When you normally delete your files in Mac OS X, the operating system is only forgetting where those particular files are placed, while the data still physically remains on the drive. Beginning with Mac OS 10.3, Apple enhanced its security by introducing the Secure Empty Trash feature, which follows the U.S. DoD pattern of overwriting data.

What are startup items?

Startup items, or login items, are services and applications that launch every time you start your Mac. These are applications that sneak into startup items without notice, never asking if you need or want them there. This way you may end up with a dozen apps launching as soon as you turn on your Mac, weighing heavily on its processor and memory capacities and slowing it down. Such items can increase your Mac’s startup time and decrease its performance.

Plus, sometimes when you remove an application or a service, it leaves a login item with a broken link. These broken login items are completely useless, cause unwanted messages, and waste your Mac's resources (because they look for non-existent applications). Whether you're running macOS Catalina or El Capitan, or earlier — it's all the same, so just read on.

So, let's go over how to take control of login items, and how to get rid of unwanted, broken or hidden startup items.

How to disable startup programs?

Do you want to stop programs from running at startup? There’s an easy way to remove programs from startup and get your Mac to load faster on launch. The fastest way to turn off startup items on Mac is an app like CleanMyMac X.

1. Download CleanMyMac for free.
2. Launch the app.
3. Open Optimization tab.
4. Click on Login items.
5. From the list of apps, disable the ones you don’t need on startup.
6. Done!

How to change startup programs manually?

Disabling Mac startup programs is possible manually. Therefore, if you have some time and would like to do it yourself, follow the steps below.

Your login items are listed in settings. One of the easiest ways to control startup items is inside System Preferences > Users & Groups.

Eliminate App On Mac Shortcut

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Go to Users & Groups.
3. Choose your nickname on the left.
4. Choose Login items tab.
5. Check startup programs you want to remove.
6. Press the “–” sign below.
7. You’re done.
8. If you need to add an item back, press “+” and choose the app you’d like add.
9. Then restart your Mac to see the changes.

How to fix broken startup items?

Broken Mac startup files are left there because some part of apps are left on your Mac long after you’ve moved the app to the Trash. To get rid of these parts and to fix your startup, you’re going to need CleanMyMac again. First, you need to check if they’re among startup items and disable them if so. You can do it following the instructions above. Then you need to remove app leftovers. CleanMyMac works fine on macOS High Sierra and earlier OS.

1. Launch CleanMyMac.
2. Choose Uninstaller tab.
3. Scroll through the list of apps.
4. If you spot any app that you’ve deleted, check them.
5. Delete the app leftovers you’ve chosen.

You can also find and remove broken login items with the help of System Junk module:

1. Choose System Junk tab.
2. Click Scan.
3. Review details and click Clean.

Finally, you need to clean your macOS startup items through launch services:

1. Open Maintenance tab.
2. Choose Rebuild Launch Services.
3. Hit Run.
4. Done.

Once you do it, all broken app data on your Mac will be fixed.

Remove daemons and agents from startup process

If speaking of files, first go to the system folder /Library/StartUpItems. Here you’ll find all the startup files that are being launched with the system. You can delete the login item you think is necessary if you’re totally sure what you are doing.

Also, the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder contains a bunch of preference files that define how the application that is being launched along with the system should work. You might want to delete some of these files as well if you know you don’t need them and removing them is safe.

The /Library/LaunchAgents contains preference files responsible for the apps that launch during the login process (not the startup).

The above-mentioned folders contain app-related files. However, you can also check system folders to review whether you need some of the system applications to be running on startup:

1. /System/Library/LaunchDaemons - note that besides preference files this folder contains other important system items that are recommended to keep untouched.
2. /System/Library/LaunchAgents - most probably, you won’t also find anything worth removing in this folder, however, keeping this location in mind might help you find files related to a problematic app that causes troubles on Mac startup. If you have a problematic application that messes about on login, you can try to trace it back from this folder.

But, if you’re looking for simple ways to remove login items, we suggest using a professional Mac utility. Download CleanMyMac X for free and make unwanted and broken login items a thing of the past.

