How to uninstall apps on your Mac completely, with no leftovers

Updated October 19, 2026

In short: Dragging an app from the Applications folder to the Trash removes only the app itself. Its settings, caches, containers, logs and sometimes background services stay behind in the Library folders. To remove an app completely, quit it, use its uninstaller if it has one, and then remove the leftovers that carry its bundle ID or its name.

1. Quit and uninstall the app

Quit the app, in the menu bar too if it has an icon there. Then open the Applications folder in the Finder. If the app sits in its own folder, look for an uninstaller there and use it; it often removes background services as well that you would otherwise have to hunt down by hand. If there is none, drag the app to the Trash. Apps that are part of macOS, such as Mail, Music or Notes, cannot be removed.

2. Find out the app's bundle ID

Most leftovers are not named after the app but after its bundle ID, such as com.company.AppName. While the app is still installed, Terminal shows it with osascript -e 'id of app "AppName"'. If it is already deleted, search the folders below for the developer's name.

3. Where the leftovers are

In the Finder, open the Library with Go > Go to Folder and ~/Library. Typical places, each with the bundle ID or the app's name:

~/Library/Application Support: the app's data, often the largest leftover.
~/Library/Caches and ~/Library/Logs: caches and logs.
~/Library/Containers: all data of App Store apps and other sandboxed apps.
~/Library/Preferences: settings as a .plist file.
~/Library/Saved Application State, HTTPStorages, WebKit and Cookies: window states and web data of the app.
~/Library/LaunchAgents: services that start when you log in.
/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons and /Library/Application Support: services and data for all users; macOS asks for your password to remove them.

4. Careful with shared folders

Some leftovers belong to more than one app. Folders in ~/Library/Group Containers and folders named after a developer are often shared by several apps from the same company. Only remove them when no other app from that developer is installed. And always move leftovers to the Trash first: if something is missing afterwards, "Put Back" restores it.

5. Check login items and background services

In System Settings under General, the login items show what starts when you log in and which apps may run in the background. If an entry of the deleted app is still listed there, a launch file usually remains in one of the LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons folders from step 3.

6. Find leftovers of apps deleted long ago

If you used to just drag apps to the Trash, their leftovers are still in your Library today. Sort ~/Library/Application Support and ~/Library/Containers by size and look for names of apps you no longer have. Before removing anything, make sure the app really is no longer installed; many folders belong to macOS itself and have names starting with com.apple..

Faster with SpaceBroom

SpaceBroom's Uninstaller shows each app's settings, caches, containers and launch files with path and size, offers to quit the running app first and moves everything to the Trash, except leftovers in /Library: those are not preselected and are deleted only after you enter your administrator password, and then for good. It removes the app's login item along with it. What several apps share is marked as shared and not preselected. The same view also finds the leftovers of apps deleted long ago. More ways to free up space are in the guide How to free up storage space on your Mac: 9 ways that work.