Reformatting Mac Every So Often - Application Artifacts

[JerSeattle77]

Hi,

I have found an issue that has come to light with Mac OS Ventura and I'm wondering if reformmating my mac routinely will help. When I reboot my mac I get notifications about login items. So it links to the login items (Settings > General > Login Items) and when I review the list I see tons out there for applications I have deleted off my computer. So now I'm realizing that artifacts are still running on my mac even though I'm not using the computer.

When I uninstall an application by deleting it shouldn't Apple clean-up artifacts that are hanging out there? An example is the application Zoom. I had it installed for some interviews I did but then I deleted once I didn't need it to save space and such. But zoom has an login item that runs in the background and is checking for software updates and sycning data. I click the little information icon and the terminal app is in the /bin folder and can't be deleted.

It might just be me but I don't feel exactly comfortable with artifacts from some random app I downloaded and delete still running in the background. When I delete an app I want it completely off my system like it was never there.

Any one have thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[hg.wells]

I wouldn't say reformatting your mac regularly will make much difference.

However, if you want to make sure you delete applications fully, look at the application's website.

Zoom, for example, details how to remove all of the additional artifacts:

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362983-Uninstalling-and-reinstalling-the-Zoom-application

 

[JerSeattle77]

Good point! There are some artifacts that are not as well named as zoom haha. Like on is just called "Open"..

 

[bogdanw]

Apple: Remove login items https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/remove-login-items-resolve-startup-problems-mh21210/mac

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"When I uninstall an application by deleting it shouldn't Apple clean-up artifacts that are hanging out there?"

If you just drag the app from the applications folder into the trash, then empty the trash...
... then the answer is "NO", it WILL NOT "clean up" other bits and pieces that get left behind.

A better way is to use the small, free utility named "AppCleaner" to get rid of an application AND the other "pieces" that it uses:

Get it here:

AppCleaner

Then, do this:
1. Open AppCleaner
2. Open your Applications folder (in the finder)
3. Grab the app you want to delete, and "drag and drop" it into AppCleaner's window.
4. AppCleaner will "look around" and gather up all the files related to the app.
5. If any are "unchecked", put a check into them.
6. Click the "remove" button, and they're ALL moved to the trash.
7. Close AppCleaner and empty the trash.
8. Gone!

I'm guessing there might be a few applications that AppCleaner can't "clean out" (perhaps Adobe stuff, Microsoft stuff, etc.). Those software publishers usually make available a standalone "uninstall" utility to get rid of them.