How to Uninstall Programs on Mac Computers
If you’re a PC user who is new to using a mac, then the first time you try and uninstall a program, you will be surprised to discover that the usual install/uninstall programs are not a part of Mac programming at all. Instead, you can simply drag the icon of the program you wish to dispose of into the trash. Of course, this gets rid of most of the program, but residual traces continue. Here are some of the ways to clean up after a disposed of program:
1. Delete your program:
To do this, you must log in with an administrator’s account, or enter a password each time you delete something. To find the program you want to delete, go into your applications folder. Sometimes it is a single file, while other times you will need to delete an entire folder full of files. To find the file, go to the applications folder and browse to the program of your choice. Once you have found it, drag the entire folder of associated files into the trash icon, located on the desktop.
2. Empty Your Trash:
Once you are sure that you want to eliminate your files, click on your trash, and say yes when the question comes up about emptying it. If you are not logged in as an administrator, you will need to enter a password to complete this step.
3. Delete Support Files:
Go to the Library section of your main menu. Here is where the support and preference files that were related to your program were located. This told the program what your settings regarding this program were, and helped to boot up to the appropriate place each time you opened it. The file folder should have a name similar to that of the program you already trashed. Find the files that are linked to the program you just deleted. Again, follow the same steps to drag them to the trash, and empty the trash once they are gone.
4. Use a Third Party Program:
Finally, you can use a cleaning program to remove any remaining remnants of the program. There are a number of them available. Because they are always changing, do some research on a reputable site like download.com to discover which are truly good and truly free. Run this program to help eliminate any of the extra program bits you may have missed.
