how to delete apps on Mac

How to Delete Apps on Mac for Seamless Functionality

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As humankind has been evolving, it has shifted from mechanical solutions to daily work to a computerized approach. The computerization of things has led to a faster world over the years. In the current years, we have taken technology to such a level that we cannot think of other solutions. Even something as small as understanding how to delete apps on Mac becomes crucial for seamless functionality in the business.

Technology has made its way into how we conduct ourselves in workspaces to the way we sleep, eat, and drink. However, not so long ago, science and technology have their applications restricted to calculations and simple arithmetic. This was when the first computers were made to determine how numbers can be simpler for human beings.

Since then, science has made its way into more significant humankind projects, allowing us to set foot on the moon and even think of conquering other planets in space. If we had to consider within our circles, we could not function without using computers – macro or mini ones. Computerization is how people live in this day.

To make our work faster and more straightforward, we have used operating systems and applications in every device we use. Gone are the days when we used to wait for our internet connection to connect us to the World Wide Web, log in to a web page and then access the information. These days all we need to do is download a web application and then access it whenever we have the time.

These applications require space on the memory of phones and laptops. Given the superiority of macOS and iOS nowadays, web applications and mobile applications are innumerable in number and kind. They require some specific knowledge to work on the applications. Thus, in this article, we will deal with how to delete apps on Mac and learn more about installing them and working around them.

What Are Applications?

Applications are commonly known as apps and are of two types in this day. They are developed in two distinct ways – for web and mobile devices. Applications are software run on various platforms to provide the services to users for which they were developed. Application software can run on all devices such as desktops, laptops, as well as mobile phones. However, based on the platform they are designed for, they adapt accordingly.

The point of applications is to serve the same purpose as those of web pages without logging into the web page using the Internet. They are small units of codes that are specialized for one particular function. It is none other than Apple itself, which made web-based applications and mobile applications so popular worldwide.

Once the mobile application was widely popular all over the world, it slowly gained others’ attraction. This led to the development of mobile applications for a large number of platforms. In most cases, the media were not even limited to just one platform. However, in this article, we shall only talk about macOS and iOS specifically and learn how to delete apps on Mac.

Before we get to the part where we understand how applications are uninstalled or deleted on MacOS, let us check out the installation procedure.

How To Install Apps On Mac?

macOS can tend to be a bit confusing when it comes to work, such as installing and uninstalling an application or any other work for that matter. A little guidance is always necessary for one and all. Applications are present in the Apple Store. However, for applications that are not present in the Apple Store, they can be installed using the Setup files.

Some of the commonly found installers on the macOS platform are three types. They are the PKG installers, the DMG files with the Mac application present in them, and the applications in the form of ZIP files. The ZIP files can be easily extracted with the help of an extracting software, but before we do that, one needs to know to install the extracting software in the first place.

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Installing an application from the Apple Store is relatively simple as it requires one to search for the application and hit ‘Download.’ The Mac App Store is a great place to look for all sorts of applications. Usually, all mobile applications are uploaded on the App Store to reach the Apple user base.

Once you download the application, the app becomes a part of the folder named ‘Applications’ on your laptop or phone. The App Store looks after the time to time updates of the software and removal of bugs. If you happen to make a purchase on the App Store on one device, you can use the purchased product on another machine as long as you can log in to your account from the other device.

Files that are not available on the App Store come in the DMG and PKG format that can be Dragged and Dropped or Run just like any other Set Up file to install on your mobile phone or desktop. However, in this article, we look at the uninstallation or removal procedure in detail. The next segment deals with how to delete apps on Mac.

How To Delete Apps On Mac?

While using an application, uninstallation is relatively standard as one loses the interest or need for the service any longer. Getting rid of an application from Mac is not as difficult as it may seem to be – instead, it is quite simple once you know the steps of how to delete apps on Mac. Of course, the procedure to install an application is not the same as the procedure followed during the uninstallation.

On the same note, the process to uninstall apps downloaded from the Internet will not be the same as removing apps from the App Store. For the reader’s convenience, we shall cover both so that people on the Internet know how to delete apps on Mac by the end of this article.

