Uninstalling Applications Using Launchpad
Launchpad is a feature on Mac computers that allows you to access and manage your applications easily. It displays all the apps installed on your Mac in a grid-like layout, similar to the home screen of an iPhone or iPad. Launchpad can launch, organize, and uninstall applications on your Mac.
There are different ways to access Launchpad on your Mac. One of the most common ways is to click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, usually at the bottom of your screen. The Launchpad icon looks like a rocket ship. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut F4 or Control+Up Arrow to open Launchpad. You can also use a trackpad gesture by pinching your thumb and three fingers together on the trackpad.
Once you have opened Launchpad, you can scroll through the pages of applications by swiping left or right with two fingers on the trackpad or by clicking on the dots at the bottom of the screen. You can also use the search bar at the top of the screen to type in the application name you are looking for.
To uninstall an application using Launchpad, you need to identify the application you want to delete and ensure it is not a system application or a third-party app not installed from the App Store. System applications are essential for your Mac’s functionality and cannot be uninstalled. Third-party apps are applications downloaded from a website other than the App Store and installed on your Mac manually. These apps can be uninstalled, but not directly from Launchpad.
To uninstall an application that was installed from the App Store using Launchpad, follow these steps:
- Tap and hold the application icon until it starts shaking. This indicates that the application is ready to be deleted.
- Look for a cross icon (X) on the top left corner of the application icon. This icon means that the application can be uninstalled from Launchpad.
- Click on the cross icon and select “Delete” when prompted. This will uninstall the application from your Mac and remove it from Launchpad.
- If you change your mind and want to keep the application, click anywhere else on the screen or press the Esc key to stop the icons from shaking.
- Some applications may not have a cross icon when you tap and hold them in Launchpad. This means they are either system applications or third-party apps that can’t be uninstalled directly from Launchpad. To uninstall these apps, you need to use a different method.
System applications are pre-installed on your Mac and are essential for its operation. Examples of system applications are Safari, Mail, Photos, Calendar, etc. You cannot delete these applications from your Mac as they are part of its operating system. If you try to right-click on a system application in Launchpad, you will not see a “Move to Bin” option.
Third-party apps are applications downloaded from a website other than the App Store and installed on your Mac manually. Some third-party apps are Google Chrome, Spotify, uTorrent Web, etc. You can delete these applications from your Mac, but not directly from Launchpad. To uninstall these apps, you need to use Finder.
To uninstall third-party apps using Finder, follow these steps:
- Click on the Finder icon in the Dock or press Command+Spacebar to open Spotlight and type in “Finder”.
- Click “Applications” in the sidebar or press Shift+Command+A to go to the Applications folder.
- Locate the application you want to uninstall and right-click on it.
- Select “Move to Bin” from the menu. This will delete the application from your Mac and remove it from Launchpad.
- If you change your mind and want to restore the application, open Bin and drag it back to the Applications folder.
Note: Some third-party apps may have additional files or folders associated with them that are stored in other locations on your Mac. To completely remove these files or folders, you may need to use a dedicated uninstaller program or follow the instructions provided by the app developer.
Uninstalling Applications Using Finder
Finder is the file manager application on Mac computers that allows you to browse and organize your files and folders. It also lets you access and manage your applications, including deleting them from your Mac. You can use Finder to uninstall applications not installed from the App Store, or that cannot be deleted directly from Launchpad.
There are different ways to open Finder on your Mac. One of the most common ways is to click the Finder icon in the Dock, usually at the bottom of your screen. The Finder icon looks like a blue and white-smiling face. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command+N to open a new Finder window. You can also press Command+Spacebar to open Spotlight and type in “Finder” to launch it.
Once you have opened Finder, you must navigate to the Applications folder, which contains all the applications installed on your Mac. There are various ways to access the Applications folder within Finder. One of the easiest ways is to click on “Applications” in the sidebar of the Finder window, which is usually located on the left side of the screen. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Command+A to go directly to the Applications folder. Another way is to click on the “Go” menu at the top of the screen and select “Applications” from the drop-down list.
To uninstall an application using Finder, locate the application you want to delete and ensure it is not a system application. System applications are pre-installed on your Mac and are essential for its operation. You cannot delete these applications from your Mac as they are part of its operating system. Examples of system applications are Safari, Mail, Photos, Calendar, etc.
To uninstall an application that is not a system application using Finder, follow these steps:
- Right-click the application icon in the Applications folder and select “Move to Bin” from the menu. This will delete the application from your Mac and remove it from Launchpad.
- If you change your mind and want to restore the application, open Bin and drag it back to the Applications folder.
- Note: Some applications may have additional files or folders associated with them that are stored in other locations on your Mac. To completely remove these files or folders, you may need to use a dedicated uninstaller program or follow the instructions provided by the app developer.
Some applications in the Applications folder may not have a “Move to Bin” option when you right-click them. This means they are system applications that cannot be deleted from your Mac. System applications are integral to the functioning of your Mac and should not be removed. If you try to drag a system application to the Bin, you will see a message saying, “The item ‘System Preferences’ can’t be moved to Bin because it’s required by macOS”. If you see this message, do not attempt to delete the system application, as it may cause problems with your Mac.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned how to uninstall applications from a Mac using two different methods: Launchpad and Finder. We have also known how to differentiate between system applications and third-party apps, and why some applications cannot be deleted directly from Launchpad. Uninstalling application is an important task that can help you optimize your Mac’s performance and free up valuable disk space. By regularly reviewing and removing unnecessary applications from your Mac, you can maintain a clutter-free and efficient system that runs smoothly and reliably. We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading!