The fastest way to remove an app from your Mac

To delete an process from your Mac, open the Finder, click Applications in the sidebar, find the app you want to remove, and drag it to the Trash. That's the complete process for most programs. Empty the Trash afterward to free up the space the app was using.

Some applications leave behind small files in other folders even after you move them to the Trash. For most people this doesn't matter — the app itself is gone and won't run anymore. If you want to remove every trace, including those leftover files, you'll need a different approach, which we cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Dragging an app to the Trash from the Applications folder removes it completely for most programs.
  • You must empty the Trash to actually free up storage space — moving to Trash alone doesn't delete the files.
  • Some apps create support files in hidden folders that remain after you delete the main program.
  • Uninstaller programs included with some apps will remove the main program plus those support files in one step.
  • You cannot delete system apps that came with macOS, but you can hide them from view.

Finding and dragging apps to the Trash

Open Finder by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock — it looks like a blue and white face. Click Applications in the left sidebar. You'll see a folder full of all the programs installed on your Mac.

Scroll through the list or use the search box in the top right to find the app you want to delete. Click the app once to select it, then drag it to the Trash icon in the Dock. The Trash icon sits at the far right of the Dock and looks like a trash can. When you drag the app over it, the Trash icon will highlight — release your mouse to drop the app in.

The app is now in the Trash but still taking up storage space on your Mac. To actually delete it, click the Trash icon in the Dock to open it, then click Empty in the top right corner of the window. Confirm that you want to empty the Trash. Now the app and its files are permanently removed from your Mac.

When an app has its own uninstaller

Some applications come with an uninstaller program that removes not just the main app but also the support files it created. You'll usually find this uninstaller in the same Applications folder as the app itself, or sometimes in a subfolder with the app's name.

Open Finder, go to Applications, and look for a file called Uninstall [App Name] or something similar. Double-click it and follow the prompts. The uninstaller will remove the app and its related files automatically. This is cleaner than dragging to Trash if the option exists, because it finds and removes files you wouldn't know to look for otherwise.

Removing support files that stay behind

When you delete an app by dragging it to Trash, macOS leaves behind small files that the app created while it was running — things like saved settings, caches, and preferences. These files are usually hidden from view and take up very little space, so most people never notice them.

If you want to remove these files too, you'll need to show hidden files in Finder. Press Command and Shift and Period (.) at the same time. Hidden files and folders will now appear in Finder windows, usually shown in a lighter gray color. Navigate to your home folder, then look inside the Library folder. You'll see folders named Caches, Preferences, and process Support — the app's leftover files are usually in one of these.

Find the folder or file related to the app you deleted — it often has the app's name in it — and drag it to the Trash. Then empty the Trash. After this, every trace of the app is gone. To hide the hidden files again, press Command, Shift, and Period (.) one more time.

Apps you cannot delete

System apps that came with macOS — like Mail, Calendar, Maps, and Stocks — cannot be deleted. If you try to drag them to the Trash, nothing will happen. These apps are part of macOS itself and removing them could cause problems with your Mac.

If you don't want to see these apps in your Applications folder, you can hide them. Right-click the app and select Move to Bin, or you can create a separate folder in Applications called "System Apps" and move them there so they're out of the way. They'll still be on your Mac, but you won't see them in your main Applications list.

Deleting apps from Launchpad

Launchpad is the grid view of all your apps that appears when you click the Launchpad icon in the Dock. You can delete apps directly from Launchpad without opening Finder. Click the Launchpad icon, find the app you want to remove, and hold your mouse over it until a small X appears in the corner. Click the X and confirm that you want to delete the app.

Deleting from Launchpad works the same way as dragging to Trash from Finder — it removes the main app but leaves support files behind. The advantage is speed if you already have Launchpad open. The disadvantage is that you can't see the Applications folder structure, so it's easier to accidentally delete the wrong thing.

Checking storage after deletion

After you empty the Trash, the space the app was using becomes available again on your Mac. To see how much storage you have now, click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select About This Mac. Click the Storage tab. You'll see a bar showing how much space is used and how much is free.

If you deleted a large app and the free space didn't increase much, the app's support files are still taking up room. Go back through the hidden files in your Library folder and remove any remaining folders related to that app. Some apps create surprisingly large caches that can add up over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo deleting an app if I haven't emptied the Trash yet?

Yes. Open the Trash, find the app, right-click it, and select Put Back. The app will return to your Applications folder. If you've already emptied the Trash, the app is gone and you'll need to read it again from where you originally got it.

What happens if I delete an app I need later?

You can read and install it again. Most apps are free to read from the App Store or the developer's website. You'll lose any settings or data the app stored, unless you backed up your Mac before deleting it.

Do I need special software to delete apps completely?

No. Using Finder to drag apps to Trash, plus manually removing hidden files from the Library folder, removes everything. Third-party uninstaller programs do the same thing automatically, but they're not necessary unless you prefer not to dig through hidden folders yourself.

Why does an app keep reappearing after I delete it?

Some apps reinstall themselves if they're part of a larger software package or subscription service. Check your Applications folder to confirm it's really still there, then look for an uninstaller or a preference pane for that software. You may need to unsubscribe or uninstall the parent program first.

Can I delete multiple apps at once?

Yes. In Finder, hold Command and click each app you want to delete to select them all. Then drag the entire group to the Trash. This is faster than deleting them one at a time, though you can't delete system apps this way either.