In some cases, Mac users often run out of storage for which they need to uninstall or delete apps. Making space for newer and better content means getting rid of the old stuff you have on your phone. The key reason to do so is that applications require updates and purchases. Even though the investment can be made manually, the updates are automatic. Besides, the updates also need space in the phone memory.

A warning about space issues is nothing but utterly annoying. Thus, cleaning up one’s space within their devices is of utmost importance. Let us take a look at the removal of apps that have been installed from the App Store, as well as the procedure to remove apps that have been installed using a setup file from the Internet.

How To Delete Applications From App Store?

The only way to delete an application that has been installed through the App Store is by using Launchpad. The Launchpad icon is present on the dock itself. Consider the following steps to delete applications installed from the App Store.

  1. Open your Mac interface – desktop or mobile.
  2. Click on the Launchpad icon present on the dock. You can also navigate to the Launchpad icon using the Applications folder. If you type out the name in the Search Bar of the dock screen, then the Launchpad appears with the option to toggle between screens using left or right swipes with fingers.
  3. Click and long hold any of the icons on the screen. Let go of the icon when all the app icons on the screen start to shake or jiggle. You can also click and long-press the ‘Option’ key.
  4. Look for the application that you wish to delete from your device.
  5. Once you find the application on your device, click on the Delete button. You can also click the tiny cross option right beside the app.
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These steps prove invalid if you have installed an application from the Internet by downloading an installer file. An application that has been downloaded from the Internet will have no cross sign beside it when you long-press it. One needs to keep in mind that getting rid of an application does not cancel the subscription to it or any subscription within it. You have to cancel the subscription separately to do so.

Find the instructions to remove an app that has been downloaded from the Internet in the next section.

How To Remove Apps From The Internet?

Use the internet to download the applications that are not available on the App Store. Users can download the files in three different formats and install them according to the procedure as the file format requires. Applications that have been downloaded from the Internet cannot be uninstalled with the help of the Launchpad. Instead, you can find them on the Finder with a little more effort.

Follow the steps given below to successfully uninstall the application which has been downloaded from the Internet.

  1. Open your Mac interface and look for the Finder icon.
  2. The Finder icon is the icon, which is a blue icon with a smile on it.
  3. Navigate to ‘Applications’ on the left of the window. Most applications of your Mac device will be under the Applications bar of the window.
  4. If you cannot use the above option, you can also use the ‘Spotlight’ option to find the application and then hold on to the Command key after you have clicked on the icon twice.
  5. Select the application that you wish to uninstall from your device.
  6. Check the folder for an uninstaller tool that may be present inside the app folder.
  7. If not, then long-press the app icon and drag it to the icon that looks like a trash can.
  8. Alternatively, ‘Move to Trash’ option appears when the user right-clicks on the application icon that they want delete
  9. This moves the undesired application to the Trash folder.

Things to note

In some instances, the device will ask for a username and password after selecting to move the application to the trash. In this case, make sure to enter the username and the respective password of the device admin. If you are the admin, the credentials you use to log in to the device are the same as the admin login credentials.

There may be times when one has managed to uninstall an app, and they thought they did not need it even when they require it. Under such circumstances, you can choose to reinstall it from the App Store, or you can reinstall the operating system. Suppose you have learned how to delete apps on Mac and delete an application that came with the macOS, such as iTunes, Safari, Mail, Books, Messages, etc. In that case, you have to reinstall the entire operating system again – MacOS.

If it is a third-party application or a file that you have mistakenly deleted, then you can indeed download it again from the App Store. You can also track iTunes Store and Apple Books section for the respective file types. The process to uninstall, reinstall, or install anything on a Mac environment is far more comfortable than anything else on an Apple device.

Final thoughts

You can clean the leftovers once you have uninstalled the main application. You can either make use of the option to delete caches and temporary files, or you can make use of another third-party application for the same.

Users can also do away with the application support files and the preferences to ensure more space on the device. Getting rid of the traces frees up much space on the phone itself. People should do this manually and reduce their hurdles while using Mac devices.

Shusree Mukherjee

With 10+ years of experience in SEO content writing, Shusree believes content can move mountains while you deep dive into a pool of new experiences through learning and unlearning. Shusree loves to write on travel, health, beauty, celebrity, food, and all that jazz.