Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?
- How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer Shortcut
- How To Delete Apps From Your Mac | IMore
- How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer
- How To Uninstall Apps On Mac Completely And Safely - 3 Ways
- How To Uninstall App On Mac
Note: I used the Rocket app as an example in my pictures, but only because I was removing an earlier version. I love Rocket and would never delete it (it emojifies your Mac!). How to close an app that you thought was already closed or can't figure out how to close on your Mac. Click on the Finder icon in your app dock.
- With that said, be sure to follow the steps below to remove Citrix Receiver app from your Mac for good. Citrix Receiver removal from Mac As previously mentioned, the procedure of thoroughly uninstalling all the elements of Citrix Receiver application on Mac can be a combo of using the vendor’s official automatic uninstaller and additionally.
- To uninstall Office for Mac 2011 move the applications to the Trash.Once you've removed everything, empty the Trash and restart your Mac to complete the process. Before you remove Office for Mac 2011, quit all Office applications and make sure there's nothing in Trash that you want to keep. Leave Office applications closed while you go through this process.
If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong.
You probably know or guess that you can remove apps by dragging them to the Trash bin, but it is not quite so. Dragging normal files like documents and movies to the Trash works fine. But doing the same for apps leaves gigabytes of leftover junk files on your hard drive. We’re going to show you what gets left behind and what you can do to completely uninstall apps from here on out.
How to uninstall on Mac
If you are trying to delete an old application, reinstall a corrupted software or just free up disk space on your Mac, removing all components of the program is important. These include the app, its preferences and support files, and sometimes other hidden files.
To completely uninstall a program on Mac you have to choose one of three options:
- Using Trash.
- Using Launchpad.
- Using a native uninstaller
The ways mentioned above include navigating your Mac’s in search of the apps you want to remove and then locating their remaining data. The latter can take even more place than the app itself and can be stored anywhere in your folders.
I prefer clearing my Mac from apps using special software made for this particular task - CleanMyMac X. It’s Uninstaller feature, is an app-killer that sweeps away any program you don’t want on your Mac and clears remaining junk.
Now let’s go ahead and delete some apps!
1. Uninstall Mac apps using Trash
Whether you're running macOS Catalina or an earlier macOS, like Mojave or Sierra, the process of manually uninstalling remains relatively similar. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open Finder.
- Go to Applications.
- Choose the app you want to delete.
- Press Command + Delete (⌘⌫).
- Open Trash.
- Click the Empty button in the upper-right corner of the window.
And the app is gone.
Even uninstalling apps on macOS Catalina requires getting rid of leftovers, despite the fact that it's the latest and the most sophisticated system for Mac. Apple has done such a good job on macOS 10.15 but left this unfortunate issue unresolved for another year.
To completely remove programs from Mac manually, you have to find all the associated files that come along with the app. That means not just dragging the app icon to the Trash from your Applications folder, but searching the depths of the system files on your Mac.
We’re going to reveal the locations of the most common files that are associated with apps. To remove the app leftovers from your Mac just navigate to each of these folders and hunt for the app you want to remove. If you find files with the app name you can send them to the Trash.
So, when uninstalling any software, you have to go over each of these folders one by one and remove the following:
- Binary and dock icons are located in
/Applications/
- Application support files are located in
~/Library/Application Support
- Support Caches can be found in
/Library/Caches/
and~/Library/Caches
- Plugins are located in
~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
- Library can be found in
~/Library/
- App preferences are located in
~/Library/Preferences/
- Crashes are found in
~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/
- App saved states are located in
~/Library/Saved Application State/
There are many more hidden files, some of which cannot be accessed by the user. And macOS/OS X will prevent you from deleting some app files.
As you can see, it's not that easy to uninstall applications Mac doesn't need, even when you know what to do. By the way, be sure to look for the name of the app in the file names of the files you remove. Don’t remove anything you don’t know! Do your due diligence before removing something from your system.
When you delete software on Mac manually, be sure only to remove an app file or folder when you’re sure of what it is. Look at the name very carefully before you nuke it. Removing the wrong files could cause problems with your system.
Remember, please be careful when deleting system files — you never know how it will affect your Mac if you remove the wrong ones (or the right ones for that matter!).
2. Uninstall Mac programs with Launchpad
How to uninstall on Mac by using the Launchpad? It's easy and this manual method works like this:
- Click Launchpad icon in your Mac's Dock.
- Find the app you want to delete.
- Click and hold the app until it starts shaking.
- Click X in the top-left corner of the app icon.
- Click Delete.
This will uninstall the app from your Mac. However, keep in mind that after removing the program, you should also delete its leftovers as we've described above.
Can't delete apps on Mac?
Unfortunately, manual methods won’t get everything. Some apps are pre-installed macOS components and protected by the system while others will refuse to delete because they are already open (even though that’s often not true).
So, how to delete the apps on Mac that won't delete? You can try the manual removal after force quitting the app in question (press Command-Option-Esc and if the app is on the list shut it down) or rebooting your Mac.
