Removing unwanted Apps from my computer

To delete an app normally, see this: Delete or uninstall apps on Mac - Apple Support

If an app refuses to delete, it may be running in the background, protected by system rules, or locked by permissions. Close the app via Force Quit, check your account permissions, or use Terminal for stubborn third-party software. Most native Apple apps cannot be removed, as they are installed on a sealed, read-only volume.

Fix Running Processes and Permissions

• Force Quit: Press Command + Option + Esc, pick the app, and click Force Quit.
• Check Permissions: Right-click the app, select Get Info, expand Sharing & Permissions, and set your user account to Read & Write.
• Safe Mode: That process performs some system cleanup and clears caches, and also disables 3rd party extensions that may cause problems. After boot up completes, drag the app to the Trash. Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Use Terminal for Stubborn Apps

• Open Terminal from Spotlight or your Utilities folder.
• Type cd /Applications and press Return.
• Type sudo rm -rf (include the trailing space), then drag and drop the stubborn app from Finder into the Terminal window.
• Press Return and type your Mac login password, sudo will ask for your password. Just type the password and hit return. It won't show anything on screen.

If you indicate which specific app is a problem, that might help generate more specific suggestions.

Note that if you have a managed device, you may not be able to delete some apps. Go to System Settings > General > Device Management to see if there are profiles installed. If there are work/school applied profile(s), you will need to contact your organization's IT support.

CMGallegos wrote:

How do I remove an App from my computer that was inserted by an outside party? I am unable to remove the App by moving it to trash.

Since the application was “inserted by an outside party,” it is also appropriate to check whether the Mac is in a managed environment.

That does not establish that it is managed, but it is an important possibility to verify.

On your Mac, first try Finder >> Applications, select the application, and choose File >> Move to Trash.

If macOS reports that the application is in use, quit it or use Option–Command–Esc to force-quit it, then try again.

If the application has its own Uninstaller, use that instead. Apple: How to delete apps on Mac

Next, check Apple menu  >> System Settings >> General >> Login Items & Extensions.

This shows applications that open at login, applications permitted to run in the background, and installed extensions. Apple: Change Login Items & Extensions settings on Mac

Most importantly, check System Settings >> General >> Device Management.

Apple states that configuration profiles can be used to manage Mac settings and that, if a profile cannot be removed, the Mac may be a managed computer.

Some profiles can only be removed by an administrator. Apple: Change Device Management settings on Mac

If Device Management is present, open it and examine the installed profiles before removing anything.

Apple explains that profiles can configure settings and, in managed environments, can be used to manage Macs remotely. Apple: Use configuration profiles on Mac

I would not manually delete files from system folders or use a third-party “Mac cleaner” until we know what the application is and why macOS will not allow it to be removed.

If you give me the exact name of the application and the exact message you receive when you try to move it to the Trash, I can help you determine the appropriate next step.

The app involved will make a difference in removal. Some can be dragged to the Trash but others may require an uninstaller, usually furnished with the app. Go to the app's web site and see how the developer recommends removing it.

Some unscrupulous developers, especially those pushing useless "protection " apps, may make removal very hard.

A caveat: there are generic "uninstaller apps" out there that are little more than clickbait and to give you adware. RUN AWAY! Use only the uninstall instructions furnished by the app developer.

Is your Mac supervised by an IT group?

About Apple device supervision - Apple Support

CMGallegos wrote:

How do I remove an App from my computer that was inserted by an outside party? I am unable to remove the App by moving it to trash.

Aside: Most of the apps bundled with modern versions of macOS cannot be removed, as they are located within a signed, sealed system volume which is part of the Mac's hardening against malware. A few very large apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, GarageBand, iMovie) are downloaded separately from the App Store, and it might be possible to remove them - but they are the exception that proves the rule.

CMGallegos wrote:

How do I remove an App from my computer that was inserted by an outside party? I am unable to remove the App by moving it to trash.

What app and how did an outside party install it?

What is the app and exactly how was it 'inserted by a 3rd party'?