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MacBook Air Unwanted "apps"

I have a couple of unwanted "apps" that aren't physical app able to delete. I notice that I can delete them under Privacy in the folder Full Disk Access but every time I check it and press the minus nothing happens. How can I delete it? I've been trying everything and nothing is working. Please help.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.0

Posted on Jan 23, 2021 9:54 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 23, 2021 10:11 PM

Hey Lizalva!


Can you right click (Or fold control and click) on that app within those preferences > Select “Show in Finder”?


This would surely show its location.


Likewise while in Finder, you can click, on the top menu View > Show Path Bar, then on the bottom of the Finder window you’ll see the path that leads to the file if you need it, (It’s almost always Applications).


Otherwise did you happen to search the app using Spotlight or Finder?


Search Spotlight:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/spotlight-mchlp1008/mac


Search Finder:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201732


If they are apps you recognize, I’d check to see if they came with an I installer to be sure they are fully removed.


Sometimes the uninstalled comes within the Apps contents, in a separate folder, or elsewhere, but most of the time, depending on the App, when open you can click either “Help > Uninstall” on the top menu or “App Name > Uninstall (Or Preferences > Uninstall”.


Mac, how to delete Apps:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202235


This article I’ve found really helps as well, especially if you already know where the app is located.


Also another good spot to check is in System Preferences > Users and Groups, if there I’d remove the app there the same way you did in Privacy Preferences > Restart.


Hope that helps!



3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 23, 2021 10:11 PM in response to Lizalva

Hey Lizalva!


Can you right click (Or fold control and click) on that app within those preferences > Select “Show in Finder”?


This would surely show its location.


Likewise while in Finder, you can click, on the top menu View > Show Path Bar, then on the bottom of the Finder window you’ll see the path that leads to the file if you need it, (It’s almost always Applications).


Otherwise did you happen to search the app using Spotlight or Finder?


Search Spotlight:

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/spotlight-mchlp1008/mac


Search Finder:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201732


If they are apps you recognize, I’d check to see if they came with an I installer to be sure they are fully removed.


Sometimes the uninstalled comes within the Apps contents, in a separate folder, or elsewhere, but most of the time, depending on the App, when open you can click either “Help > Uninstall” on the top menu or “App Name > Uninstall (Or Preferences > Uninstall”.


Mac, how to delete Apps:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202235


This article I’ve found really helps as well, especially if you already know where the app is located.


Also another good spot to check is in System Preferences > Users and Groups, if there I’d remove the app there the same way you did in Privacy Preferences > Restart.


Hope that helps!



MacBook Air Unwanted "apps"

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