How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer Shortcut
If you're still unable to delete apps on Mac or if you’re worried you won't do it correctly and want a safer alternative, there’s the easy method of uninstalling apps from your Mac so you don't have to force delete applications. It actually does a better (and safer) job and in a fraction of the time. Read on to learn how to delete apps on Mac automatically.
3. Uninstall apps with CleanMyMac X
When I referred to the easy method of uninstalling apps, I meant using CleanMyMac X. As for me, deleting apps is a pretty tiresome task. I’ve always put away this chore, as it will waste a huge amount of my time. But, my Mac was running low on free storage, so I decided to try CleanMyMac X to fix this problem and uninstall programs on Mac with ease. I used the Uninstaller module to get rid of multiple apps at once. Here’s what you need to do:
- Download CleanMyMac X, install, and launch it (it takes less than a minute).
- Go to Uninstaller.
- Choose All Applications.
- Check the boxes next to the app you want to remove.
- Press Uninstall.
As you can see, CleanMyMac X shows precisely how much place each app takes, so it’s easier to detect the heaviest programs. Another benefit is that you can bulk uninstall programs on Mac without dragging each app and its files to the Trash.
Is it possible to delete system files on Mac?
CleanMyMac X doesn’t let you delete system apps like Safari. Neither of Mac cleaners can do that. But, CleanMyMac X allows you to delete the data associated with system apps and reset them completely. Click CleanMyMac X’s menu in the upper-left corner and choose Preferences. Go to Ignore List and click Uninstaller. Here uncheck the box next to “Ignore system applications.”
Now, you can close Preferences and go back to Uninstaller. Click ► next to the app's icon to show its files. Then check the data you want to delete and choose Reset from the drop-down list next to the app’s icon. Then press Remove.
How To Delete Apps From Your Mac | IMore
It will help to clear some space on your Mac. Note that your app logs may also disappear after the reset.
4. Use the native uninstaller
Many applications are designed to clean after themselves. They come with a built-in uninstaller — a self-destroying utility bundled with the main app. This is mostly true for third-party apps that you download from the internet. That’s why native uninstallers remain more of a Windows thing, not much heard of in the Mac world.
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder (within the Applications folder) most likely it will have a separate uninstaller. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder (within the Applications folder) most likely it will have a separate uninstaller. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].
Open the folder, find the launcher, and just follow the onscreen instructions. After the removal is complete, you can enjoy your extra storage space!
Clear app leftovers: preferences files and caches
No sane developer wants people to delete their application. As your desperate ex, they would do everything to stay on your Mac, like planting pieces of their software around your Mac so one day they can return. Support files, preference files, and caches — all these will likely remain even if you’ve deleted the app itself.
Here I’ll show you how to root out these remaining traces. I’ll use the Telegram app as an example.
Here I’ll show you how to root out these remaining traces. I’ll use the Telegram app as an example.
Delete application support files
Click on Finder > Go to Folder… (in the upper menu).
Paste in:
Paste in:
~/Library/Application Support/Your App Name
In my case it's:
~/Library/Application Support/Telegram
Now, delete the content of this folder.
Delete application Preferences
![How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6bJ85Tm02jU/maxresdefault.jpg)
How To Delete Apps From A Mac Computer
The Preferences folder contains your user settings. These files are tiny but there’s no reason not to delete them, just out of principle.
Click on Finder > Go to Folder…
Paste in:
Click on Finder > Go to Folder…
Paste in:
~/Library/Preferences/
Open the folder. Now type the name of your app in the search bar. Click to search 'Preferences.” Delete the found items.
Delete the caches
In the same vein, you’ll have to delete the remaining app caches.
This time, use the following command to paste in Finder > Go to Folder..
Paste this:
This time, use the following command to paste in Finder > Go to Folder..
Paste this:
~/Library/Caches/Your App Name
Note: In some cases, you need to search for the app developer's name, rather than the name of the app.
Delete leftovers with CleanMyMac X
If you’ve been doing a 'spring cleaning' in your Applications folder, chances are some files are still left somewhere in your Mac’s system. CleanMyMac X detects and collects them into the Leftovers tab.
Go to Uninstaller once again and select Leftovers. Select all the remaining files and press Uninstall to say goodbye to the app remains.
Now you are just as good at uninstalling applications on Mac as any Apple engineer. Hopefully, you now have plenty of free space. Don't miss a few related articles below.
These might also interest you:
Citrix Receiver is a tool that can be installed on your Mac and allows you to connect to Citrix virtualization tools such as XenDesktop. It has now been superseded by Citrix Workspace. If you don’t need Citrix Receiver on your Mac anymore, you can safely delete it. The internet doesn’t provide enough information on how to uninstall Citrix Receiver from your Mac. So we decided to share our instructions to help you easily remove Citrix Receiver. Here, we’ll show you how to do just that.
What is Citrix Receiver?
It’s the local component of the Citrix suite of tools that allows you to run virtual desktops on your computer. With Citrix Receiver you can get remote desktop access to a certain server. It’s a useful way of running, say, Windows, without actually installing Windows, using Boot Camp or virtualization tools like Parallels Desktop and VMWare fusion.
