Uninstall program files on mac

To remove Symantec software, for example, you can download the uninstall feature from the company [source: Norton ]. Running an uninstall utility can make removing a program much easier.

Install apps

You should be aware that removing an unbundled program by moving it into the trash can leave behind orphan files on your computer. Preference files are usually small and you might want to ignore them if you're just trying to free up disk space. Background files or support files can be larger, especially for multimedia programs like Garageband [source: MacRumors ].

These files are likely to reside in Library folders in your hard drive or Home folder. They will usually be labeled with the name of the program, like Office or Acrobat, or the developer, such as Microsoft or Adobe. You can search for the relevant names using Spotlight, which is included with the Mac OS. Drag the files you find to the trash to get rid of them [source: The X Lab ].

It's vital to empty your Trash to complete the uninstall process. Exit all programs. Open the Applications folder, which you'll find by clicking on the hard disk icon.

Drag to the trash the icon of the program you want to uninstall. Empty the trash. More to Explore. The Pseudoscience Quiz. Related Content " ". So how do you get rid of them? There are a couple of ways. To completely delete an application and all of its linked files and folders, you can either do it manually or let another app do it for you.

This guide covers both. Either way, you're on your way to a spot-free Mac OS X computer.

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If the app you want to delete has an uninstaller associated with it, then use that before doing it manually. For instance, Flip4Mac and most Adobe products come with an uninstaller. Some apps also have uninstallers you can download off the web example: Adobe's Flash Player. This method relies on you doing the work to purge all associated files from your Mac.

If you don't want to do any work, and don't mind installing another app to do your dirty work, then jump down to the next method. Apps will usually reside in the Applications folder, but if not, you can use either Spotlight or Finder to locate it. Find the app you want to delete and drag it to Trash—I'll be getting rid of Samsung Kies. While it may seem strange to only discard a single file, what you're actually throwing away is a bundle of files, which you can view by right-clicking on the app and selecting "Show Package Contents.

Depending on the software that you're uninstalling, you might be asked to enter your admin password to properly dispose of the file s in Trash.

Now either right-click on the Trash icon and select "Empty Trash," or open Trash and click on "Empty" at the top-right corner, then confirm. Now you've seemingly uninstalled the app, but unfortunately you haven't rid your Mac of all the files associated with it, such as cache, framework, and PLIST files. Navigating through your Library folder, I'll show you how to get rid of these files and folders in the next step. Application resources—files which an app needs to function properly— can all be located within the Library folder on your hard drive.

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Inside of Library you'll see a clutter of folders, some of which contain the files relating to the app you deleted. Go inside of each folder and search for any files that are associated with your app. You might also have to do this in the root Library folder at Macintosh HD. Deleting the wrong files from Library could potentially cause harm to your other apps slow them down, wipe information, etc.