Best Apple Silicon-native app uninstaller

[Aggedor]

Brand new M1 MBA here, and I was wondering what people use as app uninstaller software? I used to use App Zapper on my 2013 MBP, but I don't know if there are any better options, preferably ones that are Apple Silicon native?

 

[chabig]

Uninstall apps on your Mac - Apple Support

Deleting or uninstalling an app removes it from your Mac and makes the storage space it was using available for other items. You can do this from Launchpad or the Finder.

support.apple.com

 

[chrfr]

Brand new M1 MBA here, and I was wondering what people use as app uninstaller software? I used to use App Zapper on my 2013 MBP, but I don't know if there are any better options, preferably ones that are Apple Silicon native?

For something like an app removal tool, I wouldn't worry about being native; it's not as if performance is critical. If you have a tool you like now, there's no reason to change.

 

[Aggedor]

Uninstall apps on your Mac - Apple Support

Deleting or uninstalling an app removes it from your Mac and makes the storage space it was using available for other items. You can do this from Launchpad or the Finder.

support.apple.com

Yeah, I know how to do that, but some apps leave a trail of caches, extensions, and other support files that simply deleting the app doesn't get rid of. Hence the desire for an uninstaller app that can find all the dependencies and delete those too.

 

[Aggedor]

For something like an app removal tool, I wouldn't worry about being native; it's not as if performance is critical. If you have a tool you like now, there's no reason to change.

Ah, good point!

 

[chabig]

Yeah, I know how to do that, but some apps leave a trail of caches, extensions, and other support files that simply deleting the app doesn't get rid of. Hence the desire for an uninstaller app that can find all the dependencies and delete those too.

Very few. If the thought of leftover files bothers you, just search your home Library for the app name and manually delete them.

 

[lankox]

AppCleaner just went native.

 

[Weaselboy]

AppCleaner just went native.

AppCleaner

Yep... here you go OP. Works quite well.

 

[||\||]

Very few. If the thought of leftover files bothers you, just search your home Library for the app name and manually delete them.

That is not going to get rid of everything. Mac OS needs a built-in uninstaller.

 

[Wildkraut]

sudo find / -iname '*type_a_part_of_app_name_here*'

 

[Aggedor]

AppCleaner seems to be working well! One app I deleted had 17 dependencies! All tiny - 4k each - but, phew, that's a lot of litter!

 

[Wildkraut]

AppCleaner seems to be working well! One app I deleted had 17 dependencies! All tiny - 4k each - but, phew, that's a lot of litter!

AppCleaner does not always work very well, find is more reliable, but you need to know what to search for.
Or better, just use both, first AppCleaner then find.
E.g. That Shopping List App, I've removed it with AppCleaner, as you see stuff was left on the disk:
Ignore the .Trash and Safari lines!

find ~/ -iname '*shop*'
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage-wal
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage-shm
/Users/username//Library/Containers/E4E69TTC-AA43-441D-9CF5-9B2CUU4EF6F5/Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.dyld/That Shopping List.closure
/Users/username//Library/Containers/E4E69TTC-AA43-441D-9CF5-9B2CUU4EF6F5/Data/Documents/shoppinglist.json
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supf
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supp
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.sinf
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supx
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/That Shopping List

 

[Aggedor]

AppCleaner does not always work very well, find is more reliable, but you need to know what to search for.
Or better, just use both, first AppCleaner then find.
E.g. That Shopping List App, I've removed it with AppCleaner, as you see stuff was left on the disk:
Ignore the .Trash and Safari lines!

find ~/ -iname '*shop*'
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage-wal
/Users/username//Library/Safari/LocalStorage/https_webshop.pointblank.de_0.localstorage-shm
/Users/username//Library/Containers/E4E69TTC-AA43-441D-9CF5-9B2CUU4EF6F5/Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.dyld/That Shopping List.closure
/Users/username//Library/Containers/E4E69TTC-AA43-441D-9CF5-9B2CUU4EF6F5/Data/Documents/shoppinglist.json
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supf
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supp
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.sinf
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/SC_Info/That Shopping List.supx
/Users/username//.Trash/That Shopping List.app/Wrapper/That Shopping List.app/That Shopping List

Great tip, thanks!