3 ways to uninstall apps on Mac completely

I have been using macOS since 2020. Every now and then I look through Launchpad and find apps I haven’t touched in more than half a year, which is one of the reasons my SSD keeps running out of space. Below are the ways to uninstall apps on Mac that I have tried myself, along with the pros and cons of each.

Uninstall apps on Mac using Launchpad

Uninstalling apps with Launchpad feels just like removing apps on an iPad or iPhone.

Note (10/2026): This method applies to macOS Sequoia 15 and earlier. Starting with macOS Tahoe 26, Apple removed Launchpad and replaced it with the Apps view, so if your Mac runs Tahoe, use the Finder method in the next section instead.

Step 1: Press and hold any app until the delete button appears. You will see the apps start to jiggle in place.

Step 2: Click the delete button just above the app icon. When the confirmation dialog appears, click Delete to remove the app.

Note: Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription. If you bought a subscription inside the app you deleted, remember to cancel the subscription from Apple.

• Pros: Works just like on an iPad or iPhone, so it is friendly for new users.
• Cons: Only removes apps downloaded from the App Store.

Uninstall apps on Mac using Finder

Finder lets you uninstall several apps faster, including apps downloaded outside the App Store. Built-in Apple apps such as Safari, Mail or Photos are a different story: since macOS Catalina they live on a read-only system volume, so you can’t delete them.

Steps: Open the Applications folder, right-click the app and select Move to Trash, then right-click the Trash and select Empty Trash.

• Pros: Removes most apps.
• Cons: Only works for items that Finder lists as Application. For items listed as Folder, you need to use the app’s uninstaller.

Uninstall apps on Mac using an uninstaller

Some apps have complex installers, like Adobe on Mac, so you need to use that app’s own uninstaller to remove it completely.

Let’s take Adobe apps as an example. In Finder, you will see them listed as Folder. When you open the folder of any Adobe app, you will find a file whose name starts with “Uninstall”. That is Adobe’s uninstaller.

An uninstaller removes not only the app but also some folders related to it, which helps avoid conflicts if you reinstall the app later. For some apps, you need to download the uninstaller from the developer’s official website (search for “uninstall” + the app name).

• Pros: Removes apps with complex installers.
• Cons: Harder for new macOS users, but luckily very few apps need this method.

Clean up after uninstalling apps

From my 5+ years of using macOS, the usual ways to uninstall apps on Mac only remove the app and a few folders it needs to run. Most leftover files sit in your user Library folder, which is hidden by default. In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, type ~/Library, then check these folders for items named after the deleted app:

• Application Support: app data and settings.
• Caches: temporary files.
• Preferences: .plist settings files.
• Documents (outside Library): files the app saved for you.

Only delete items whose names clearly match the app you removed, because other apps keep their files in the same folders. If you don’t want to dig through Library by hand, CleanMyMac can scan for leftovers of uninstalled apps for you. Note that it is a paid app with a free trial.

Sometimes you can’t uninstall an app because one of its processes is running in the background. What works best for me is to restart the Mac and then uninstall the app. Leave a comment if you still have trouble uninstalling apps on Mac.