Do you want to get rid of redundant software on your priceless MAC? If yes, it is important to note that for some people it may be quite simple and hassle free, but for some, it may be a mean feat! It can be easy and convenient in some cases as the user simply needs to drag the icon of the software that is no longer needed to the trash and the software will no longer exist on the MAC. Conversely, it may prove to be a little challenging because there is no uninstall feature included in the MAC that is taken for granted by Windows users. Files are created by some programs in the nooks and crevices of Mac’s hard drive and it may need the brain of Sherlock Holmes to find them and get rid of them.
Importance of Uninstalling a Software
Before understanding the simple way of uninstalling software, one needs to answer a simple question, that is, why one needs to uninstall software. The obvious answer to this question is for the same reason why one throws away trash from the garage or cleans the office desk. De-cluttering is essential from time to time. Inefficiency enhances with clutter; hence it is essential that tidiness is ensured in everything one does, including removal of softwares from MAC. We all are fond of several applications and as soon as an app is launched, it finds a pride of place in our MAC. But, at the same time, it occupies a lot of pace on our hard disk. The speed of the computer also reduces considerably. Moreover, unless an old program has been removed, the newly installed one may not work efficiently.
Steps to Uninstall a Software
Usually, uninstallation is complete with just a few steps. These are as follows:
- First, one must exit from all programs;
- By clicking on an icon on the hard disk, Application Folders need to be opened;
- The program icon that needs to be installed needs to be dragged to the trash;
- Finally, empty the trash.
With most of the applications like Quicken or iTunes, this method works absolutely fine. The application files are all stored in a common location. They may be bundled in “Mac Talk”. If you want to find out whether the programs are bundled, hold the control key and click on the icon. In case it is a bundled program, a box saying show package contents will appear. If such is the case, uninstalling it would require just the drag and take it to the trash method.
Uninstalling Tough Software from Your MAC
In some programs, it may not be easy to remove them. This is because, upon creation files of these programs are created in various locations. When removing them, the documentation of the program needs to be checked to find if there is any uninstall utility. In case, it exists, it may have been installed along with the program or came with the disk included in it. For instance, in order to remove Symantec software, the uninstall feature may be downloaded from the company. When an uninstall utility is used, it becomes easier to remove a software.
It is also prudent to keep in mind that while removing unbundled program using drag to the trash method, several orphan files may be left behind on the computer. In case, you are just looking forward to more free space on the disk, preference files may be simply ignored. Also, these files are quite small. On the other hand, the size of the support files or background files may be large and such files remain in the Library folders in Home folder or hard drive. In order to get rid of them these files can also be dragged to the trash and get rid of it. This may make uninstalling a software slightly easier!