Uninstall ClamXav on Mac

Asya Karapetyan
Asya Karapetyan
Copywriter and technical writer focused on macOS and user guidance.
October 3, 2022
ClamXAV is an antivirus and malware scanner for Mac. If you want to uninstall ClamXAV from your Mac, read this guide. We will explain how to do this correctly and safely. removing ClamXAV from Mac

Contents:

  1. Should you uninstall ClamXAV from Mac?
  2. How to uninstall ClamXAV manually.
  3. How to uninstall ClamXAV using App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
  4. Frequently asked questions about ClamXAV.

Important notes and the methodology used to uninstall ClamXAV from Mac

  • To completely uninstall ClamXAV from Mac, you need to find and remove all of its service files.
  • Before writing this guide, we uninstalled ClamXAV using the steps provided on the ClamXAV FAQs page. Then we checked a Mac for the application’s leftovers and detected many of them.
  • We used App Cleaner & Uninstaller from Nektony to find ClamXAV leftovers.
  • This article will provide two ways to completely uninstall ClamXAV from Mac – manually and with App Cleaner & Uninstaller’s help.
  • If you have already uninstalled ClamXAV with the official website’s steps, you will learn how to find its remaining files.

Should you uninstall ClamXAV from Mac?

Most Mac users argue about the necessity of having an antivirus on a Mac. Apple devices are reputed to be securely protected from any threats and malware. However, if you download files from untrusted resources, you can scan them with the help of ClamXAV to make sure that they are safe for opening on your Mac. If you download files only from trusted resources, use Firefall or FileVault and use other standard tips to secure your Mac, then you don’t need additional antivirus software. If, after installing ClamXAV on your Mac, you decide to uninstall it, follow our guide. We will provide two methods on how to remove ClamXAV from your system altogether.

How to uninstall ClamXAV from Mac manually

Below we will provide the steps to remove ClamXAV and then manually find its service files for its complete uninstallation. Please, carefully follow each step to get rid of the application entirely on your Mac.

Steps to uninstall ClamXAV from Mac:

  1. Quit ClamXAV. You can do it from the Dock panel or the ClamXAV menu. ClamXAV menu showing the Quit option
  2. Go to the Applications folder and remove ClamXAV into the Trash. removing ClamXAV from the Applications folder
  3. You will see the Uninstall ClamXAV notification with a question of whether to remove the scanning engine as well. Click on Remove ClamXAV. uninstalling ClamXAV window
  4. If prompted, enter your password to confirm the removal.
  5. In a few seconds, you will get a notification about ClamXAV’s successful removal. ClamXAV message about successful removal
  6. Now, you have to find the ClamXAV service files. They are stored in the hidden system folder called Library. To open it, in Finder, press the Shift+Command+G shortcut to call the “Go to the Folder” popup window.
  7. Navigate to ~/Library. Go to folder search field showing the Library location
  8. Check the following subfolders for ClamXAV leftovers and remove them:
    • ~Library/Application Support
    • ~Library/Caches
    • ~Library/Preferences
    • ~Library/Logs
    • ~Library/LaunchDaemons
    • ~Library/LaunchAgents
    ClamXAV support files
  9. ClamXAV stores its files also in the locations below. Find and remove them:
    • ~/private/var/db/receipts
    • ~/private/var/folders/I8
  10. Once you cleaned up all unneeded remaining files, empty your Trash bin. If you have removed all of the support files of ClamXAV, you can be sure that you uninstalled ClamXAV from your Mac completely.
We understand that looking for the apps’ traces is not a quick procedure: you will have to check each folder and find the ClamXAV service files. There could be dozens of files; moreover, some files may be scattered over your hard drive and not stored only in the system Library folder. That’s why we propose you use App Cleaner & Uninstaller, which allows you to delete ClamXAV entirely with a few clicks. Let’s learn about it in detail.

How to remove ClamXAV using App Cleaner & Uninstaller

App Cleaner & Uninstaller is a special tool to remove applications with all of their service files. Even if you have already drawn an application by just dragging and dropping it into the Trash, with App Cleaner & Uninstaller, you can find all their leftovers.

Steps on how to uninstall ClamXAV with App Cleaner & Uninstaller:

  1. Launch App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
  2. Find and select ClamXAV in the list of apps.
  3. Click the Remove button and confirm the uninstallation.
ClamXav application selected for complete removal If you used the first method from this article to remove ClamXAV, switch to the Remaining Files section in App Cleaner & Uninstaller to find the application’s leftovers. App CLeaner & Uninstaller showing ClamXAV remaining files

Frequently asked questions about ClamXAV.

Is ClamXAV safe for Mac?

ClamXAV is a well-known and trusted malware protection software for Mac that hadn’t been mentioned as a virus application.

Does ClamXAV remove malware?

ClamXAV allows you to scan a single file or the whole Mac’s hard drive for viruses. You can set it up to automatically scan your files or do it manually when needed. Once ClamXAV detects and malware, you will get a notification to remove it.

Is ClamXAV free?

ClamXAV provides a free trial for 30 days. After the trial period ends, you will need to pay from $29.95 yearly to use it on your Mac

Related Articles

Scroll to Top