Forum Discussion

Nixonss's avatar
Nixonss
Brass Contributor
May 09, 2026

What is the best app uninstaller on mac for permanent deletion

There are a few stubborn apps that won't delete on my mac. When I try to drag them to the Trash, I either get an error message saying the app is "in use" or it simply won't move at all. Since I'm ne...
device management
Features
Samruo's avatar
Samruo
Copper Contributor
May 09, 2026

If you find the manual search frustrating and want a best app uninstaller Mac that automates the hunt for leftovers, there is a new, free option called Mole that runs in the Terminal. It finds all those scattered files for you.

Here is how it works if you want to try the app uninstaller Mac:

1. First, you need to install it using Homebrew (a free package installer). Open Terminal and paste this command, then press Enter:

brew install mole

2. Once installed, type mo uninstall and press Enter. It will show you a list of your apps.

3. Select an app, and it will show you everything it plans to delete so you can approve it first.

Mole's uninstaller solves this by scanning your entire system to find and remove all associated files, even for apps that were installed and removed before you ever installed Mole. When you uninstall an app through Mole, it:

  • Removes the main application bundle
  • Cleans related files across multiple locations: Application Support, Caches, Preferences, Logs, Launch Daemons, and more
  • Refreshes the LaunchServices database so deleted apps disappear from Spotlight immediately