Newer / Better Solutions to completely delete applications?

[GamerDad]

I just got a new Mac Book Pro, and am trying to learn Mac OS. Since I am testing new software, I am finding things I don' want to keep.

I did a search using MRoogle and came up with some solutions, but they are all from 2007! Nothing new in the world of deleting apps from Mac in the past 3 1/2 years?

 

[aristobrat]

Personally, I don't worry about it.

On Windows, my experience is that when I use Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs, it usually uninstalls the app (sometimes leaving empty folders in C:\Program Files), but it seems more common than not that the apps settings remain in the registry.

On OS X, my experience is about the same. Deleting the application (by dragging it to the trash can) uninstalls the app, but it leaves the apps settings in the Library folder.

AppZapper seems to be one of the most commonly recommend apps for cleaning up in OS X.

 

[Hastings101]

There really aren't any new options because there's not much of a need for them. If you're not satisfied with just dragging the application to the trash then there's always Appcleaner which, while old, still does the job just fine.

 

[TreoRenegade]

I picked up CleanApp in one of the holiday bundles ($15 otherwise). What attracted me is the fact that it logs installs, a sure fire way to get everything. It has a Community feature, where items users uninstalled per the target app are also listed. I've learned to pretty much ignore that aspect. The basic parts of the app work well enough that I was able to reinstall a certain trial app -- it had introduced some new features, so I wanted to try again. Doubt if I'd have been able to do so absent the CleanApp uninstall.... good thing, as I wound up purchasing that app the 2d go round.

http://www.syniumsoftware.com/cleanapp/

 

[GGJstudios]

AppZapper, AppCleaner, TrashMe, CleanApp and similar apps do not do a thorough job of removing all files/folders related to deleted apps. I tested several of these, using Skype as the app to be removed. Of 17 items to be removed:

AppZapper missed 13 items
AppCleaner missed 11 items
AppDelete missed 8 items
Hazel missed 9 items​

I also tested AppTrap, CleanMyMac and a few others, but don't recall how many items they missed. All left files/folders behind. In most cases, they remove .plist files and a few others, but leave behind much larger files and folders. (you will find a discussion of these tests in the thread linked below)

One app that I would not recommend, based on the number of complaints that have been posted in this forum and elsewhere, is CleanMyMac. As an example: CleanMyMac cleaned too much

The only effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​