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How To Delete A Program
- Thread starter Toughbook
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If you just want to delete the app, drag the .app file to the trash. No other software needed. If you want to completely remove all associated files/folders, no removal apps will do the job.
The most effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:
In most cases, app removal software doesn't do a thorough job of finding and removing files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this.
The most effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:
In most cases, app removal software doesn't do a thorough job of finding and removing files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this.
Google "AppTrap" (I am pretty certain that's the name). After that's installed, simply drag and drop your unwanted program to the trash bin on the dock. AppTrap will remove any additional lib files.
Great piece of software for someone who's not interested in messing around in the file system.
Great piece of software for someone who's not interested in messing around in the file system.
Usually they're in your /Applications folder.
Read my first post. AppTrap is not effective in removing all files. Also, see this.
I did read it. It's just as effective to simply drag the app to the Trash. AppTrap and others primarily delete the .plist files and a few others, leaving much larger files behind.Read my post.
As I said in the first post, if the goal is simply to uninstall the app, drag the .app to the trash; no other software needed. If the goal is to completely remove all components to free up space, the manual method is the only effective method; no other software needed.
move to trash if it doesn't get a uninstaller, then maybe you should find relative folders to eliminate that app clearly. "shift+cmd+g"then type "/" plus enter may help you
Just use GGJstudios' method.
No need for
as that brings one to the overview of all connected storage devices, nothing more. Or is there some special trick I seem to overlook?
I remember a invitation named "How to uninstall Office 2011 for Mac"( just search it in google). It shows all the relative documents that need to remove after dragging the app to trash. So maybe we can do the same thing to clearly uninstall an app without an uninstaller. Of course just drag is initially and easily, I just cannot stand that there are some junk in my mac. That's my point, may help you.
By the way shft+cmmd+G (type) "~" or "/" is the way to see home preferences and administrator documents that cannot be shown in normal. That's where the "junk" of an unintalled app exist.
when i use those apps like appdelete or appzapper and you drag the app to the window it shows that you are deleting the .app file and it usually shows a few other associated files
is what you saying about it being the same as draging the .app file to the trash true? that method also deletes so same associated files those 3rd party app deleters are doing?
i was under the impression draging to the trash only deleted the .app file and nothing else
CMD+SHIFT+G is the "Go to folder" command, when I enter "~", I go to my Home folder (CMD+SHIFT+H does the same), when I enter "/" I just go to my Devices overview (if I would go up the folder hierarchy via CMD+ArrowUp several times). Am I missing something?
And what is wrong with GGJstudios' steps?
And I guess, English is not your native tongue?
That's true. If you drag the .app file to the trash, nothing else goes with it.
1. If your intention is simply to remove the app, dragging it to the trash is all that's needed. You don't need another app to uninstall it. It doesn't affect your system at all to leave .plist files or other files behind, other than taking up disk space.
2. If your intention is to remove all associated files/folders to free up space, no uninstall app will do the job. They all remove .plist and a few other files, but leave much larger files behind. In other words, they do a half-assed job of removing all traces of an app.
The above applies in the vast majority of cases. Occasionally an app leaves behind a Menu Bar icon or a process that launches automatically. Rarely will those uninstall apps catch and remove such things. Only the manual method I posted will catch all associated components, with extremely rare exceptions.
That doesn't work for all apps, as some install files/folders in various places. The manual method I posted is much more thorough and effective.
Gotcha so if I have already moved som .app to the trash will your method help me find the associated files or will my search come up empty without the .app file present
The search will still yield results, as the files you look for are not depending on the app in the Trash, otherwise there would be no need to go to this method (searching), if the files just vanish because the app is in the Trash.
It's leaving quite a lot behind. Read the 2nd post in this thread, including the links.
thanks i wasnt thinking they would vanish but I was curious if search would no longer consider those as associated file but i guess as long as they have part of the apps name in them it makes sense it would still find them
Yes, it still works, even if the .app has been deleted. In fact, you can search for remnants of apps you deleted long ago. If someone has been using something like AppZapper or AppCleaner, such a search will find files/folders that those "cleaner" apps left behind.