How To Delete Apps On Mac Without X

We live in the golden age of apps. We are being spammed by the apps forcing us to update, install the latest extension, read some marketing fluff that’s pouring on us from every pop up window. Your best defence is to teach yourself about deleting software properly. And simply dragging apps to the Trash is no way a secure deletion.

Click next to the app that you want to delete, then click Delete to confirm. The app is deleted immediately. Apps that don't show either didn't come from the App Store or are required by your Mac. To delete an app that didn't come from the App Store, use the Finder instead. Here are the quick methods and steps to remove, delete, or uninstall the unwanted installed applications or programs from a Mac computer fully. Check out below There are 3 ways to delete applications on Mac, 1 - using the apps icon, 2 - using the application uninstaller, and 3 – using drag and drop in trash.

Why? Because it leaves behind app parts and pieces. And leaving software only half uninstalled will fill up gigabytes of space on your Mac’s hard drive with useless clutter. And sure you could find a better use for that space. That’s why, until Apple decides to make the right choice and develop a better way to completely uninstall apps on Mac, we’ve prepared some efficient tips and tricks to help you uninstall apps manually and keep the performance of your Mac at its peak, day in and day out.

A complete guide to uninstall software on Mac

In this guide, we’re going to show you how to completely remove apps from your Mac in order to free up space and have your Mac running at full power.

We’ve prepared two ways for deleting apps on Mac. We'll start off by explaining manual ways of deleting apps on Mac.

Did you know: Some apps are hard to delete manually as they consist of many unseen parts. In this case, you'll need a special 'app destroyer.' The most popular one is CleanMyMac X by MacPaw.

Whichever method you choose, it will help you to correctly remove apps on Mac. You will then have a clean Mac and a lot more free space to store your digital possessions.

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How To Delete Apps From Launchpad In Mac Without X

What’s more, we’ve also added 2 bonus tips for uninstalling Java and deleting apps via the Terminal: Best note syncing app for macbook pro.

  1. Bonus 1: Uninstall Java on Mac
  2. Bonus 2: Uninstall apps using Terminal

Sounds good? Now, let’s take out the trash!

How to Remove Programs on Mac manually

It’s time for the big reveal. We’re going to show you where to find all the associated app files that remain trapped on your Mac even after you’ve sent an app to the Trash.

But before we proceed, take caution. If you’ve chosen the manual method to remove programs on Mac we admire your determination, but we must also warn you to keep a careful eye on what you’re deleting. You don’t want to end up removing essential files. So, carefully check all the filenames before you begin to uninstall software on Mac and make sure they belong to the app you want to remove.

Sending apps to the Trash

Open your Applications (from the sidebar in Finder).

Select an app and drag it onto the Trash bin. That's it.

What if it doesn't work?

Sometimes, for the mysterious reasons, your Mac would refuse to delete some files. If this happens, reboot your system and try again, after you’ve pressed Command-Option-Esc and made sure the app is not listed as running. If it is, force quit and try again.

The hard truth about leftovers

There’s also the risk of having some app files slip through the cracks of the manual method, if you’re not thorough enough. To illustrate, we've deleted the XCode software by dragging it to the Trash. It ended up leaving 1.9 GB worth of remaining files. It may depend on an app, though.


We'll explain how to eliminate them in a second. But, again, if you'd like to automatically delete these minor app parts, skip to the automatic solution with CleanMyMac X.

Dealing with the remaining parts

Now, let’s gather all strength and begin our manual hunt for app leftovers! To make sure you don’t miss anything and you remove software from your Mac correctly, follow these steps:

  • Step 1 – write down the name of the apps that you have sent to the Trash and go to the next step to start finding apps leftovers and associated files.

  • Step 2 – go to the following locations and if you find a folder associated with any app name you have written down, delete it to completely uninstall the programs.

Open the Finder

Click on Finder > Go> Go to Folder..

So, to fully remove an app and its leftovers from your Mac you need to check these locations in the Finder.

That was obviously a cumbersome way to delete things. In the next chapter we'll show the much easier method.

Don’t forget to empty the Trash

Once your apps are moved to the Trash bin you need to empty it. Open the Trash bin and click the Empty button to erase its contents.

How to delete Mac apps automatically

There is a whole category of app uninstallers for Mac that takes advantage of macOS' inability to remove apps completely. Among the trusted tools, you may check CleanMyMac X by MacPaw. It's notarized by Apple and is the most user-friendly compared to analogous apps.

You may download the free edition of CleanMyMac X here. This app will detect the unseen apps and you can delete many apps at once by simply checking them in the list. The free version that allows you to clean a big portion of junk. This means you can delete a couple of un-deletable apps at no cost.

