How to fully uninstall apps on Mac

Why dragging to Trash isn't enough

When you install a Mac app, it scatters supporting files across your~/Libraryfolder — preferences, caches, application support data, containers, saved state, cookies, and more. macOS doesn't track these files, so when you drag the .app to Trash, all those supporting files remain on your disk.

Over time, these orphaned files can consume gigabytes of storage. Apps like Slack, Docker, Xcode, and Adobe Creative Cloud are particularly notorious for leaving behind large caches and support directories.

Where leftover files hide

macOS apps can store data in up to 11 different ~/Library subdirectories:

Manual cleanup (step-by-step)

1. Drag the .app to Trash from /Applications.
2. Open Finder and press ⌘ Shift G to open "Go to Folder."
3. Navigate to each Library folder listed above and search for the app's name or bundle ID (e.g., com.spotify.client).
4. Delete matching files and folders. Be careful not to delete files belonging to other apps.
5. Empty Trash when you're confident.

Automated cleanup with Zapper

Zapper scans all 11 Library directories in parallel and uses word-boundary matching to find every related file without false positives.

1. Drop any .app onto Zapper's window (or click Browse).
2. Review the list of found files — Zapper shows file sizes and paths.
3. Zap — selected files move to Trash (reversible with ⌘Z).

How much space can you reclaim?

It depends on the apps you've uninstalled, but here are some common examples:

App-specific uninstall guides

Some apps need special attention — they install background launchers, store data in unusual locations, or leave behind surprisingly large caches.