Find the 5 best Mac uninstallers in 2026

1. CleanMyMac: The all-in-one winner

What convinced me was consistency. The Applications feature from CleanMyMac finds the app, its caches, containers, preferences, launch agents, and the oddball logs. The Leftovers view also surfaced debris from apps I deleted ages ago, which is exactly the storage win most people never get. Batch uninstall is great when you are cleaning a new-to-you Mac. Interface is simple, Apple notarized, and you can keep going with other tools in the same app when you are done. 

2. AppZapper: The simplicity pick

Drag an app onto AppZapper, and it lists related files; then you click Zap. It is fast, focused, and has a small Undo history that has saved me once when I removed the wrong helper. Light on extras, which is the point.

3. App Cleaner & Uninstaller: The power user choice

Nektony’s app digs into extensions, launch agents, login items, and even screen savers. If you like to see every component before you remove it, this is a strong pick. It is easy to overdelete if you are not careful, but for people who want that control, it shines.

4. Hazel: The automation option

Hazel from Noodlesoft watches folders and can trigger an App Sweep when you move an app to Trash. That sweep finds many related files and offers to delete them. If you already use Hazel to file downloads or rename documents, then using this tool is a no-brainer.

5. AppCleaner: The budget choice

Free, tiny, and still useful in 2026 if you’re running Sequoia and earlier. AppCleaner works by dragging an app onto it, reviewing the found files, and removing them. It does not hunt as widely for deep caches, has no malware checks, and no performance tools, but for simple apps, it does the job. For now, it doesn’t support macOS Tahoe, but keep an eye out for updates.

Choose the best uninstaller app for Mac that suits your workflow

• Effectiveness. Does it remove only the .app bundle, or does it sweep containers, caches, logs, and other items like launch agents? The difference can easily be 500 MB or more.

• Safety. Good uninstaller apps will avoid system files and clearly label shared components. I look for tools that offer reviews before any kind of deletion.

• Extra value. If you also want more for your money, things like malware checks, quick storage wins, and routine maintenance, an all-in-one tool will pay for itself in no time.

How to uninstall apps on your Mac manually

1. Quit the app. Check the menu bar and Dock.

2. Drag the app from Applications to Trash.

3. Open Finder > Go menu > Go to Folder and visit these one by one, deleting folders that match the app’s name or developer if you recognize them:

• ~/Library/Application Support/

• ~/Library/Containers/

• ~/Library/Caches/

• ~/Library/Preferences/

• ~/Library/Group Containers/

• ~/Library/Logs/

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

4. Empty the Trash and restart your Mac.

If you need more than basic removal, then CleanMyMac gives you the uninstaller plus Smart Care and other tools, so you are not juggling five separate utilities — get your free trial here.

Good to know

Deleting the wrong thing in ~/Library can break other apps that share components. So be careful there. Make sure you know what you’re sending to the Trash.

If you find an app that you just deleted keeps running, this could be down to Launch Agents, basically, small background jobs that keep apps alive after you think they are gone. If a process refuses to quit or a file is “in use,” that is a locked item. CleanMyMac’s Applications feature can force quit background processes and remove those locked files cleanly, so you do not fight Finder errors.

The biggest surprise in my tests was how much space I reclaimed from leftovers rather than new removals. Old Adobe caches, browser helpers, and fragments from long-gone trials added up to gigabytes. Tools that surface these orphans make the biggest difference on a machine you have lived in for years.

Uninstalling on a Mac is easy, once you’ve got the right uninstaller.  Pick the tool that fits your style.