How to find and remove apps you no longer use on a Mac
Updated
Apps you installed for one job and never opened again can take gigabytes, and some keep running small helpers in the background. Finding them takes a minute in Finder; removing them properly takes a little more care.
Find apps you have not opened
- Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar, or press Shift-Command-A.
- Switch to list view with Command-2.
- Press Command-J and tick Date Last Opened and Size. Tick Calculate all sizes so app sizes show.
- Click the Date Last Opened header so the oldest are at the top.
Storage settings also has an Applications view. Open System Settings, then General, then Storage, and click the info button next to Applications to see your apps listed by size.
Decide what to remove
- Remove apps you replaced with something else, trial apps you did not buy and one-off tools for a finished project.
- Keep apps you open rarely but need, such as a printer utility or a VPN for travel.
- Check whether an app holds data you want first. Export notes, projects or settings before uninstalling.
Uninstall it
For most apps, drag the app from Applications to the Trash, then empty the Trash. Some apps need a different route:
- Apps that came with their own uninstaller, often found in the app's folder or on the developer's website, should be removed with it, because they install extra parts elsewhere.
- Apps from the Mac App Store can be deleted the same way, and you can reinstall them later from your purchase history.
- If macOS asks for your password when you drag an app to the Trash, the app was installed by an administrator account; that is normal.
Check what stays behind
Deleting an app usually leaves its settings and caches in your Library folder. These are normally small and harmless. If an app stored a lot of data, such as a game or a design tool with libraries, look in ~/Library/Application Support for a folder with its name. Remove only folders that clearly belong to the app you deleted.
Open the Library folder from Finder by choosing Go, then holding the Option key, then choosing Library.
Cancel subscriptions and background items
- Deleting an app does not cancel a subscription. Check your subscriptions in the App Store app from your account page, or on the developer's website if you subscribed there.
- Open System Settings, then General, then Login Items, to see apps that open at login and background items that may remain after an app is gone. Turn off any you no longer recognise.
Let FileSift list unused apps for you
FileSift's Clean Up screen lists apps you have not opened in months together with duplicates, old screenshots and installers, and shows the space each group could free. It confirms the count and size before it moves anything, and removals go to the Trash first, so you can put an app back if you change your mind. It is a quick way to spot candidates; check the data an app holds before you empty the Trash.
Common questions
Is it safe to delete apps that came with macOS?
No. Built-in apps such as Safari are part of the system and are protected. Leave them alone.
Does deleting an app remove its documents?
No. Documents you saved in Documents, Desktop or iCloud Drive stay where they are.
Related guides
- How to free up space on your Mac
- How to find large files on a Mac
- DMG and PKG installer files on a Mac: what they are and when to delete them
- Mac cleaner apps: what the different kinds do, and where FileSift fits
- How to find and delete duplicate files on a Mac
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