The simplest way to remove an app from your MacBook
The fastest way to delete an app on a MacBook is to open Finder, click Applications in the sidebar, find the app you want to remove, and drag it to the Trash. That is the complete process for most apps — they store all their files in one place, so moving the app itself to Trash removes the whole thing.
After you drag an app to Trash, empty the Trash to permanently delete it. Right-click the Trash icon in your dock and select "Empty Trash", or open Trash from Finder and click "Empty" in the top right. Until you empty Trash, the app still takes up space on your MacBook.
Some apps come with an uninstaller program instead. If you open the Applications folder and see a folder with the app's name, look inside — if there is an Uninstall or Remove file, double-click it and follow the prompts. This method is less common on MacBooks but appears with some larger programs.
Key Takeaways
- Most MacBook apps delete completely when you drag them from Applications to Trash, because they store everything in one folder.
- You must empty Trash afterward to free up the space the app was using — dragging to Trash alone does not remove it permanently.
- A few apps include their own uninstaller program inside the Applications folder, which you should use instead of dragging.
- If an app came from the App Store, you can also delete it by right-clicking the app icon in Applications and selecting "Move to Trash".
- Restarting your MacBook after deletion is not necessary, but some apps may continue running in the background until you restart.
Finding the Applications folder and locating the app
Open Finder by clicking the Finder icon in your dock — it looks like a blue and white face. In the sidebar on the left, you will see Applications listed. Click it. The main window now shows every app installed on your MacBook, listed alphabetically.
Scroll down or use the search box in the top right to find the app you want to delete. Type the app's name and Finder will narrow the list. Once you see it, you are ready to remove it.
If you cannot find the app in Applications, it may be stored in a subfolder. Some apps create their own folder — for example, you might see a folder called "Microsoft Office" containing Word, Excel, and other programs inside. In that case, you can delete the entire folder, which removes all the apps within it at once.
Dragging the app to Trash and what happens next
Click the app once to select it — it will highlight in blue. Now drag it to the Trash icon in your dock. You can also right-click the app and select "Move to Trash" from the menu that appears. Either method does the same thing.
After you move the app to Trash, it disappears from the Applications folder. The app no longer appears in Spotlight search (the search tool you open with Command-Space), and you cannot launch it from the dock or Launchpad. However, the app is still taking up storage space until you empty Trash.
Some apps may continue running in the background for a few minutes after you move them to Trash. If you want to stop them when ready, open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight), find the app's name in the list, click it, and click the X button in the top left. This forces the app to close.
Emptying Trash to permanently remove the app
Right-click the Trash icon in your dock — it is usually at the far right of the dock, and it looks like a trash can. A menu will appear. Click "Empty Trash" at the top of the menu. Your MacBook will ask you to confirm, because this action cannot be undone. Click "Empty Trash" again to confirm.
Emptying Trash permanently deletes the app and frees up the storage space it was using. You can check how much space you freed by opening System Settings, clicking General in the sidebar, and selecting Storage. The available storage number will increase.
If you change your mind before emptying Trash, you can recover the app. Open Trash from Finder, find the app, right-click it, and select "Put Back". The app returns to Applications and works normally again.
Apps with built-in uninstallers
Some larger applications, particularly those from major software companies, include their own uninstaller. To check if an app has one, open Applications in Finder, find the app's folder, and double-click it. Look for a file named Uninstall, Remove, or something similar.
If you find an uninstaller, double-click it and follow the prompts on screen. The uninstaller will remove the app and any related files it created. After the uninstaller finishes, you can delete the app's folder by dragging it to Trash, then empty Trash.
Using the built-in uninstaller is safer than dragging the app to Trash, because the uninstaller knows which files belong to the app and removes them all. If you drag the app to Trash without using the uninstaller, some leftover files may remain on your MacBook.
Removing apps downloaded from the App Store
Apps you downloaded from Apple's App Store can be deleted the same way as any other app — drag them to Trash and empty Trash. You can also right-click the app in Applications and select "Move to Trash" directly.
Another option is to use Launchpad, which shows all your apps in a grid. Click the Launchpad icon in your dock (it looks like a rocket), find the app you want to delete, and click and hold on its icon until a menu appears. Click the X button that shows up, then confirm you want to remove it. This method deletes the app when ready without using Trash.
If you delete an app from the App Store and later change your mind, you can read it again for free using the same Apple ID you used originally. The App Store remembers your purchase history.
What to do if an app will not delete
If you try to drag an app to Trash and nothing happens, the app may be running. Open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight), find the app's name in the list, click it, and click the X button in the top left to force it to close. Then try dragging it to Trash again.
If the app still will not delete, restart your MacBook. Some apps lock themselves while they are running, and restarting clears these locks. After your MacBook restarts, try moving the app to Trash again.
If you see a message saying you do not have permission to delete the app, the app may be protected by your MacBook's security settings. Open System Settings, click General, then Security and Privacy. You may need to unlock the settings by clicking the lock icon and entering your password. If you still cannot delete the app, contact the app's maker for support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an app from Applications remove it from my dock?
No. If you have the app pinned to your dock, it remains there even after you delete the app. Click and hold the app's icon in the dock and select "Remove from Dock" to take it off. If you try to click the app's icon in the dock after deleting it, your MacBook will tell you the app no longer exists.
Will deleting an app remove my files or documents created with it?
No. Deleting an app only removes the program itself, not the files you created with it. Documents, photos, spreadsheets, and other files you made stay on your MacBook in whatever folder you saved them to. You can still open these files with a different app if you want.
Can I delete multiple apps at once?
Yes. In the Applications folder, hold down Command and click each app you want to delete. They will all highlight. Then drag them all to Trash together, or right-click and select "Move to Trash". Empty Trash afterward to remove them permanently.
What is the difference between moving an app to Trash and emptying Trash?
Moving to Trash removes the app from your Applications folder and makes it unavailable, but it still takes up storage space. Emptying Trash permanently deletes the app and frees up that space. You can recover an app from Trash before you empty it, but not after.
Do I need to restart my MacBook after deleting an app?
No, restarting is not necessary for most apps. However, if an app continues running in the background after you delete it, restarting will stop it. You can also force an app to close using Activity Monitor before you delete it.