Why do Apple Pages, Numbers and Keynote keep reinstalling themselves on my Macbook Pro?

Have you tried System Settings > General > Software Update & clicking the circled 'i' to get this dialog? Then deselect "Install application updates from the App Store."

Response to lichtgeish ; Uninstall Apps ~ MacBook Pro

The link below explains uninstalling apps that come with your Mac :

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

Additionally , turn off those apps in iCloud .

💻

Hi lichtgeistt,

Adding to Peggy's excellent reply:

These are my settings in System Settings > General > Automatic updates > Off!

Clicking on the circled 'i' to get this dialog:

I do want to Check for updates. I get Notifications of updates which I can view and either allow or refuse.

I don't allow any other option until I see what that entails.

'Install Security Responses and system files' can be vital to protect your Mac, but I prefer to allow those updates only at a time convenient to me. I don't want those updates when I am busy!

Tested on macOS Ventura 13.3.1

I am merely adding to Peggy's reply. Please do not mark my reply as Helpful or Best Answer.

Regards,

Ian.

lichtgeistt wrote:

they manage to appear back on launchpad and even override excel/word even though I have these 2 as the default apps.

Why not just leave them on your Mac? They don't take up much room, and who knows, some day you might want to use them.

They won't override Excel/Word if you follow the instructions in the "Permanently change ... " section here:

Choose an app to open a file on Mac - Apple Support

It's a quick change.

SG

No need to worry about passwords and greyed out options, or removing apps that you might someday want to use.

In Finder select a file (let's say a .csv file) that you want to always open in Excel instead of Numbers, type command-i, choose Excel in the dropdown, click 'Change all...' and close.

Same thing if, say, Pages insists on opening your .docx files but you want them to always open in Microsoft Word. Just select one of those files in Finder, type command-i, choose Microsoft Word.app from the dropdown, then click 'Change All...' :

SG

I came here because of the same issue.

Why not just leave them on my Mac?

Because I don't want them on my Mac. I intentionally deleted them from my Mac, which own and paid north of $5k for. No other app that I delete gets reinstalled automatically. I shouldn't need to use a workaround for this, or disable automatic software updates for ALL apps and suggesting otherwise is ridiculous.

Good Morning everyone,

can I bump this thread? I have the same issue as the OP - Keynote, Pages, iMovie etc just does not remain deleted but overnight keeps reinstalling. Alltogether the apps take around 5GB of space which is completely unneccesary.

I have automatic updates off, deleted these apps via Launcher, in Finder/Applications, through Settings > Storage > Applications > Delete. Checked iCloud settings (there is nothing afaik).

Please help? How do I get rid of these apps?

Reason in case someone asks - I have "only" 500GB SDD and use 430GB already - should have bought 1TB, my mistake but thats what I have now so I am trying to optimise disk usage.

many thanks !

Numbers on my drive is about 0.6 GB. If you have 70 GB left then if my math is correct that's less than 1%.

Removing the apps is not going to "move the needle" much at all.

Why not just leave the apps on the Mac and manage storage in other ways that are going to make a difference? One way is to go to Storage Settings under System Settings.

SG

True Numbers is small, but its all of it, Pages, Keynote, iMovie, Garageband. iMovie for whatever reason is like 3GB. But yes I gave up now, moved the apps into a folder and thats it. Still weird though that there is no way to just delete them.

iMovie and garageBand are larger apps and also have a large library of additional helper files (Sound Loops, etc.). If you remove them from this list, because they are only downloaded if you need them, and can be deleted after setup on a new Mac, the remaining iWork apps take up very little space. It still confuses me how people will complain about the cost of a Mac, which lasts longer than a Windows PC, gives you free OS upgrades for years, and free apps and upgrades that provide all the functionality of Business Office (Word Processor, Page Layout, Spreadsheet, Presentation, Mail, AddressBook, Calendar, Notes, To Do lists (Reminders), etc., then think nothing of spending money on Microsoft, even though there is no need, its features change, and you either have to keep buying it or subscribe annually. 17 years I have gone without buying a copy of office (even though one was given to me I never used), and have had no problems with compatibility or features needed.

you know its not about preferring Office over Pages, Keynote etc...its just I can delete any app I dont want to have on my Mac except these from Apple. Its almost like the system is forcing me to have them on the laptop. I never use iMovie so why do I have to keep it? I think its more the principle which bugs me than the loss of space really.

Are they getting in your way when you leave them tucked away in the Applications folder?

SG