How to uninstall apps on my Mac that won't delete?

Hello, I'm encountering difficulty uninstalling certain apps on my Mac. Despite attempting to delete them through conventional means, these apps stubbornly refuse to be removed from my system. I've tried dragging them to the Trash, using third-party uninstaller apps, and even diving into the Library folders to manually delete associated files, but to no avail. This persistence of unwanted apps is not only frustrating but also concerning for the health and performance of my Mac.

Any guidance or solutions on how to uninstall apps on Mac that wont delete I'll take.

Posted on Apr 28, 2024 1:25 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 29, 2024 12:02 AM

Your focus is getting rid of all the Following types of third party apps installed:


  • Antivirus
  • Cleaning
  • Security
  • VPN
  • Maintenance


the correct method is to locate the developers uninstall instructions and follow those. Them download FindAnyFile and have it search the system for anything that has those names. For example on Avast, locates the developers uninstall instructions and follow the let FindanyFile search for anything with “Avast” in it , move to the Trash and empty the Trash.


You created a MAJOR problem that if you are fortunate you can get out of. If you cannot you will need to do a full erase and install and start over from scratch!

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 29, 2024 12:02 AM in response to BruanDave

Your focus is getting rid of all the Following types of third party apps installed:


  • Antivirus
  • Cleaning
  • Security
  • VPN
  • Maintenance


the correct method is to locate the developers uninstall instructions and follow those. Them download FindAnyFile and have it search the system for anything that has those names. For example on Avast, locates the developers uninstall instructions and follow the let FindanyFile search for anything with “Avast” in it , move to the Trash and empty the Trash.


You created a MAJOR problem that if you are fortunate you can get out of. If you cannot you will need to do a full erase and install and start over from scratch!

Apr 28, 2024 11:59 PM in response to BruanDave

All these programs have built-in uninstallers, and it's best to use them. If you're concerned about leftover files these programs might leave in system folders and the Library folder, you can search inside these folders by the name of the programs you've uninstalled. You can also use a free utility like Onyx X to clean up caches after removing software.

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How to uninstall apps on my Mac that won't delete?

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