to the Trash

Look in the app's folder for an app named something like "Uninstall [App]" or "[App] Uninstaller"; some apps also offer an uninstall option in a menu or in their settings. Apple recommends using an uninstaller when there is one, because it can also remove login items, extensions and other components the app installed elsewhere.

If there's no uninstaller, drag the app from the Applications folder in the Finder to the Trash, or select it and choose File > Move to Trash. If you're asked for a user name and password, enter those of an administrator account on your Mac.

#3. Remove leftover files

Choose Go > Go to Folder and open each location listed above, looking for items named after the app or its identifier. You can also search by keyword in Terminal; replace zoom with part of the app's name or identifier:

find ~/Library -maxdepth 2 -iname '*zoom*' 2>/dev/null

Folders with similar names may belong to another app, so check each result before deleting it.

#4. Check login items, then empty the Trash

Open System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions and check for anything the app left under Open at Login or App Background Activity. Once everything looks right, empty the Trash.

#Uninstall with WashBear

App Uninstaller lists the apps installed on your Mac and the space they use, and deals with their related files when you uninstall them.

1. Scan and find the app: click Start Scan. The scan only reads information and changes nothing. Filter by All, Ready, Admin required, Running or Unavailable, or sort by Estimated size, Last used or Installed to find large apps you haven't used in a while.
2. Review related files: click an app's row to expand it and see what will be removed, with a risk label on each item. The Application itself is Required for uninstall. Application cache, Application logs, Saved window data and some Website and network data are marked Can be recreated and selected by default. App support files, Preferences, Private app data and similar items are marked May contain user data and aren't selected by default; select them only when you're sure you no longer need them. Use Show in folder on any item to see where it is.
3. Uninstall: select one or more apps and click Uninstall Selected at the bottom. If a selected app is running, Close apps before uninstalling appears first, so save your work. For apps marked Admin required, macOS shows an authorization prompt. Check the number of apps and the estimated space in the confirmation, then click Confirm Uninstall.

WashBear checks the matching locations in your personal Library by the app's identifier and lists only files that clearly belong to that app. Folders named after the developer, Group Containers, and components in /Library aren't listed automatically; check those by hand as described above if you need to.

#What about apps you've already deleted?

If you deleted an app long ago and its leftovers are still around, here's where to look:

• App leftovers in Deep Cleanup: lists data left behind by removed apps that can be clearly linked to them, checked as part of a standard scan. Expand an item to see its locations before selecting it.
• Leftovers in Startup Items: startup configurations that remain after an app was deleted show up here, and you can remove them with Delete Startup Item or Delete leftover record. Some login records can only be removed in the Login Items settings of macOS; expand the item to see how.

For anything that isn't listed, use the manual steps above. See App Uninstaller and Startup Items for details.

#Frequently asked questions

#Can I get an app back after uninstalling it?

Apps and files uninstalled by WashBear don't go through the Trash and can't be restored. Apps from the App Store can be downloaded again there; other apps can be downloaded and reinstalled from their developers. If you also deleted the app's preferences and data, your previous settings are gone.

#Can I uninstall apps that come with macOS?

No. Apple explains that apps installed by macOS, such as Mail, Music and Notes, are required by your Mac and can't be deleted with the Finder. WashBear shows them as Uninstall unavailable, for viewing only.

#Does uninstalling an app cancel its subscription?

No. Cancel subscriptions separately, in the App Store or through the developer.