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Completely uninstalling iLife apps (from the App Store)

V

valdikor

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 21, 2012
389
215
Slovakia
I would like to uninstall all three iLife apps I downloaded from the Mac App Store, and I would like to do it completely, without leaving leftovers. It's a common misconception that Mac apps are completely self-contained, even the ones from the App Store aren't, especially the ones from Apple. I normally delete all files throughout the system that refer to the app and developer (using Spotlight and a handy search app called EasyFind), but I wouldn't like to break the system doing this, as iLife may be somewhat more closely tied with the system (and I did break my system a bit while trying to completely eradicate iWork a while back).
For example, GarageBand stores instruments, samples, lessons somewhere and I would like to get rid of those, but I'm also a Logic Pro user and I don't want to break that!
Does anybody have a list of files and folders that I should delete if I want to completey get rid of these three apps while not damaging the system? Or should I just reinstall OS X completely? :-D

If anybody's interested why the hell would I want to do this, it's a little OCD I have, I don't want to have apps that I don't use installed on my computer, it drives me crazy, and I use Logic Pro, Adobe Revel and Premiere Elements instead of GarageBand, iPhoto and iMovie respectively.
 
I usually just do like you say, for instance, when I deleted iPhoto last week.
Usually, you delete the preferences plists and things inside ~/Library.

But anyway, not to sound too obvious, your best bet is to google each, then collect all paths that appear in each article/forum post you see (where people express their success of course!!), and that way you can safely delete all of those.
That's what I'd do if I was uncertain like you are (in the sense of not screwing it up).

But if you have a "clone" backup of your main HD (of course you do? No???!!! :D) then it's a matter of doing it a weekend, then just using it for some days and if nothing happens and all your apps open normally etc, then you know it did work eh?
 
Thanks a lot. Sure I have a Time Machine backup :)
I will try doing exactly that, deleting all plists and folders in the Libraries and googling if there are any other files I should get rid of.
If anyone has some sort of guide for thoroughly removing these three apps, feel free to pitch in.
 
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