How to Uninstall Apps Completely on Mac (and Leftovers)

How to uninstall apps completely on a Mac

Updated 23 October 2026 · 6 min read · By the TheCleanDisk team

Short answer

Quit the app, then drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash, or delete it in System Settings › General › Storage › Applications. If the app came with its own uninstaller, use that instead. Apps can leave support files, caches and preferences in your Library folder; remove those only for apps you are sure you won't use again, and check System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions (called Login Items on macOS Ventura and Sonoma) for anything left starting up.

1. Delete the app

From Finder: open the Applications folder and drag the app to the Trash, or select it and press Command-Delete.
From Storage settings: in System Settings › General › Storage, click ⓘ next to Applications, select the app and click Delete.
With the app's own uninstaller: some apps, especially ones that install drivers or background helpers, include an uninstaller. Use it, because it knows what the app installed.

Quit the app first. If it won't quit, use Apple menu › Force Quit.

2. Find leftover files

Most apps keep data in your user Library. In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder, enter ~/Library, and look for folders named after the app or its developer in:

Application Support: app data and sometimes documents.
Caches: temporary files.
Preferences: settings files ending in .plist.
Containers and Group Containers: all data for App Store and sandboxed apps.
Saved Application State and Logs.

Removing these deletes the app's data for good, including anything you created inside it. Do this only for apps you are sure you won't reinstall, or export your data first.

3. Remove login items and background helpers

Open System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions (called Login Items on macOS Ventura and Sonoma). Remove the app from Open at Login, and switch off anything left from it under Allow in the Background. Helpers that run for all users can also live in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Remove those only if you are sure which app they belong to.

Apps from the Mac App Store

App Store apps are sandboxed, so nearly all their data is in one folder in ~/Library/Containers. Deleting the app and that folder removes almost everything. You can download the app again at any time from your purchase history.

What not to remove

Apps that come with macOS, such as Safari or Mail. They are part of the protected system.
Shared folders used by several apps from the same developer, unless you are removing all of them.
Anything you can't match to the app with confidence.

Where TheCleanDisk helps

TheCleanDisk uninstalls an app together with the files it left behind, finds leftovers from apps you already deleted, and shows what starts with your Mac. Removed items go to quarantine first, so you can restore them for 7 days. The space is fully freed when quarantine empties, or sooner if you empty it yourself. It is coming soon to the Mac App Store.

Common questions

Does dragging an app to the Trash uninstall it completely?

It removes the app itself but usually leaves support files, caches and preferences in your Library folder. These are small for most apps, but some leave gigabytes of data behind.

How do I find leftover files from apps I already deleted?

Look in ~/Library/Application Support, Caches, Preferences and Containers for folders named after the app or its developer. Check each one before deleting it, because some folders are shared between apps.

Can I reinstall an app after deleting its data?

Yes. The app installs fresh, but settings and data you deleted from the Library folder won't come back unless they were synced or backed up.