The simplest way to delete an app on a Mac
Most applications on a Mac can be removed by dragging them to the Trash. Open Finder, click Applications in the sidebar, find the app you want to remove, click and hold it, then drag it to the Trash icon in your dock. Empty the Trash afterward by right-clicking the Trash icon and selecting Empty Trash. The app is then gone from your computer.
This method works for the majority of apps you read from the App Store or install from a developer's website. However, some applications leave behind small files in hidden folders even after you empty the Trash — these leftover files take up minimal space and rarely cause problems, but if you want a completely clean removal, you will need to take additional steps.
Before you delete an app, close it completely. If the app is running in the background, macOS may prevent you from moving it to Trash or may leave some files behind. Check your dock to see if the app is open — if there is a dot under the app icon, it is still running. Click the app in the dock and press Command+Q to quit it.
Key Takeaways
- Dragging an app to Trash and emptying the Trash removes most applications completely from your Mac.
- Some apps leave behind preference files and support folders in hidden locations, which you can find and delete manually if you want a thorough removal.
- Apps installed through the Mac App Store can also be removed by right-clicking them in Applications and selecting Move to Trash.
- If an app refuses to move to Trash, force-quit it first using Command+Q or Activity Monitor, then try again.
- Restarting your Mac after deletion ensures no background processes are still holding onto the app's files.
Finding and removing hidden app files
When you drag an app to Trash, macOS leaves behind preference files and support folders in hidden locations. These files are small and do not affect performance, but if you want to remove every trace of an process, you can find and delete them manually. The main locations are the Library folder in your home directory and the process Support folder.
To access hidden files, open Finder and press Command+Shift+Period (the period key). This toggles the visibility of hidden files and folders. You will now see folders that were previously invisible, including one called Library. Open Library, then look for folders named after the app you just deleted — common folder names include Preferences, process Support, Caches, and Saved process State. Delete any folders or files with the app's name in them.
If you are not sure which files belong to the app, search for the app's name instead. Press Command+Space to open Spotlight search, type the app's name, and look at the results. If the app still appears in search results after you have moved it to Trash, there are leftover files. You can also search within the Library folder itself — open Library, press Command+F, and search for the app's name to find all related files at once.
Removing apps that will not move to Trash
Occasionally an app will not move to Trash because it is still running or because macOS thinks another process needs it. The fastest fix is to force-quit the app. Press Command+Option+Escape to open the Force Quit Applications window, click the app's name, and click Force Quit. Then try dragging it to Trash again.
If the app still will not move, restart your Mac. Some applications lock themselves in memory until you restart, and a restart clears those locks. After your Mac restarts, open Finder, go to Applications, and try moving the app to Trash again. This works in the majority of cases where an app is stubborn.
If restarting does not work, the app may be a system utility or may have installed a helper process that prevents removal. Check the app's website or documentation to see if there is an uninstaller tool. Some professional software, antivirus programs, and system utilities come with their own uninstaller that you must run before you can delete the main app. Running the uninstaller first will remove the locks and allow you to delete the app normally.
Using Activity Monitor to check for running processes
Activity Monitor is a built-in Mac tool that shows every program and process running on your computer. If an app seems to be running even after you quit it, or if you want to see what is happening in the background, Activity Monitor will show you. Open Spotlight search with Command+Space, type Activity Monitor, and press Enter.
In the window that opens, look at the list of processes. You can search for the app's name using the search box in the top right. If the app appears in the list, it is still running. Click it and press the X button in the top left corner to force-quit it. After you close Activity Monitor, try moving the app to Trash again.
Activity Monitor is also useful for checking whether an app has left behind background processes after you delete it. If you search for the app's name and nothing appears, the app and all its related processes have been fully removed from memory. This is a good sign that the deletion was complete.
Uninstalling apps from the Mac App Store
Apps you downloaded from the Mac App Store can be removed in the same way as other apps — drag them to Trash and empty the Trash. However, the Mac App Store also offers a built-in removal option. Open the Mac App Store, click your account icon in the top right corner, go to Purchased, find the app you want to remove, and click the X or Uninstall button next to it.
Using the App Store's uninstall button is slightly cleaner than dragging to Trash because it tells the App Store to forget that you own the app, which can be useful if you plan to reinstall it later and want a fresh copy. However, both methods remove the app from your Mac equally well. The App Store method does not remove hidden preference files any more thoroughly than dragging to Trash does.
If you uninstall an app through the App Store and later want to read it again, you can do so without paying again — the App Store remembers your purchase. This is different from apps you buy elsewhere, where deletion is permanent unless you keep your installer file.
What to do after you delete an app
After you move an app to Trash and empty the Trash, the app is removed from your Mac. However, a few things may still happen. Spotlight search may take a few minutes to update its index and stop showing the app in search results. If you see the app in Spotlight when ready after deletion, wait a few minutes and search again.
If the app had a dock icon, that icon will remain in your dock even after the app is deleted. Right-click the icon and select Remove from Dock to clean it up. If the app had a menu bar icon (a small icon in the top right of your screen), that will also remain until you restart your Mac or manually remove it from the menu bar settings.
Restarting your Mac after deleting an app is optional but recommended if the app was a system utility, antivirus program, or anything that runs in the background. A restart ensures that no leftover processes are still running and that your Mac's memory is fully cleared. For most regular apps like games or productivity software, a restart is not necessary.
Bulk removing multiple apps at once
If you want to delete several apps, you do not have to drag them one at a time. Open Finder and go to Applications. Click the first app you want to delete, then hold Command and click each additional app. All selected apps will highlight. Now drag any of the selected apps to Trash, and all of them will move to Trash together. Empty the Trash when you are done.
This is faster than deleting apps individually and is useful when you are cleaning up your Mac after a fresh install or when you have accumulated apps you no longer use. After you select multiple apps, you can also right-click one of them and choose Move to Trash from the menu instead of dragging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting an app from the Mac App Store remove it from my other Apple devices?
No. Deleting an app from your Mac does not affect that app on your iPhone, iPad, or other Macs. Each device has its own separate copy of the app. If you want to remove an app from multiple devices, you must delete it on each device individually. However, your purchase history remains the same across all devices, so you can reinstall the app on any device without paying again.
Will removing an app free up storage space on my Mac?
Yes, but the amount varies. Most apps take up between 100 megabytes and a few gigabytes. Deleting an app and its hidden files will free up that space. If you are trying to free up significant storage space, deleting large apps like video editors, games, or design software will have the most impact. You can see how much space an app uses by right-clicking it in Applications, selecting Get Info, and looking at the Size field.
What happens if I delete an app by accident?
If you have not emptied the Trash yet, open the Trash, find the app, right-click it, and select Put Back. The app will return to your Applications folder. If you have already emptied the Trash, you can reinstall the app from the Mac App Store or from the developer's website. Your files and documents created with that app will not be deleted — only the app itself is removed.
Can I delete built-in Mac apps like Mail or Safari?
You can move some built-in apps to Trash, but macOS will reinstall them the next time you update your operating system. Built-in apps like Mail, Safari, Calendar, and Contacts are considered part of the system and are protected. If you do not want to use them, you can hide them from your Applications folder or remove their dock icons, but they cannot be permanently deleted.
Why does an app keep reappearing after I delete it?
An app may reappear if it is set to launch automatically at startup. Open System Settings, go to General, then click Login Items. Look for the app in the list and click the minus button to remove it. Some apps also reinstall themselves if they have an auto-update feature enabled. Check the app's preferences or settings to turn off automatic updates or reinstallation.