Everything you do in Citrix Desktop is done on a server and so no files you create or add are saved on your Mac. This means you can log into your Citrix Workspace from any computer and use the same applications and files.
Do you need Citrix Receiver on your Mac?
Some companies require their employees to use Citrix Receiver to make sure the connection between the servers and computers is secure. If you want to connect to remote servers for personal purposes, you may also find Citrix Receiver useful. But, if you have had Citrix Receiver on your Mac for years and haven’t used it, you probably don’t need it. So, it’s better to uninstall the tool to avoid its files cluttering your Mac
Before we start walking through the manual process of uninstalling Citrix Receiver, we would like to introduce a much easier way. CleanMyMac X’s Uninstaller utility can help you uninstall almost any app, including Citrix Receiver, with just a couple of clicks. The advantage of using CleanMyMac X, rather than the manual method below is that it’s quicker, it removes all the associated files automatically, and you can uninstall multiple apps at the same time.
Read more about CleanMyMacHow to uninstall Citrix Receiver (or Citrix Workspace) from your Mac
- Navigate to your Downloads folder and locate the installer package you downloaded when you first installed Citrix Receiver. If you no longer have it, you can download it again from the Citrix website.
- Double-click the package to extract it and mount the dmg file.
- Open the disk image and look for the uninstaller file. Double-click it to launch it.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
- When you’re done, reboot your Mac.
In addition to running the uninstaller, Citrix advises that you may also need to manually remove some files. Here’s how to do that.
How To Uninstall Apps On Mac Completely And Safely - 3 Ways
- Go to your Applications folder and check if Citrix Receiver.app is still there. If so, drag it to the Trash.
- In the Finder, click on the Go menu and choose Go to Folder.
- Type /Library in the box.
- Look for the following files and drag them to the Trash
- Go back to the Go menu and this time, type
/Users/Shared
in the box. Find the/Citrix/Receiver
Integration folder and drag it to the Trash. - Now, navigate to /Library from the Go menu and locate the following files, then drag them to the Trash.
- Go to /Applications and drag any applications you added previously in Citrix Receiver to the Trash.
- Finally, go to /private/var/db/recipients and drag these two files to the Trash:
- Empty the Trash.
/Internet plug-ins/CitrixICAClientPlugIn.plugin
/LaunchAgents/com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist
/LaunchAgents/com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist
You’ll notice from the list above that some of the files you need to remove manually are Launch Agents. These are files that launch when you start up your Mac and enable some of the functions of the application. Lots of apps and services install launch agents and they can sometimes cause problems on your Mac or just clutter your startup drive. There may as well be leftover launch agents of the applications you have previously installed and then removed. Citrix Receiver also has launch agents that may be left on your Mac even after you delete the tool. CleanMyMac has a special tool for identifying and removing launch agents.
/Internet plug-ins/CitrixICAClientPlugIn.plugin
/Application Support/Citrix Receiver
CitrixID
Config
Module
/Preferences/com.citrix.receiver.nomas.plist
/Preferences/com.citrix.receiver.nomas.plist.lockfile
/Preferences/com.citrix.ReceiverFTU.AccountRecords.plist
/Preferences/com.citrix.ReceiverFTU.AccountRecords.plist.lockfile
com.citrix.ICAClient.bom
Install pc apps on mac. com.citrix.ICAClient.plist
How To Uninstall App On Mac
We’re not done yet. One of Citrix’s most important features is Follow Me, a cloud data tool that allows you to log in on different devices and use the same workspace, with all your files intact as you left them last time you logged in. When you uninstall Citrix Receiver, you may also have to manually uninstall Follow Me data on your Mac.
How to remove Follow Me data from your Mac
- In the Go menu in the Finder, type
/Applications/Citrix/FollowMeData
to access the hidden folder. Drag the files inside it to the Trash. - Next, drag these installation information files to the Trash.
- Go to /ShareFile and delete the files in the folder
- Finally, navigate to /private/var/db/receipts and get rid of these two files
- Empty the Trash.
- Download, install, and launch CleanMyMac X.
- Choose the Uninstaller tool in the sidebar.
- Locate Citrix Receiver in the list of apps in the main window.
- Check the box next to it.
- Press Uninstall.
/private/var/db/receipts/com.citrix.ShareFile.installer.plist
/private/var/db/receipts/com.citrix.ShareFile.installer.bom
com.citrix.ShareFile.installer.plist
com.citrix.ShareFile.installer.bom
Once you’ve done all of that, you should have removed all the files associated with Citrix Receiver. That’s quite a few steps.
If you’d rather do it the easy way, using CleanMyMac X, here’s how you do it.
That’s it! Citrix Receiver will now be uninstalled and all its associated files removed from your Mac.
Citrix Receiver is a popular tool for running virtual desktops on a Mac. However, it has now been superseded by Citrix Workspace. That’s one reason you might want to uninstall Receiver. You can do that manually, but as you can see above it’s a long process involving lots of files. CleanMyMac X can help you optimize the process and make sure there is no leftover data on your Mac.