How to Uninstall Apps on Mac Catalina

Co-authored by Sam Browning

Last Updated: October 4, 2021 Tested

Have you gone to delete an app on MacOS Catalina only to realize you do not know how? Well, you are in the right place! Apple has included two simple methods of app deletion, one for apps downloaded from the Internet, and the other for apps downloaded from the App Store. This wikiHow article will teach you how to uninstall apps on MacOS Catalina.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Uninstall Apps Downloaded through Your Browser

1
Open Finder. On your Mac, open Finder by clicking the Finder icon on your Dock, or by searching “Finder” in Spotlight Search. The Finder icon looks like a blue rectangle with a face and will likely be all the way on the left of your Dock.
- Alternatively, you can search in Spotlight by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the top right of your screen, or by holding the Command and Spacebar keys, then releasing them when “Spotlight Search” appears.
2
Click “Applications” and determine if the app is in a folder. From the sidebar on the left of the Finder window, select “Applications”. Then, find out if your application is in a folder by scrolling through the window or searching for it in the top right of the window.

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3
If the app is in a folder, look for an Uninstaller. Now that you have determined your app is in a folder, open that folder, then look for something called “(App Name) Uninstaller” or “Uninstall (App Name)”. If you find an Uninstaller, run it by double-clicking it, then follow the instructions that appear.^{[1]
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- If your app is in a folder but does not have an uninstaller, proceed to the next step.
4
If the app is not in a folder or has no Uninstaller, move it to Trash. Remove the app by simply dragging it to the Trash icon on your Dock, by right-clicking it, then clicking “Move to Trash”, or by left-clicking it, then holding the Command and Delete keys.
- The Trash icon is a trash can, likely located on the far right of your Dock.
- If the app is in a folder, you can move the entire folder into your Trash.
5
Open your Trash. Now that you have placed your app in the Trash, open the Trash application with the Trash icon on your Dock or through Spotlight Search.
6
Empty your Trash (optional). If you are sure you no longer want the app (or any other files in your Trash), click the “Empty” button in the top right of the window, then confirm your choice by clicking “Empty Trash” on the popup window.
- It is very important to be sure you do not need the app or other items in your Trash before emptying it! Once emptied, they cannot be retrieved, so be sure to double check the files included before proceeding.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Uninstall Apps Downloaded through the App Store

1
Open Launchpad. Open Launchpad by clicking the Launchpad icon in your Dock, searching “Launchpad” in Spotlight Search, or with the trackpad shortcut.
- The Launchpad icon on your dock is a silver circle with a dark grey rocket.
- Alternatively, you can search for Launchpad with Spotlight Search by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the top right of your screen, or by holding the Command and Spacebar keys, then releasing them when “Spotlight Search” appears.
- Lastly, you can place your thumb and three or four other fingers apart on the trackpad, then pinch them together to quickly access Launchpad.
2
Find the app you want to delete. Now that you have Launchpad open, find the app by searching for it with the Search bar at the top-middle of your screen, or by looking through the pages of apps.
- You can navigate through the different pages of apps by clicking and dragging right and left with your mouse, swiping left and right with two fingers on your trackpad, or clicking the dots at the bottom-middle of your screen.
3
Click and hold the app until every app starts wiggling. Once you have found your app, click and hold it until it starts to wiggle, then let go. You should see a small Delete button appear at the top left of the app.^{[2]
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- When all the apps are wiggling, you can also rearrange the order they are displayed in. Simply click and drag an app to the desired position, then click anywhere else to stop the apps from wiggling.
4
Click the Delete button. Click the circle with a grey “X” at the top left of the app you are deleting. Confirm you want to delete it by clicking “Delete” on the popup window.
5
Your app might not have a Delete button. If the app you want to delete is jiggling, but there is no Delete button, it is likely either an app downloaded through your browser or included on your Mac by default. If the app was downloaded from the Internet, try using the above method to delete that app with Finder.
- Currently, there is no easy way to delete default Mac apps. In most cases, this is because removing the app could be harmful to the operating system.^{[3]
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