Luckily, there are apps such as AppCleaner, which solves the issue elegantly and for free. AppCleaner is a small utility with only a single screen, where you can drop installed apps. Anytime you drop an app onto the AppCleaner, the utility automatically finds all files associated with the app you want to delete and removes them. To uninstall App Store Mac apps, open Launchpad Press and hold the option key Click x on the app icon's top click Delete. In AppCleaner, you might see some.

One of the things people love aboutthe Mac is how easy it is to uninstall an unwanted application. Below comes directly from the Apple Supportpage.

Uninstall apps

You canremove apps that you downloaded and installed from the internet or from adisc.

1. On your Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock, then click Applications in the Finder sidebar.
2. Do one of the following:
   1. If an app is in a folder, open the app’s folder to check for an Uninstaller. If you see Uninstall [App] or [App] Uninstaller, double-click it, then follow the onscreen instructions.
   1. If an app isn’t in a folder or doesn’t have an Uninstaller, drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (at the end of the Dock).

WARNING: Theapp is permanently removed from your Mac the next time you or the Finderempties the Trash. If you have files that you created with the app, you may notbe able to open them again. If you decide you want to keep the app, get it backbefore emptying the Trash—select the app in the Trash, then choose File >Put Back.

To uninstall apps you purchased from the App Store, use Launchpad.

This is possible because unlikeWindows, the icon in the Applications folder is more than a prettypicture. It is actually the completeapplication, sometimes referred to as a “package”. If you want to see this for yourself,right-click on any application icon and select the option that says, “ShowPackage Contents”. That will bring youto a folder marked Contents, and in there are the files and folders that makeup the application.

Whileit’s OK to look around, DO NOT move or delete any of the files as it will“break” the application.

Appcleaner App Store Android

Ifyou drag the application icon to the trash, and then empty the trash, all ofthe content goes with it, so technically, the application has been deleted fromyour Mac.

Whilethat is a true statement, and that really is all you must do, it is also truethat when you previously ran the application, it created a variety of otherfiles which are scattered across your computer. Files that control application preferences, application supportservices, etc. are embedded within the operating system and within variouslibraries.

ManyApple experts, including Apple itself, will tell you that these left-over filestake up minimal space on your hard drive and are harmless to the futureoperation of your Mac. That isabsolutely true and for many years, we just ignored them when deleting anapplication. But like many of our readers, we like to keep our Mac as neat aspossible and wanted to know if there was a better way to uninstallapplications.

EnterAppCleaner

AppCleaner is a small application that searches your Mac for the small files that are usually left behind when you drag an application to the trash.

The app has a minimalist design and is comprised of a single screen with several options.

To use AppCleaner, you simply drag the application to be deleted, from your Applicatiosn folder, to the AppCleaner window, instead of to the trash. Within seconds, AppCleaner will search your Mac and identify all of the supporting folders and files for that application and present them to you as a list.

Dependingon the application you are deleting, most, if not all the folders and fileswill be checked off. You should alwaysreview the list to see if you want to include any items that may not have beenautomatically selected, although we recommend you just accept the default listselected by AppCleaner. When you click on the “Remove” button, the applicationand all the selected files and folders are sent to the trash. After that, you just empty the trash and theapplication is completely removed from your Mac.

As you seein the screen shot above, the full file path is shown for each file or folderto be removed. This helps you todetermine if a file to be removed, supports more than just the applicationbeing deleted, which helps you decide if a skipped file should be included ornot.

This isthe process we tend to follow but for first time users who may have a largequantity of applications to delete, there is also an option to see a completelist of your Applications folder.

There, youcan check off multiple applications and have them all removed at once.

The BottomLine

AppCleaneris not a “must-have” application. Thereis nothing wrong with continuing to follow the standard Apple recommendation ofjust dragging the application icon to the trash and considering it deleted. Butwith the clean design, simple use and speed of AppCleaner, there is also noreason not to use it and keep your Mac as clean as possible.

Afterseeing how well AppCleaner works, we wonder why Apple hasn’t included this inmacOS yet?

AppCleaneris a free download available from the FreeMacSoft web site here.

How do youremove applications from your Mac? Doyou just drag it to the trash or do you use an application removal app likeAppCleaner? Why not join theconversation and leave a comment below?

