How to Remove Leftover Files from Apps on Mac | Clean Up Residual Files

What are "Other" files on a Mac?

When Mac users try to uninstall applications on Mac, they usually do it by moving the app to the Mac Trash or clicking the X mark. After uninstalling an application, not all data is deleted from the hard drive. Some cache files, preference files, and others still remain, these are called leftovers.

Before we get into how to remove leftovers from Mac apps, you should first understand why you would want to do this:

• Clean up system storage on your Mac. When your Mac has limited space for installing macOS updates, downloading movies, or updating apps, you need to get rid of these leftovers to free up more space.
• ❌ Avoid app conflicts. Leftover files can lead to software issues on your Mac.
• ?? Help your Mac run faster. When your Mac is running slow, deleting some leftover files might help macOS run more smoothly.

Now you know the top 3 reasons to remove app leftovers on Mac. Let's learn how to delete these files on your Mac. Feel free to share this article with friends who need to clean up app leftovers on their Mac.

How to Manually Remove Leftover Files from Apps on Your Mac

When you uninstall apps on Mac, the leftover files are not removed automatically, so you have to delete them manually after you uninstall apps on Mac. We'll show you how to delete those Mac files from Library:

Step 1: Open Finder on your Mac by clicking the Dock bar.

Step 2: Click on “Go” at the top menu bar, then click “Go to Folder…” or press the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+G.

Click “Go to Folder”.

Step 3. Type in ~/Library/ to access the “Library” folder. In here, you should find and delete the following data to remove leftover app files from your Mac:

Step 4. Once you've selected the unwanted files, move them to the Trash, and then empty the Trash on your Mac to get rid of them for good.

If you can't empty the Trash on your Mac, try the solutions in this article.

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I will do my best to translate it into Chinese.

 

How to Fix Can't Empty Trash on Mac?

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Recover Accidentally Deleted Remaining Files on a Mac

Wondering if there's any hope to recover lost files from accidentally deleted apps on a Mac? Well, the answer is yeah! You can use a Mac Data Recovery Wizard to greatly increase your chances of getting those deleted files back. Just click the button below or head over to the tool's official website to download a trial version.

This software can recover not only app residue files on a Mac but also various types of files from multiple storage devices. You might need to use a recovery tool like this when you accidentally delete important files while freeing up space to fix the "not enough space for macOS Ventura update" issue.

The Mac Video Recovery option can help you retrieve deleted movies, game recordings, home videos, and other video files. It also supports photo recovery, making it easy to restore images like JPEG, JPG, PNG, GIF, CR2, PSD, and more.

Now, let's have a look at the detailed steps to recover deleted files from Mac Trash:

Note: Before you start the recovery, you can click “Disk Backup” on the left to create a backup of your Mac. The software will recover the deleted files from the image. This prevents further damage to your disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1: Choose a location and scan.

Run Disk Drill for Mac, select the disk with lost data, and click “Search for Lost Files” to start scanning.

Step 2: Preview and filter the lost files

After the scan, you can use the file type filter in the top-left or top-right corner to locate the deleted files you need.

Step 3: Recover Lost Data or Files

You can double-click a file to preview its content or select multiple files to recover them all at once. Click “Recover” to restore your lost data to your local or cloud drive.

Additional Tip: How to Keep Your Mac Running Smoothly

Aside from removing app leftovers on your Mac, there are many other ways to make your Mac run more smoothly. Check out the following tips to speed up your Mac:

• Update your Mac regularly. Keeping your Mac up to date can prevent some system errors and make it run faster.
• Remove unnecessary login items. Too many login items can slow down your Mac. You can manage login items on your Mac.
• Uninstall unused apps. Installing too many apps takes up storage space and may even cause app conflicts on your Mac.
• Delete some backup files. If you choose to save Time Machine backups on your Mac's built-in hard drive, you should regularly clean up the backup files.
• Free up your Mac's RAM. When your Mac's RAM is depleted, it can slow down and cause various issues.
• Turn off visual effects. Too many macOS visual effects can slow down your Mac, and you can disable some unnecessary ones.

If your Mac is running slow after updating to macOS, you can find eight solutions in the following paragraphs:

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I will do my best to translate it into Chinese.

 

How to Fix Slow Mac After macOS Ventura Update [8 Speedup Tips]

Is your Mac running slow after updating to macOS Ventura? Want to speed up your Mac after the upgrade? Read More >>

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The process of removing residual files from a Mac is straightforward – you just need to find them and delete them. If you want to recover deleted residual files, the Data Recovery Wizard tool can surely help. Download the software by clicking the button below – don't miss out on this powerful utility!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Removing Leftover Files from Apps in Chinese to English: 1. What are leftover files from apps? What are app residual files? 2. Why do leftover files remain after uninstalling an app? Why do residual files persist after I uninstall an app? 3. What impact do leftover files have on my device? How do residual files affect my device? 4. How can I find and delete leftover files from an app? How do I locate and remove residual files from an app? 5. Do I need to manually remove leftover files? Should I manually delete residual files? 6. Are cleaning tools safe to use for removing leftover files? Are cleanup tools secure for getting rid of residual files? 7. What happens if I don't delete leftover files? What's the consequence of not deleting residual files? 8. What are some recommended cleaning tools or methods? What cleaning tools or methods are recommended? 9. Is it possible to accidentally delete important files while removing leftovers? Could I accidentally delete crucial files when removing residuals? 10. Will deleting leftover files affect my other apps? Does deleting residual files impact my other applications? 11. Why are some leftover files unable to be deleted? Why can't some residual files be removed? 12. How do I handle leftover files on iOS devices? How do I manage residual files on iOS devices? 13. How do I delete leftover files on Android devices? How do I remove residual files from Android devices? 14. Is it necessary to regularly clean up leftover files? Should I clean up residual files periodically? 15. Can professional technicians help me remove leftover files? Can experts assist me with deleting residual files?

You can learn more about removing leftover app files on a Mac in the following section:

**1. Does removing leftover files from applications free up space on the Macintosh HD?** Yes, removing leftover files from applications can free up space on the Macintosh HD (the main hard drive of your Mac). When you uninstall an app, it sometimes doesn't completely remove all associated files and data, which can take up disk space. By cleaning up these residual files, you make more room for new files and applications. You can use the "Finder" or third-party cleanup tools to locate and delete these unnecessary files.

In addition to deleting files you no longer use, you can free up space on your Macintosh HD by using other methods to clear space on your startup disk:

• Empty the Mac Trash
• Clean up old backups
• Tidy the Downloads folder
• Delete videos and photos
• Remove emails from the Mail app on Mac
• Uninstall unnecessary apps
• Compress files on Mac

How do I remove leftover files from an app after uninstalling it on a Mac?

You should go to the Library folder and delete the following folders: Caches, Preferences, Logs, Application Support, Cookies, and Saved Application State, and so on.

3. Can I recover the remaining files on my Mac?

You may use the tool Data Recovery Wizard for Mac to retrieve the missing files on your Mac:

• Download the free version or the trial version, and then select the folder you want to scan.
• Search for the deleted files on your Mac using the search box.
• Preview the files and recover them.

Why Clean Up Leftover Files from Apps on Mac?

There are three reasons to remove leftover files from apps on a Mac:

• Clean up your Mac's system storage.
• Prevent app conflicts.
• Help your Mac run faster.