5 Ways to Uninstall Apps on a Mac [Complete Guide]

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"I downloaded TweetDeck and need to uninstall it. Can I just move it to the Trash from the Applications menu? How do you completely uninstall an application on a Mac?" - A question from a user on the Apple Community.

Uninstalling or removing programs from your Mac can free up space. But, getting rid of an unwanted app is not as straightforward as you might think. Did you know that files associated with an application are located in various folders? How to uninstall apps on Mac and recover trash on Mac? To answer these questions, read on for 5 simple ways to do it.

Method 1: How to Delete Apps from Your Mac Using the Trash

The simplest way to remove an app is to move it to the Trash. To permanently delete an app, you should:

Step 1: Locate the Trash in your Dock.

Step 2: Select Empty Recycle Bin.

Step 3. If you can't force empty trash on Mac, check if an app is running in the background.

## Method 2: Removing Programs with Mac Launchpad

On a Mac, Launchpad makes it easy to find and launch your apps. Better yet, you can group them into folders and organize them however you like. You can also delete apps downloaded from the App Store right from Launchpad. Here's how:

Step 1: Click the Launchpad icon in your Dock.

Step 2: Find the app you want to get rid of.

Step 3: When the icon for the app you want to delete starts shaking, tap and hold it.

Step 4. Tap the “X” in the top-left corner of the app icon.

Method 3: How to Delete an App Using Finder on Mac

In addition to the above methods, you can use Finder to remove apps you downloaded from the internet. This works in macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and other versions.

Before we get into the methods, you can watch this video tutorial on how to delete Mac apps using Finder.

• 00:01 - How to find the folder to uninstall an app on a Mac.
• 00:24 - How to locate your Applications folder.
• 00:35 - Search for applications.
• 00:54 - Search for the app you want to uninstall.
• 02:04 - Choose system files.
• 02:50 - Another approach.

If you still have questions about deleting an app, read on.

There are two basic methods to uninstall apps on a Mac – through Launchpad or Finder. Choose the method that suits you best. Here's how:

Step 1: In the Finder, select “Applications,” then find the app you want to remove.

Step 3: Choose File > Move to Trash.

If prompted, enter the administrator account and password.

Step 5: Click “Empty Trash” in the Finder menu.

Method 4: How to Uninstall Mac Apps with an Uninstaller

Third-party apps downloaded from the Internet usually come with installers. These, together with the app's helper and update tools, can make them difficult to remove later.

As a result, when you uninstall a third-party app, some of them come with a self-destruct uninstaller that helps remove any lingering files from your Mac. You should:

Step 1: Open "Finder" - "Applications".

Step 2: Look for a third-party app that has a folder named “Uninstall (App Name)” or “(App Name) Uninstaller.”

Step 3: Click on this folder to find the uninstaller.

Step 4. Open the uninstaller and proceed with the removal.

Method 5: How to Uninstall Apps on a Mac Using the Terminal

The Terminal is a powerful tool for controlling your macOS environment, and you don't need to download any third-party programs to uninstall apps on your Mac. After uninstalling the app, you'll need to set up your computer to use the Command key to delete files. Even if you've never used the Terminal before, you can uninstall an application with a simple command.

Step 1: Launch Terminal by going to Applications > Utilities.

Step 2. Enter the command: sudo uninstall file://

Step 3: Drag the icon of the application you want to remove into the Terminal window. This will insert the path to the application.

Step 4: Press the Enter key, enter your admin password, and the terminal will remove the app.

Extra Tip: Recover Lost Data/Files after Uninstalling Apps on Mac

When you uninstall apps on your Mac, some data or files created by the app are inevitably deleted. You might run into trouble when you want to recover documents, pictures, videos, music, and more. Therefore, after learning how to delete or uninstall apps on your Mac, I suggest you also learn how to recover deleted files and apps on your Mac.

Accidentally deleting an application or related files can be very frustrating. Many third-party tools can damage your data or cause system crashes when you try to recover it. However, there is a powerful data recovery tool called tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, which can protect your crucial data by recovering deleted files from Mac trash. Keep this tool on your Mac all the time and launch it immediately once you notice the loss of important apps or files. Then, hit the "Scan" button next to the relevant hard drive.

• This powerful data recovery tool allows you to retrieve deleted or lost files from your Mac.
• Its versatile features make the process of data recovery straightforward and efficient.
• Data Recovery Wizard for Mac aids in restoring deleted files on macOS Ventura/Big Sur/Catalina/Mojave.
• The software is compatible with a wide range of data types and supports numerous file formats.

Here are the steps to recover deleted files using the tools Data Recovery Wizard.

Step 1: Select the drive to scan

In the main window of the tool, all drives connected to your Mac will be listed. Select the drive from which you want to recover lost/deleted files and click on the “Search for Lost Files” button.

Note: Before you proceed with data recovery, it's recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar and create a backup of your Mac to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can write new data again.

Step 2: Select the data/files you lost

Once you select the disk partition, Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan it and display the scanning results in the left pane. If you are looking for specific files, you can sort the results to locate the needed files.

Select the lost data/files you want to recover

Step 3: Recover Lost or Deleted Data

After finding the files you need, preview them and then click “Recover” to start restoring your deleted/lost files from Mac.

In short

Now that you know five ways to uninstall apps on Mac, the process should be less daunting than it used to be. Previously, uninstalling apps completely was a convoluted process, but the suggestions in this article simplify it. Plus, you'll have an exact tool to recover accidentally deleted files.

Frequently Asked Questions About Uninstalling Apps on a Mac

Here are four more that you may find interesting. Enjoy!

How do I completely uninstall a Mac app from the terminal using UTF-8 encoding?

Step 1: Enter "sudo uninstall file:/. " in the command line.

Step 2: Drag the icon of any unwanted application from the Applications folder in Finder to the Terminal window.

Step 3: Press Enter after typing in your password to uninstall the program and any remaining files.

2. How to Uninstall Apps on Mac Monterey?

You can use traditional methods like moving the app to the Trash and removing it from Launchpad, which may be more straightforward. However, specialized uninstallers, third-party apps, and terminal commands can help you remove files more thoroughly.

How do I uninstall an app that won't delete on my Mac?

If you're tech-savvy, removing built-in system apps through the terminal might help.

**Why can't I uninstall an app on my Mac?**

When you try to uninstall an app on a Mac, you might see a notification that says, "The operation can't be completed because 'App Name' is open." This occurs because the app isn't fully quit, and it's still running in the background.