If you liked this article, please consider sharing it with your friends and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, “Follow Us” on Twitter and add the Apple Tech Talk channel to your Apple News app.

Apple Tech Talker

Share this post.

One of the things people love aboutthe Mac is how easy it is to uninstall an unwanted application. Below comes directly from the Apple Supportpage.

Uninstall apps

You canremove apps that you downloaded and installed from the internet or from adisc.

1. On your Mac, click the Finder icon in the Dock, then click Applications in the Finder sidebar.
2. Do one of the following:
   1. If an app is in a folder, open the app’s folder to check for an Uninstaller. If you see Uninstall [App] or [App] Uninstaller, double-click it, then follow the onscreen instructions.
   1. If an app isn’t in a folder or doesn’t have an Uninstaller, drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (at the end of the Dock).

WARNING: Theapp is permanently removed from your Mac the next time you or the Finderempties the Trash. If you have files that you created with the app, you may notbe able to open them again. If you decide you want to keep the app, get it backbefore emptying the Trash—select the app in the Trash, then choose File >Put Back.

To uninstall apps you purchased from the App Store, use Launchpad.

This is possible because unlikeWindows, the icon in the Applications folder is more than a prettypicture. It is actually the completeapplication, sometimes referred to as a “package”. If you want to see this for yourself,right-click on any application icon and select the option that says, “ShowPackage Contents”. That will bring youto a folder marked Contents, and in there are the files and folders that makeup the application.

Whileit’s OK to look around, DO NOT move or delete any of the files as it will“break” the application.

Ifyou drag the application icon to the trash, and then empty the trash, all ofthe content goes with it, so technically, the application has been deleted fromyour Mac.

Whilethat is a true statement, and that really is all you must do, it is also truethat when you previously ran the application, it created a variety of otherfiles which are scattered across your computer. Files that control application preferences, application supportservices, etc. are embedded within the operating system and within variouslibraries.

ManyApple experts, including Apple itself, will tell you that these left-over filestake up minimal space on your hard drive and are harmless to the futureoperation of your Mac. That isabsolutely true and for many years, we just ignored them when deleting anapplication. But like many of our readers, we like to keep our Mac as neat aspossible and wanted to know if there was a better way to uninstallapplications.

EnterAppCleaner

AppCleaner is a small application that searches your Mac for the small files that are usually left behind when you drag an application to the trash.

The app has a minimalist design and is comprised of a single screen with several options.

To use AppCleaner, you simply drag the application to be deleted, from your Applicatiosn folder, to the AppCleaner window, instead of to the trash. Within seconds, AppCleaner will search your Mac and identify all of the supporting folders and files for that application and present them to you as a list.

Dependingon the application you are deleting, most, if not all the folders and fileswill be checked off. You should alwaysreview the list to see if you want to include any items that may not have beenautomatically selected, although we recommend you just accept the default listselected by AppCleaner. When you click on the “Remove” button, the applicationand all the selected files and folders are sent to the trash. After that, you just empty the trash and theapplication is completely removed from your Mac.

Appcleaner App Store

As you seein the screen shot above, the full file path is shown for each file or folderto be removed. This helps you todetermine if a file to be removed, supports more than just the applicationbeing deleted, which helps you decide if a skipped file should be included ornot.

This isthe process we tend to follow but for first time users who may have a largequantity of applications to delete, there is also an option to see a completelist of your Applications folder.

There, youcan check off multiple applications and have them all removed at once.

The BottomLine

AppCleaneris not a “must-have” application. Thereis nothing wrong with continuing to follow the standard Apple recommendation ofjust dragging the application icon to the trash and considering it deleted. Butwith the clean design, simple use and speed of AppCleaner, there is also noreason not to use it and keep your Mac as clean as possible.

Afterseeing how well AppCleaner works, we wonder why Apple hasn’t included this inmacOS yet?

AppCleaneris a free download available from the FreeMacSoft web site here.

How do youremove applications from your Mac? Doyou just drag it to the trash or do you use an application removal app likeAppCleaner? Why not join theconversation and leave a comment below?

If you liked this article, please consider sharing it with your friends and leaving a comment below. Also, don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, “Follow Us” on Twitter and add the Apple Tech Talk channel to your Apple News app.

Apple Tech Talker

Share this post.