[Uninstall Apps On Mac From Terminal
Tabatha Pasqua
When you uninstall programs using Launchpad, it not only sends them to the Trash, but it also deletes all their additional files from your Mac. To remove an app with the help of Launchpad:
Finder is a utility that displays folders, files, and apps on a Mac. This also includes the data stored on iCloud Drive and even on external devices. Finder lets you organize the entire array of files on your computer, including cleaning data storage, and you can also use it to uninstall software on your Mac. Using advanced search, you can locate the program that you want to delete, and the files associated with it.
With many apps, basic removal on Macs is fairly easy. You drag the app to your Trash, empty your Trash, and the deleted app never rears its head again. However, there are some situations where properly removing apps can be difficult:
If you are trying to delete an old application, reinstall corrupted software, or just free up disk space on your Mac, removing all components of the program is important. These include the app, its preferences and support files, and sometimes other hidden files.
To completely remove programs from Mac manually, you have to find all the associated files that come along with the app. That means not just dragging the app icon to the Trash from your Applications folder but searching the depths of the system files on your Mac.
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder within the Applications folder, most likely, it will have a separate uninstaller. Otherwise, its uninstaller will look like a separate app. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].
Deleting apps can be a cumbersome task. Nevertheless, with the help of the tips we shared, it will become easier and less painful, especially if you give preference to third-party apps, such as CleanMyMac X.
The best way is to use a third-party app like CleanMyMac X and its Uninstaller module. It will not only remove all leftovers but also do that in no time. Another effective alternative is running a native uninstaller, but only a few apps come with it.
Knowing how to delete apps on your Mac correctly is key to keeping your device optimized and running smoothly. But not everyone realizes this process varies depending on whether you downloaded apps from the App Store or the Internet. This article covers all you need to know about removing programs from Mac the right way. Let's go!
So many Mac users believe that simply moving applications to Trash is a sure way to get rid of them once and for all. Well, the ugly truth is, it's not. Sure, it does remove apps from your device, but what it doesn't do is erase leftover files and accounts associated with applications. And that's why we, users, should learn the correct path for deleting programs to avoid Mac clutter.
If you want to thoroughly and safely remove all traces of applications, then a third-party tool like CleanMyMac X is exactly what you need. This powerful tool comes with an Uninstaller module that removes apps and their files altogether. It also sorts your data into categories, including unused, leftovers, vendors, and stores, to help you quickly find the app you want to remove. It's surprising what you have installed on your device when you see your apps categorized like this.
When you delete an application from your Mac using the Launchpad or Trash methods, these files are often left behind. Later, it snowballs into digital clutter that takes up valuable space on your drive.
Simply moving an app to Trash does not uninstall it completely. It only removes the app binary while leftover files are still there on your Mac, and you will need to take extra steps to get rid of them.
The most effective way to delete apps involves complete removal. The best option is to use a third-party uninstaller like CleanMyMac X because even native uninstallers that come with some apps may miss some leftover files.
Some apps come preinstalled with macOS, so they cannot be removed and should stay on your Mac. For other apps that won't delete, the simplest troubleshooting includes force quitting an app and restarting a Mac before trying to delete them again.
Enter "apt remove (program name)" into a Terminal or the command line to uninstall a program from Ubuntu or any other Debian-based Linux distribution. Run "dnf remove (program)" in a command-line interface or the Terminal to remove a program from Fedora.
Linux distributions provide different methods for installing software. You can install software from the standard Ubuntu or Fedora software repositories using the Software Center, from outside of the standard Ubuntu or Fedora software repositories, or by compiling source code. However, what if you need to uninstall a program?
If you've installed software from the Ubuntu software repositories using the Ubuntu Software Center, you can use the Ubuntu Software Center to uninstall that software as well. However, if you're more comfortable using the command line, we'll show you an easy way to see what's installed on your system and uninstall programs.
If you have an idea of what you want to uninstall, but you don't know the exact name, see our article about finding out exact package names in Linux. You can also use the "dpkg" command to see a list of all installed packages on your computer. Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a Terminal window, then enter the following command into the prompt:
To uninstall a program, use the apt command, which is the general command for installing programs and manipulating installed programs. For example, the following command uninstalls gimp and deletes all the configuration files, using the purge command.
Programs installed in Linux --- just like Windows and MacOS --- depend on other packages to function. When you uninstall a program, there may be packages that the uninstalled program depended upon that are no longer used. To remove any unused packages, use the "autoremove" command, as shown in the following example.
This command removes the aptitude cache in "/var/cache/apt/archives". When you install a program, the package file is downloaded and stored in that directory. You don't need to keep the files in that directory. However, there is a potential drawback from deleting them: if you decide to install any of those programs again, the packages will have to be downloaded again.
Fedora is another popular Linux distribution, but uses a different package manager named DNF. Fortunately, DNF shares a lot its syntax with APT --- that means if you're familiar with APT from Debian, you won't have a difficult time using DNF.
Open up a Terminal window --- or just type in the command-line interface (CLI) --- and run the following command to list the installed libraries and programs. It's handy if you know what you want to remove but don't recall the specific name.
Remove is generally a safer command than autoremove. Autoremove has occasionally been known to get a bit overzealous and remove something it shouldn't. If you don't care too much about making sure stray dependencies get removed, just use sudo dnf remove.
Fedora is usually pretty good at grabbing only the correct dependencies, but if you notice something on the "Removing Unused Dependencies" list that you'd like to keep, you can manually flag it to be kept. Enter the following command in a command line to keep a dependency:
Of course, adding and removing packages is only the beginning of running a Linux installation. There are a handful of other basic commands that you should know if you're going to use Linux regularly.
Lori Kaufman is a writer who likes to write geeky how-to articles to help make people's lives easier through the use of technology. She loves watching and reading mysteries and is an avid Doctor Who fan.
Nick Lewis is a editor at How-To Geek. He has been using computers for 20 years --- tinkering with everything from the UI to the Windows registry to device firmware. Before How-To Geek, he used Python and C++ as a freelance programmer. In college, Nick made extensive use of Fortran while pursuing a physics degree.
Nick's love of tinkering with computers extends beyond work. He has been running video game servers from home for more than 10 years using Windows, Ubuntu, or Raspberry Pi OS. He also uses Proxmox to self-host a variety of services, including a Jellyfin Media Server, an Airsonic music server, a handful of game servers, NextCloud, and two Windows virtual machines.
He enjoys DIY projects, especially if they involve technology. He regularly repairs and repurposes old computers and hardware for whatever new project is at hand. He has designed crossovers for homemade speakers all the way from the basic design to the PCB.
Nick enjoys the outdoors. When he isn't working on a computer or DIY project, he is most likely to be found camping, backpacking, or canoeing.
I install some new apps from the nextcloud store. I would like to know how I can remove the software using the terminal. One of the apps that I downloaded, has caused an issue with opening nextcloud from form the web. I can ssh to the Ubuntu 19.04 server but I can open my nextcloud web page. I get a blank page of my nextcloud instances. From what I getting so far is that I need to uninstall apps from the occ consul. What directory can I find occ and can some share with me the link to get there.
You can use conventional methods like removing applications to the Trash and the Launchpad of Monterey. The uninstallation process may be more straightforward using those traditional approaches. However, specialized program uninstallers, third-party applications, and Terminal commands can assist in removing the files in their entirety.
This page illustrates how to uninstall applications on Mac, including Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, etc. If you require a thorough explanation, read through this page to get the appropriate methods of macOS application uninstallation right away:
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