How to uninstall apps on a Mac

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-uninstall-apps-on-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo · macOS 27.0.1

4 of 4 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)

App

System Settings

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Finder and click Applications

   First quit the app if it is open: click its name in the menu bar and choose Quit.

   Click Applications in the Finder sidebar, under Favorites.

   Done

2. 

   Choose Move to Trash

   Control-click the app and choose Move to Trash. You can also drag it onto the Trash in the Dock, or select it and press Command + Delete.

   On our MacBook Neo macOS 27 calls it Trash, not Bin. Apple says you may be asked for your password.

   Done

3. 

   Empty the Trash

   Control-click the Trash in the Dock and choose Empty Trash. The space is freed only after this step.

   On our MacBook Neo this menu has just Open and Empty Trash, and Empty Trash is greyed out when the Trash is already empty.

   Done

4. 

   Or delete from Storage settings

   Open System Settings, General, Storage and click ⓘ next to Applications. Select an app and click Delete….

   On our MacBook Neo the list is sorted by Size: Xcode 3,96 GB, Google Chrome 1,52 GB, Claude 649,2 MB. Delete… stays greyed until an app is selected.

   Done

What we saw on our device

• Choose Move to Trash: On our MacBook Neo macOS 27 calls it Trash, not Bin.
• Empty the Trash: On our MacBook Neo this menu has just Open and Empty Trash, and Empty Trash is greyed out when the Trash is already empty.
• Or delete from Storage settings: On our MacBook Neo the list is sorted by Size: Xcode 3,96 GB, Google Chrome 1,52 GB, Claude 649,2 MB.

If you do not see this option

• Applications is not in the sidebar Apple says you can choose Go > Applications from the menu bar in Finder. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac
• Empty Trash is greyed out The Trash is already empty. On our MacBook Neo it was greyed out both in the Dock menu and in the Finder menu.
• There is no uninstaller Most apps do not have one. On our MacBook Neo none did, so Move to Trash is the way to remove them.
• The app is listed as System In the Storage list on our MacBook Neo, built-in apps such as Freeform, Maps and Find My show the kind System. Apple says apps that are part of macOS cannot be deleted. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac
• The app is not in Applications Apple says some apps are in the Applications folder inside your home folder: in Finder choose Go > Home. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac

If this does not work

• The app will not move to the Trash Apple says an open app cannot be removed. Quit it with Command + Q and try again. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac
• The Mac says the app is in use Apple says to restart the Mac, or start up in Safe Mode, and then try again. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac
• You are asked for a password Apple says to enter the name and password of an administrator account on the Mac. Source: Uninstall apps on your Mac
• The space has not been freed Empty the Trash. You can also click Finder in the menu bar and choose Empty Trash… (Shift + Command + Delete).
• Delete… is greyed out in Storage Select an app in the list first. On our MacBook Neo the button stays greyed until a row is selected.

About this guide

Most Mac apps are a single item in the Applications folder, so removing them is simple. A few larger programs come with their own uninstaller, which you should use if it exists.

Screenshots: MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1, dark mode.

Good to know

Some programs, such as Adobe apps and some antivirus tools, include an uninstaller in their folder in Applications or on their website. Use it so that background helpers are removed too. On our MacBook Neo none of the apps in Applications came with an uninstaller.

Apps that are part of macOS, such as Safari, Mail and Messages, cannot be deleted.

Deleting an app does not cancel a subscription. Check under System Settings, your name, Media & Purchases, Subscriptions.

To see which apps take the most space, open System Settings, General, Storage and click the i next to Applications: how to check and free up storage on a Mac.

In short: Quit the app > Finder > Applications > Control-click the app > Move to Trash > Trash in the Dock > Empty Trash.