Removing unnecessary apps and files can be an effective way to free up space on your Mac. One of the good things about the newer Macs is that they offer straightforward ways to uninstall apps. So, if you're running macOS Sonoma or even an earlier version, you can choose between various methods to delete an application. The difficulty and effectiveness will differ based on what you opt for, so we will be listing all of your options so that you can choose accordingly.

Cancel subscriptions

If you have an active subscription within a specific app, make sure to cancel your plan first before uninstalling it. That way, you won't see unnecessary monthly or yearly subscription charges on your credit card statements. Follow the steps below.

1. Open the Mac App Store. Go to your account from the bottom left corner.
2. Select Account Settings.
3. Click Manage beside View and manage your subscriptions.
4. Select your active subscription.
5. Cancel it from the following menu.

Use the Trash to uninstall a Mac app

When you're ready, the easiest way to delete an app is to drag its icon to the Trash located in the Dock. Once you drag it there, the system will ask whether you're sure you want to delete the app. Confirm by tapping the Delete button.

Use the Launchpad

Another way to uninstall a Mac app is through the Launchpad. Here's how:

1. Go to the Launchpad.
2. Click and hold on to the app icon. This will trigger Jiggle Mode.
3. Hit the X button on the app you want to uninstall.
4. Confirm by clicking the Delete button.

Use Terminal

If you're more of a Terminal commands kind of person, then there's a method for you:

1. Launch the Terminal app.
2. Type the following command:

   sudo uninstall file://

3. Drag the app you would like to uninstall over to the Terminal window.
4. Hit the Return button.
5. Authenticate using your administrator password.

Use an app's bundled uninstaller

Some third-party apps offer an uninstaller by default. In this case, you will see an app called [app name] Uninstaller in the Applications folder. You can launch it to uninstall it, along with the main app that is bundled with it.

Explore third-party uninstallers

If you don't want to remove an app using the default method, explore third-party uninstallers. There is no shortage of such apps on Mac. Among them, AppCleaner easily stands out due to its robust features and easy-to-use interface.

AppCleaner

For a thorough cleaning after uninstalling an app, look no further than AppCleaner. It's a free app and works as expected. You may want to pin the AppCleaner icon to your Dock. This way, when you want to uninstall something, you can drag the app's icon to AppCleaner in the Dock. This will open up AppCleaner and give you a complete list of all the files associated with that app.

Make sure all the relevant boxes on the left-hand side are ticked, then click Remove. For some apps, you may have to confirm this removal with your administrator password. This will then nuke the files.

You can also remove widgets and plugins directly from AppCleaner. So, if you have a particularly annoying plugin that you can't completely remove from your system, let AppCleaner handle it for you.

Get rid of unnecessary apps and files

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to delete an app on macOS. However, if you want to remove the traces of a certain app completely, use AppCleaner to complete the job in the most effective way. Other methods typically remove most of the associated files, but they sometimes do leave some smaller files behind. Ultimately, we've listed the various options so that you can pick based on what meets your needs best. If you get an error when attempting to delete an app, then make sure you have force-closed it. If all else fails, reboot your Mac and then try again.