# What's the best way to uninstall an application?



## DammitJanet (Apr 14, 2006)

I'm so new to OS X and I want to uninstall a few apps on my Powerbook. What's the best way to do that?


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## VegasACF (May 27, 2005)

Some applications have uninstall applications that will remove every vestige of said application from your system.

Most people just trash the actual application and are done with it. The pref files that are left behind are of trifling size.

If it's something that leaves a footprint in _other_ programs, though, I'd try to find some uninstall application from the manufacturer. What are these applications you want to delete?


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

I shelled out a few bucks for CleanApp.

Not that I remove applications often, but it also allowed me to remove extra language files, PPC binaries in universal apps also.


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## SoltoN (Jul 5, 2007)

applications are "installed" to 2 places. The Applications folder we are all familier with, and the "YourHDNameHere/Library/Application Support " folder. 

If you delete the application from the application folder, and delete the folder with the applications name from the Application Support folder, you have removed all traces of the program from your computer.


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## DammitJanet (Apr 14, 2006)

Here's the deal. I started with Final Cut Studio installed, with everything except Motion. I got Final Cut Studio 2, and wanting to do a clean install instead of an upgrade, I moved all the Final Cut apps to the trash and emptied it. However, when I re-booted, nearly 30GB of space still seemed to be taken up by all the extra templates/crap you get when you install FCS. I started to install FCS2 hoping that it would pick up on the old files and maybe just overwrite them during the install process. Well, FCS2 takes about 30GB to install as well, and I'm now down to 16GB of space left on my 100GB hard drive inside my 17" Powerbook G4. I want to get rid of all the junk left behind by the first FCS install. 

What do I do now?


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

SoltoN said:


> If you delete the application from the application folder, and delete the folder with the applications name from the Application Support folder, you have removed all traces of the program from your computer.


Often true but not always.
Many apps install screensavers, system preferences, kernel drivers that can be stored in other locations.

In addition once you run an application it may setup save files in ~/Library for example.
(They should use an app specific folder in ~Application Support/AppName but some don't)

DammitJanet you could look in ~/Library/ for FC related files also including cache files.


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## drummerbull (Oct 24, 2006)

I personally use this program: http://appzapper.com/ to uninstall programs. It will search your computer and find the related files to that program, and you can easily trash them all.


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## [email protected] (Dec 16, 2007)

If you were prompted for your password during installation, then you will find components installed in the system-wide Library folder in /Library. (Note that /System/Library is the system's library folder and shouldn't be touched. subtle difference.)

Some applications may also install kernel extensions (/Library/Extensions), frameworks (/Library/Frameworks), and a lot of other things.


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## macmeister (Sep 28, 2007)

Usually, deleting the app itself acts as an uninstaller. HOWEVER, lots of times, the application has preference files and whatnot scattered around. You will need to trash all of those, along with the application. Appzapper is a nice application for it.

A very good freeware alternative would be AppDelete ----->http://pimpmymac.wordpress.com/2007/06/01/safely-delete-applications/


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