When Mac is first used by novices, they often feel confused and don’t know how to uninstall software. In fact, the method of uninstalling software is simpler and more direct than novices imagine.
Basic operations of uninstallation
On Mac, the most classic way is to drag the application directly to the Trash. You can find the software you want to delete in the "Applications" folder, and use your mouse to drag its icon to the Trash at the bottom of the screen. You can also right-click the program icon and select "Move to Trash" from the menu.
Another shortcut method is to use the keyboard. After selecting the application, press the Command key and Delete key at the same time. The program will be immediately moved to the Trash. Then, you need to right-click the Trash icon and select "Empty Trash" to finally delete it. This process is simple but can effectively remove most software.
Uninstall using Launchpad
For applications downloaded from the Mac App Store, uninstalling them is faster. You can click the "Launchpad" icon on the Dock bar, or press the F4 function key on the keyboard to enter. Here, all installed programs will be displayed in the form of an icon grid.
Once you find the target program, tap and hold its icon until all the icons start to vibrate. At this time, an "X" button will appear in the upper left corner of some applications. Click it and confirm to uninstall it. This method is just like deleting an app on the iPhone. There is no need to go through the trash, and the deletion will have immediate effects.
Use third-party uninstall tools
If you feel that the manual operation is not complete enough, you can use third-party removal software. Take tools such as CleanMyMac and AppCleaner as examples. They provide graphical interfaces to make the uninstall process more intuitive. You just need to open the software and check the program you want to delete in the list.
The advantage of these tools is that they can perform deep cleaning. They will not only delete the original program, but also scan and prompt to delete related configuration files, as well as cache and log files. This will help free up more disk space and avoid the accumulation of residual files.
Handling apps with standalone uninstallers
Some large-scale professional software will come with an uninstaller, which is more common in Adobe or Microsoft suites. For example, after installing Adobe Photoshop, you may find a program called "Adobe Creative Cloud Uninstall Tool" in the "Applications" folder.
If you encounter this situation, you should run the official uninstaller. Generally speaking, it can more completely remove the main program, as well as all plug-ins and shared components. However, if you choose to delete the main program files of such software directly manually, it may cause the uninstallation to be incomplete, or have an impact on other related software.
Manually clean up residual files
After uninstalling using the above method, occasionally user configuration files will still be left behind. These files are saved in the user's resource library, which stores personal settings. If you want to perform a complete cleanup, you can delete them manually.
Open the Finder, press the shortcut keys Command + Shift + G, and enter "~/Library/" to go to the resource library. Here you can check the "Application Support", "Caches", "Preferences" and other folders to find folders with the same name as the deleted application and delete them. Be careful when doing this operation to avoid accidentally deleting system files.
Special and advanced situations
For some software that is difficult to uninstall, such as old plug-ins or kernel extensions, more complicated steps may be required. Sometimes it is necessary to disable the relevant items in the "Login Items" of "System Settings" first, and then perform the deletion operation. Sometimes it is necessary to disable the relevant items in the "Extensions" of "System Settings" first, and then delete them.
Even if you are already familiar with the command line, you can use the terminal to uninstall. However, for the vast majority of users, especially novices, it is not recommended to try this method first. Once improper operation occurs, it is very likely to affect the stability of the system, and the several graphical methods mentioned above are sufficient to meet daily needs.
When you uninstall Mac software, have you ever been troubled by some "stubborn" residual files? How did you solve it? You are welcome to share your experience and skills in the comment area. If you feel this article is helpful, don’t forget to like it and support it.
