Q&A for How to Uninstall Programs on Mac Computers

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Question

How can I delete a program from my computer?

Chiara Corsaro
Phone & Computer Repair Technician
Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).

Chiara Corsaro

Phone & Computer Repair Technician

Expert Answer

Move the program to the trash, then empty the trash. Once the trash has been emptied, we typically recommend restarting your machine to clear out any temporary cache files.

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Question

What if it says the app can't be deleted because it's open but it's not open and I have already right clicked and selected quit?

Michael Everman

Community Answer

That means it is a virus and keeps opening itself, or it is left open. You can try opening the activity monitor and forcing it to quit to be able to delete it.

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Question

Will downgrading to Yosemite be my only option if previous uninstall attempts haven't worked?

Community Answer

Yes, that could be an option. However, try reinstalling the apps first.

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Question

What if I don't have the library option in the "Go" menu?

Community Answer

You do have the library option! If it isn't showing, hold Alt/Option. When you have the options in the "Go" menu, the library option will show up.

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Question

I've sent MS Office to the trash. Now I need to reinstall it. How?

Community Answer

Sending a program to Trash in a Mac is similar to removing a program from Control Panel in Windows. That means you have install it again, but before that, empty the Trash.

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Question

If I install the app with a .dmg format, how do I delete the application?

Community Answer

Right click and select "Move to trash" from the dropdown menu. This will send the application to the trash, and then you can empty your trash.

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Question

How do I get rid of Advanced Mac Cleaner? I want to trash it. I haven't been able to click and drag it to trash, no X above icon.

Community Answer

Go to "Library" and trash it from there.

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Question

What if the "X" does not appear in the launchpad deletion process?

Community Answer

The application or program can probably be found in your Applications folder. Open Finder and click on the Applications folder located on the sidebar. Once there, locate the program or application you wish to delete, and drag it to the trash bin located on the far right of the task bar. Once finished, right click on the trash bin and click on Empty Trash.

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Question

Will this completely uninstall programs, or just access to the apps?

Community Answer

Files created by the program will generally remain, but the program itself will be gone.

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Question

What do I do if I don't see the uninstaller-OS cleaner on step 2?

Community Answer

It is an additional program that will have to be installed from the app store. That is why you're not able to see it.

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Question

I can't delete an app because it says that "some of its extensions are in use". How do I stop these extensions or where do I find them?

Community Answer

The best way is to restart your Mac. Be certain there is no checkmark in the place that says "reopen" applications that are currently open. After restart, you should be able to delete as usual.

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