Skip to main content

Mac: How to delete apps

Whether you’re new to Mac or just haven’t deleted apps on macOS before, the process is a little different than on iPhone and iPad. Follow along for how to easily delete apps on a Mac.

Compared to deleting apps on iPhone and iPad, uninstalling apps on Mac is a bit more tedious with multiple steps, however it is still a relatively simple task. There are also a couple of different processes to follow depending on if it’s a standard Mac application, a plug in, etc.

Mac: How to delete apps

  1. Open Finder
  2. Click on Applications on the left hand sidebar
  3. Find the application(s) you’d like to delete
  4. Right click and select Move to Trashclick and drag it to the trash, or use the keyboard shortcut command + delete to delete the application
  5. Now, click on the trash and click Empty in the top right corner, and confirm by clicking Empty Trash

Follow along with the walkthrough below for how the process looks in addition to deleting plug ins and other software like Adobe Flash from System Preferences.

If you’d like to delete multiple applications at once, hold the command key down while you click to select apps, then use command + delete to batch erase them.

To complete the process, open the trash and click Empty.

If you’re trying to delete software like plugins and such, you’ll need to open System Preferences.

Right click on the application/plug in you’d like to delete and click Remove.

Open the trash and click Empty, then Empty Trash.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:


Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel