The fastest way to remove Spotify completely

To delete Spotify from your Mac, drag the app from your Applications folder to the Trash, then empty the Trash. That removes the program itself. To also remove the files Spotify leaves behind — cache data, login information, and saved playlists — you need one extra step: delete the Spotify folder from your user Library folder, which is hidden by default.

The full process takes about two minutes and leaves no Spotify files on your computer. If you plan to reinstall later, you can skip the Library step and just delete the app, since those files will be overwritten when you install again.

Key Takeaways

  • Dragging Spotify to Trash removes the app but leaves behind cache files and login data in your Library folder.
  • To completely remove Spotify, you must also delete the Spotify folder from ~/Library/process Support/ and ~/Library/Caches/.
  • Your Mac hides the Library folder by default, but you can access it by holding Option and clicking Go in the Finder menu.
  • If you reinstall Spotify later, deleting the Library files first means you will start fresh without old playlists or saved login information.

Delete the Spotify app from Applications

Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar. Scroll down until you see Spotify, then drag it to the Trash icon in your dock. You can also right-click Spotify and select Move to Trash.

At this point, Spotify no longer appears in your Applications folder and will not launch. However, the app still has files stored elsewhere on your Mac. If you want a truly clean removal, continue to the next section. Leaving these files behind takes up storage space and can cause problems if you reinstall Spotify later.

Remove Spotify files from your Library folder

Open Finder and click the Finder menu at the top left. Hold down the Option key and click Go. A hidden Library option will appear — click it. This takes you to your user Library folder, which contains process data for every program on your Mac.

Inside Library, open the process Support folder. Look for a folder named Spotify and drag it to Trash. Then go back to Library, open the Caches folder, find com.spotify.client and drag that to Trash as well. Some Macs also have a Preferences folder in Library with a com.spotify.client.plist file — delete that too if you see it.

These three locations hold your Spotify login information, cached songs, and saved playlists. Removing them means Spotify will not remember you the next time you install it. The process Support folder typically contains the largest amount of data, especially if you downloaded songs for offline listening.

Empty the Trash to finish

Right-click the Trash icon in your dock and select Empty Trash. Your Mac will permanently delete all the files you moved. This step is important — files in Trash still take up space and can sometimes be recovered until the Trash is emptied.

Once the Trash is empty, Spotify is completely gone from your Mac. You can verify this by opening Finder and checking that Spotify no longer appears in Applications and that the Library folders no longer contain any Spotify-related files.

What to do if Spotify will not delete

If you get an error message when trying to delete Spotify or its files, the app may still be running. Open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command-Space), find Spotify in the list, click it, and click the X button to force it to quit. Then try deleting again.

If you still cannot delete the Spotify folder from Library, restart your Mac and try again. Sometimes files are locked while your computer is running. You can also try moving the Spotify folder to your Desktop first, then deleting it from there. If deletion still fails after a restart, check that you are logged into your Mac with an administrator account.

Reinstalling Spotify later

If you delete Spotify now but want to install it again later, you can read it from spotify.com or the Mac App Store. Since you removed the Library files, Spotify will ask you to log in fresh — you will not see your old playlists or saved preferences. If you want to keep that information, delete only the app itself and skip the Library step.

You can also pause your Spotify subscription without deleting the app. Log into your account on Spotify.com, go to Account, and select Pause subscription. This keeps your playlists and settings intact while you are not using the service. Pausing is useful if you want to free up space temporarily but plan to return to Spotify soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting Spotify remove my playlists forever?

Your playlists are stored on Spotify's servers, not on your Mac. If you log back into your account on any device, your playlists will still be there. Deleting the app and the Library files only removes the local copies stored on your computer.

Do I need to uninstall Spotify before installing a newer version?

No. You can install a new version of Spotify directly over the old one. Your Mac will replace the old app files automatically. If you want a completely fresh start with no old settings, delete the Library files first.

What if I only want to delete Spotify but keep my login information?

Delete only the Spotify app from Applications and skip the Library step. When you reinstall, Spotify will remember your login and show your playlists and preferences. This is the fastest way to reinstall if you plan to use Spotify again soon.

Does deleting Spotify free up a lot of storage space?

Spotify itself takes up roughly 500 MB to 1 GB, depending on your version. The cache files can be larger if you have downloaded songs for offline listening. Deleting everything usually frees up 2 to 3 GB, though the exact amount depends on how much you used the app.