Windows PCs have the Add and Remove Programs feature in Control Panel or Settings, making it easy to remove programs Windows PC users no longer want.
One will notice Macs don’t have this feature, not in System Preferences.
For apps downloaded from the Mac App Store, Mac users can fire up LaunchBar, click and hold on the app grid until the apps start shaking, then click on the X next to the Mac App Store app in order to remove the app. It works similar to iOS.
For non-Mac App Store apps, Mac users can drag the apps directly to the trash, but unfortunately, macOS still leave behind traces of the app and does not fully remove the app from the Mac.
That’s where AppZapper comes in. AppZapper allows Mac users to drag and drop an app onto AppZapper, in which it then searches the hard drive for files related to the app, and it offers to remove those files when removing (zapping) the app. AppZapper locates preference files, Application Support files, cache files, etc. It makes doing a more thorough job of removing apps far easier on the Mac.
I’ve used AppZapper for years (even on my PowerBook G4!), and I’ve always enjoyed using it when removing apps. It’s also super cheap (about $12.95) and a super handy utility.
The only issue I’ve had with AppZapper is there have been some changes to macOS where support files are added to new locations (Containers, Group Containers, and Saved Application State in the User Library folder), and occasionally, AppZapper hasn’t located these files to zap that are associated with corresponding apps, so after zapping unused apps, I still occasionally take a peek into my User Library in these new folders to see if there are any additional files I need to clean up. I’m hoping AppZapper will eventually release an update adding support for finding files in these locations. Other than that, I’ve still found AppZapper handy when I need to remove apps from my Mac to get the bulk of the left-behind support-related files removed.
When removing apps from one’s Mac, it’s generally “safe” to keep the leftover support-related files on one’s Mac (it won’t hurt one’s Mac if they remain), but I still prefer running AppZapper and checking those few remaining folders in my User Library just to keep my Mac clean when removing apps from my Mac. I’d rather do the housekeeping right away so I can maximize my Mac’s storage space and performance.
For those who need a simpler way to find and remove most (but unfortunately not all unless AppZapper releases an update) support-related files when removing apps from one’s Mac, check out AppZapper. It’s a useful utility that I’ve used often when removing apps from my Mac.
Nathan Parker