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Removing apps on Mac is easy, just like Windows, where each program has its uninstaller. Uninstalling Apps on Mac is so simple, you need to drop the folder to the trash. But there are few software which is hard to remove. All of them have different reasons to remove apps from their PC. Some want to clean their PC, or the app is not useful. So, it depends on the user why they want to Uninstall Apps on Mac. If you are one of them who wish to Uninstall Apps on Mac, but you are not aware of that then you have come at the right place.

Here in this article, we will show you a few different ways by which you can uninstall apps on your Mac. As Apple Mac is different from Windows, so everyone is not aware of how to delete apps on Mac. Go through the full article and check out a few different ways and Uninstall apps on your Mac.

Contents

• 1 How To Uninstall Apps On Mac?

How To Uninstall Apps On Mac?

Check out different ways to uninstall apps on Mac. Given below are some different methods which will help you to delete apps on Mac.

Also Check: 15 Best Password Manager for Mac – Most Secured

Method 1: Uninstall Apps using Launchpad

If you don’t know let me tell you that you can delete any app on Mac by using Launchpad. Launchpad shows all the apps which are there on your iOS. Follow the given steps and uninstall the app using launchpad.

• First of all open Launchpad by clicking on F4
• Click on the app which you want to remove
• Now, press the ALT key and click on Delete
• Confirm to delete the app

Using Launchpad to delete the apps is the easiest way to remove an app which was installed through the App Store.

NOTE: This method works only on the apps which are installed through the Mac App Store. It won’t work for those apps which are installed through third-party developers.

Method 2: Uninstall Apps Using Finder

Apps For Mac Pro

This one is the easiest method to uninstall any app from Mac. You just need to select and delete the app from Finder. Follow the steps and remove any app from your Mac.

• First, open Finder which is placed at the Dock
• Now, in Finder click on Applications
• Search for the app which you want to delete
• Right-click and select “MOVE TO TRASH” option OR drag the app icon to Trash
• On the Trash can do right-click and tap on empty trash.

Once you uninstall the app, remember that it will be deleted permanently from your Mac. So, if you have mistakenly deleted any app and you want it back then go to the Trash can before emptying the Trash. Go to the trash can and choose the app which you want back and click on Put Back.

Remove App On Mac Os X

There are few apps which include a separate uninstaller to remove all traces of the app. These apps are from Adobe or Microsoft, as some of the apps will install more apps or place library files.

Method 3: Go To Applications

Uninstall Apps On Mac

This method is also very easy.

• Open the Mac and go to Go Menu
• Tap on Applications
• You will see all the apps, some of them are in a folder, and some are not
• The apps which are in the folder, open the folder
• There you will see an uninstaller option
• double click on it and follow the given instructions

Method 4:

If you have downloaded an app from somewhere else and not from the Mac App Store, then follow the given steps and uninstall the app. Let us take an example of Audacity. Audacity is downloaded from another website. So You need to go to the developer’s website of Audacity

• Go to the official website of Panic
• Scroll down and go to the Support section
• Click on the get help section
• Search for uninstaller
• There you will see step by step instructions to uninstall an app
• Follow the steps and uninstall the app.

NOTE: Make sure you download any app from the official website only. Do Not download an app from the download site or any other site. And when you delete the app at that time also use genuine methods only, you don’t need any other app to delete the app from Mac.

Method 5: Delete the program completely

Even after deleting the app, few files are left on the computer. So, you need to uninstall the program completely.

• First, go to GO Menu from the top side of the screen
• There click on Library
• Go to app support
• There are different folders for all apps
• In the list check if there is a folder of the app which you are uninstalling
• Delete that folder

Important tips For Uninstalling Programs on Mac

Check out a few tips before uninstalling any program on Mac.

Run Mac Apps On Windows

• Before you install any program, first see how to uninstall it. Make sure it has its own Uninstall utility
• Before deleting apps, check your Trash is empty, and it does not have anything which you want to save it
• If the app is a third-party app, then first check out its features. Few of them are chargeable, but you don’t need to use the paid software.

Final Thoughts

These are few genuine methods by which you can uninstall apps on your Mac. You can try out any of the methods to delete an app from Mac. Make sure you don’t use any fake app to remove the apps as it can harm your PC. If you want to download any app which is not available on the Apple store, then make sure you download it from the developer’s website, which is not fake.

We hope you liked this article and it was helpful for you. Stay tuned to us for more updates. If you have any questions, then let us know by commenting in the comment section below.