If you like it, you’ll be able to upgrade to the paid version and give your Mac a full clean out. You’ll also be able to uninstall apps on Mac correctly at any given time, without limits.

To remove apps from Mac the easy way with CleanMyMac X follow these steps:

  • Launch CleanMyMac and go to the Uninstaller tab
  • Click View All Applications
  • Select any app you want to remove completely
  • Click Uninstall to remove 100% of the app from your Mac

As you can see from the screenshot, there is an option to filter out the AppStore apps, the Unused apps, 32-bit ones and more.

Download Free Version

Uninstall applications using Launchpad

You can use Launchpad to get rid of your apps and widgets.

  • Open Launchpad in the Dock
  • Hold down the Command key and click on any app
  • Wait until the apps start shaking

Now you can click the hovering [X] icon to delete the app.

How to completely uninstall Java from your Mac

Java plugin is known to have conflict issues with many apps. Re-installing it helps to get some Mac’s services back to working. But completely removing Java might seem a bit harder than uninstalling normal apps. However, it’s not rocket science. With a few clicks and double-clicks, you’ll be ready to enjoy more space and more speed from your Mac, free from the clutter. Space you can, of course, use to install another Java version if you please.

So here’s how to completely delete Java. Remove one directory and one file (a symlink), as follows:

  1. Click on the Finder icon located in your dock
  2. Click on the Utilities folder
  3. Double-click on the Terminal icon
  4. In the Terminal window Copy and Paste the commands below:
    • sudo rm -fr /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
    • sudo rm -fr /Library/PreferencePanes/JavaControlPanel.prefPane
    • sudo rm -fr ~/Library/Application Support/Java


How to uninstall apps on Mac using Terminal

We've shown you how to remove Java plugin using Terminal. But as one might guess, it works for any other app. Mac pro taking forever to open apps. This procedure requires 2 commands: 1) Finding the app's location (using the mdfind command) 2) Removing that folder using sudo rm -rf. The latter command may cause damage, so don't use it if you're not sure what you doing).

Okay. Open your Terminal app (you can type its name into the Launchpad)

1. First, we'll find the app's location

Now, paste this command into the Terminal window:

mdfind -name <The name of your app>

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For example, the app I'm trying to delete is named 'NVU'

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Press enter and the Terminal will show you where the app is located on your Mac.

2. Delete that particular path

To remove the app, paste this command into the Terminal window:

sudo rm -rf <The location you've just found>

In my case it looks like this:

Note: sudo rm -rf may break your system if used incorrectly. You may delete your entire user account. If not sure, try other methods described in this article.

Now, enter your password to confirm.

Did it work? Congratulations — you may officially call yourself a geek now.

How to reset apps without deleting them

Yes, you can do that too. Resetting an app is easily the greatest do-it-yourself trick any Mac user can try. What it does is brings the application to its default state, and most importantly, leaves your user data intact. For example, your apps are out of sync with one another so what the reset does is helps restore the initial app settings. It deletes the app cache that causes lots of software glitches. The App Reset feature is found in the Uninstaller tab in CleanMyMac X.

By the way, you can even reset your Mac's default apps, like Safari if they are broken. Here's me resetting my Safari browser:

To use these feature, which is really a hidden gem, open the Uninstaller tab in CleanMyMac X (download its free edition here)

  1. Find and click on the Uninstaller tab.
  2. Choose any app in the list
  3. Click on the dropdown menu under the Uninstall button. This reveals the Reset option.

Now you know everything needed to delete apps on Mac the correct way, achieve complete uninstallation and remove annoying quirks and strange apps behaviors. Whether you choose the manual method or opt for the clean up app CleanMyMac X, you can be sure your Mac will be free of unnecessary app files that eat up disk space in vain. Staying safe and clean feels great, right?

Installing a software or app is extremely easy and so does uninstalling the software when you don't need them anymore? Many times, for some unknown reason, a Mac system denies to remove some data. If this is happening with you then the first thing you could try is to restart the computer and then try to remove it again, but still failed! Then what should you do?

On the other hand, there are many stubborn software that won't get uninstalled whatsoever. You will continuously get errors, warning and unknown issues when uninstalling them. These are usually infected with viruses or the developers don't intend to let you uninstall them. This could be really very intimidating especially when they are slowing down your computer. In this article, we will show you few simple tricks to remove unwanted apps or softwares that won't delete on Mac.

