How to uninstall apps in macOS

We’ve all been there: you downloaded an exciting new app because you thought it might be fun — useful, even — but you didn’t end up using it, something better came out, or you’ve just gotten bored and it’s time for it to go. Never fear — uninstalling an app from macOS is a simple process that takes just a few seconds.

The process is slightly different for apps you downloaded from the internet and those you got from the App Store. Here’s how to clean out both.

To uninstall apps you got from the App Store, you’ll need to use Launchpad.

Apps with an X in the corner can be deleted from the Launchpad.

If the app you want to delete doesn’t have a delete button, then that app can’t be removed with Launchpad. If that’s the case, follow the steps below.

Quite a few apps don’t let you uninstall them using Launchpad — instead, you’ll need to use Finder to get rid of them.

The Applications folder holds most of your current apps.

Once you’ve found the app you want to delete, drag it to the Trash (usually found in the lower right).

Update February 12th, 2024, 4:45PM ET: This article was originally published on June 10th, 2020, and has been updated to account for changes in the OS.

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