Getting rid of programs with a Mac might be easy. Or difficult. Easy because in many instances simply drag the program's icon to the trash and also the software disappears. Difficult because Mac doesn't are the uninstall feature that Windows users neglect. Some programs create files within the nooks and crannies of one's Mac's hard disk drive, and finding them usually takes some detective work.

Why do you need to uninstall a plan? For the similar reason you occasionally tidy your working environment or clean your garage. Clutter breeds inefficiency. Applications occupy space on your harddrive which enable it to slow your computer. Also, a whole new version of an program may not work correctly until you remove the old one..

uninstall programs on mac

More often than not, uninstalling is simple:

    Exit all programs.
    Open the Applications folder, which you'll find by clicking on hard disk icon.
    Drag on the trash the icon from the program you wish to uninstall.
    Empty the trash.

This technique works fine with many applications, like iTunes or Quicken. The files because of these applications are common held in one location. In Mac talk, they are "bundled." To determine if a course is bundled, click on its icon while holding down the Control key. If your box appears that says, "show package contents," it is a bundled program along with the drag-to-the-trash method is probably the easiest way to uninstall it [source: Tech-FAQ].

For many other programs, removal is a bit more complicated. When installed, these programs create files in numerous locations. The initial step in removing them would be to check the program's documentation to see if it has an uninstall utility. If the program comes with an uninstall utility associated with it, it may well are actually installed while using program or included on the disk that had it. To take out Symantec software, for example, you are able to download the uninstall feature through the company [source: Norton]. Running an uninstall utility may make removing a program less difficult.

uninstall programs on mac

You should be aware that removing an unbundled program by moving it in the rubbish bin forget orphan files on your pc. Preference files are often small and you may want to ignore them if you are just trying to get back disk space. Background files or support files can be larger, specifically for multimedia programs like Garageband [source: MacRumors]. These files are likely to reside in Library folders with your harddrive or Home folder. They'll usually be labeled using the name with the program, like Office or Acrobat, or even the developer, including Microsoft or Adobe. Searching for your relevant names using Spotlight, which is incorporated with the Mac OS. Drag the files you find to the trash to remove them