(Quick and Easy!) How to Delete Apps on a Mac

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If your Mac has the right software, it can be a great “get things done” machine. Unfortunately, a new Mac often comes with some outdated apps, like a DVD player. Seriously, since most new Macs don't even have DVD drives, who needs a DVD player?

Start by replacing native apps with alternatives you prefer, because that's where the Mac App Store and third-party developers shine, improving on Apple's defaults and creating new possibilities.

Are “uninstall” and “delete” the same?

Uninstalling an app on a Mac is as simple as deleting it from the Applications folder. If you're used to a Windows PC, this might seem strange, but deleting apps on macOS doesn't cause any problems. So whether you want to “uninstall” or “remove” a program, follow these steps.

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How to Delete Apps on a Mac

There are three ways you can attempt to delete an app on a Mac.

1. Uninstall an app from the Applications folder on Mac

You can use Finder to quickly uninstall apps, even those you downloaded from the Mac App Store. Here's how:

Step 1. Open the Applications folder by launching the Dock, Sidebar, or Finder and pressing Command + Shift + A.

Step 2: Right-click or press and hold Control to select the apps you want to uninstall.

Step 3: Choose Move to Trash from the contextual menu.

Step 4. If prompted, enter your system password. The application will then remove the item from your device's trash.

Move an application to the Trash to uninstall it.

You can also select an application from a folder and move it to the Trash. You can delete it immediately, if you like, or wait until you empty the Trash.

Remove an App from the Dock

To delete an app without using the Trash on your Mac, follow these steps from the Dock:

Step 1: Launch Launchpad from the Dock, Finder, or with a four-finger gesture on your trackpad.

Step 2: Hold down the Option key, or tap any app and hold. The apps should start shaking.

Step 3: To delete the app, tap the X button in the upper-left corner of the app.

Step 4. Click “Delete” in the pop-up window to confirm the app's uninstallation.

Apps without an upper-left "X" button are ones that your Mac needs (like Mail or Messages), or were downloaded from outside the Mac App Store.

3. Use AppCleaner to completely uninstall apps from your Mac.

When you delete an app, it can leave behind folders and data. However, a third-party program like AppCleaner can help you remove the app and its data. Additionally, if a Mac app or alias won't let you delete it, AppCleaner should be able to get rid of it for you. Here's how:

Step 1: Install AppCleaner on your Mac and launch it.

Step 2: To view all your apps, go to the top-right corner and click the list icon.

Step 3: AppCleaner will search for the app's files and folders for a few seconds.

Step 4: Check all the boxes and click “Remove.”

If asked, authenticate with your Mac password.

If an app has a lock icon, it's either open or built-in, and macOS won't let you delete it.

How to Recover Deleted Apps on Mac for Free and Effectively

After a major macOS update or a clean install, apps might suddenly vanish from your Mac. There was once a macOS update bug that caused Mac desktop files and icons to go missing, including some installed programs.

How to Delete Associated Application Files

To remove leftover app files on a Mac, you have to find them first. Leftover app files usually hide in the Library folder.

The Library folder is hidden in macOS Sierra and newer, unless you're using OS X 10.7 or earlier. However, just like other hidden files in macOS, you can access it with a simple method.

Find remaining files

Before you delete the associated app files, you can locate these stragglers precisely by following these steps.

Step 1: Open Finder and look for the "Go" section in the top menu bar.

Step 2: From the drop-down options, select Go to Folder.

Go to the folder

Step 3: Type /Library and press the Go button.

If you follow the instructions carefully, you should see a “Libraries” folder.

You're doing fantastic! You've already completed half the task.

Next, you'll need to find any remaining app residue that you want to delete.

Here's how you can do it:

Step 1: Type the name of the app in the Spotlight search bar, and you'll see every file and folder that contains that app's name.

Step 2: Make sure you're looking inside the “Library” folder (if you search from “This Mac,” you won't find all the necessary hidden files).

The third file is the residue of what you were looking for.

How to Remove Leftover Files from Programs on a Mac

Once you've manually tracked down all the leftovers, all you have to do is select all the folders and files, and drag them to the Trash. That's it—the app is now completely uninstalled!

Move to Trash

(Important Note: If you accidentally delete important files and documents on your Mac while cleaning up the residual files of an app, it is recommended that you try using the Mac Data Recovery Wizard to recover lost Mac files. )

Follow the steps below to use Data Recovery Wizard for Mac to recover those deleted files and documents.

Step 1: Select the location to scan

Launch the Mac Data Recovery Wizard, select the hard drive, SSD, SD card, USB flash drive, or TF card from which you lost data, and click "Search Lost Files" to start scanning.

Note: Before data recovery, it is recommended that you click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar to back up 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: Filter Lost Mac Data

The software will automatically scan for lost data on your MacBook or iMac. Once the scan is complete, you can filter the required data using the "Type" and "Path" buttons.

Step 3: Recover Lost Data or Files

Preview the files and then click “Recover” to restore the lost data to another location.

Conclusions

Cleaning up old app files and programs is essential for your Mac to run smoothly. You can do this in quick or detailed ways. After using either of these methods, empty your trash and clear your cache, and you'll free up space and make your Mac run faster. If you accidentally delete any important files or documents, you can easily recover them with tools like the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.