Part 1. How to Delete Apps in the Finder on Mac Manually (the Hard Way)

Unlike Windows computers, Mac works a little distinctly. All the programs and apps are stored in the Application directory. The app and software configuration settings are saved in the Library/Preferences folder and any other additional supporting data are saved in the /Library/Application_Support folder. In order to remove the Apps in Mac, you only have to open the application folder and drag the app to the Bin or Trash Can. This is rather easy if the program is uninstalled simply.

However, if the application still denies to uninstall and stays on the Mac then we need to get another solution below.

Delete the Preferences

If you can't delete the app by using the above method then the reason could be that the preferences folder of that app still exists. Let's go and delete that first.

Step 1. Open Finder then click on the Go option from the dropdown menu.

Step 2. When the menu pops down, simple press the Option key and keep holding it.

How To Delete Apps On Mac Without X

Step 3. You will now see the Library option right between the Computer and Home options. Click on it and the folder should open.

NOTE The final necessary thing to do after uninstalling a program is to empty the trash can or Bin. Dragging and dropping a software shortcut icon to the Bin will actually do nothing. It is only erasing the shortcut, this won't uninstall the program. It is still laying somewhere in your computer however, if you empty the trash then the application is truly removed.

However, there's also a chance that the software files must have stored in the computer somehow, which happens quite often. So, if you are not able to remove Apps by yourself then it's better to take help from an automatic Mac program remover like CleanGeeker in Part 2.

Part 2: Completely Remove Unwanted Apps that Won't Delete on Mac (Easy Way)

When any app is fishy enough not to get deleted from a Launchpad or Finder then you will have to use some sort of force to delete that. TunesBro CleanGeeker is one of the most powerful Mac app remover that helps to remove any app or software as well as the trace from the Mac without destroying your system. Unlike other App removers, CleanGeeker can deeply scan and remove multiple apps at once, including corresponding files and preferences. It also has other miscellaneous functions as well like cleaning junk files, clearing app caches and finding + deleting duplicate items from the computer like music, documents, pictures, videos, etc. To summarize, CleanGeeker is used to optimize and organize your Mac so that it remains clean and fast as a thunder.

CleanGeeker - Force to Delete Apps on Mac, Easy and Safe!
  • Locate all the installed apps on your Mac and shows them in a list.
  • Deeply scan and remove apps along with its remaining files like caches, or junk files.
  • Force to remove unwanted app that won’t uninstalled, easy and safe! Never destroy your system.
  • Optimize and improve your Mac’s space and performance.

Step 1Download and Install App Remover Tool on Your Mac

Download the App remover and install it normally on your Mac. Launch the program and enter the license code to activate the software. On the main user interface, you will be able to see multiple options on the screen. Just click on 'Uninstaller' from the mid left sidebar.

Step 2Scan All Apps that Installed On Your Mac

Let the program search all the apps installed in your computer. It may take few minutes.

Step 2 Found and Remove Unwanted Applications on Mac

Once the scanning is done, you should be able to look on all the apps that has been installed in the system. Choose the app that you want to remove and select the 'Delete' button once.

There's no software or apps that cannot be removed with CleanGeeker and that's why it's now a must have tool for everyone. Moreover, it helps to speed up your computer unbelievably fast and run it like it used to when you first bought it.

Part 3: Delete Apps Downloaded from Mac App Store

One of the best alternative to delete any app is by simply deleting it from the sales page from the App Store. Once you have done that, you will no longer be able to download it form there anymore. But, the app will remain active in the iTunes account which is associated with that. So, if you wish to download or update it later from the iTunes then you will be able to do that. But the important thing is: Once you delete any app which you have downloaded from Apple App Store, you won’t be able to recover that app or find the SKU to install it again.


So, if you want to delete any app from App Store without actually removing it then follow these steps –

How To Delete Apps On Apple Xr

Step 1. Open the Launchpad from the Dock section. At this point you should be familiar with it if not then just find the Rocket icon.

How To Delete Apps From Macbook Pro

Step 2. After the Launchpad is opened, it will replace the existing Windows with the apps that are provided by default in alphabetic order. You can obviously do many things using this tool but at this moment we are just erasing the unwanted apps.

How To Delete Apps On Apple Iphone X

Step 3. Just like any iPhone or Android phone, click and hold on the app that you want to delete until it starts dancing. Next, click on the 'X' mark with your mouse or touchscreen.

Step 4. Now, confirm that you want to delete by clicking on the 'Delete' button once and the system will get rid of it instantly.

Done! Keep in mind, that you should not worry about accidentally delete the apps that you want to keep in Mac. You’re allowed to obviously re-install any app that you have deleted before without paying any extra. Simply go to the app store and it’s done.

Oct 15, 2018 15:31:43 / Posted by Candie Kates to Mac Solution

How To Delete Apps On Mac Without X Mode

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