How to uninstall Evernote from Mac the right way

What is Evernote?

Evernote is a cross-platform note-taking app that helps you capture and organize ideas, lists, documents, projects, and more. You can add text, images, audio, PDFs – even clip content straight from your browser.

It’s convenient to keep everything from shopping lists to meeting notes in one searchable place. Everything syncs across your devices, so you can pick up data where you left off, whether you’re on your Mac, iPhone, or the web.

Why uninstall Evernote?

Which means people use it less than before. Plus, Evernote is a helpful tool though, but not without its flaws. That’s why many users eventually choose to uninstall Evernote, often due to common issues and user concerns like these:

• Persistent installer pop-ups: The Evernote installer keeps popping up on the desktop, which can be an annoyance and disrupt workflow (see related discussion on Reddit).
• Sync issues across devices: Notes don’t always sync properly between Mac, iPhone, and web, leading to lost or outdated content.
• Reinstall needed for bug fixes: According to discussions on the Apple Support Community, the only way to fix ongoing glitches is to uninstall and reinstall Evernote completely.
• Lagging and freezing: The app can become sluggish or unresponsive, especially with large notebooks or extended use.
• Switching to ecosystem apps: Many users move to Apple Notes, Google Keep, or Notion to stay within their preferred ecosystem and reduce app clutter.
• Excessive CPU usage: Evernote is known to cause unusually high CPU load, which can be a reason why your Mac slows down.

Before you uninstall Evernote

When examining the whole Evernote-uninstallation thing, I came across Evernote’s official article, which suggests two precautions:

1. Save your Activity Log.
2. Back up your account and any local, unsynced notebooks.

2 Ways to remove Evernote

Once your logs and notes are backed up, you’re all set to safely and permanently remove Evernote. Below follow manual and automated methods to uninstall Evernote (tested on version 10, running on macOS 15).

Uninstall Evernote automatically

Since manual removal may miss hidden files, an uninstaller tool like App Cleaner & Uninstaller guarantees an automated clean uninstall. Even Evernote’s support recommends deleting all the app’s files with an uninstaller software.

So, I tried App Cleaner & Uninstaller myself. This application helped me remove and manage programs on my Mac, clear cache files, change extensions, and even find hidden files of earlier removed apps – all in a single sweep.

1. Install and open the App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
   Download

   for macOS 10.13 and above

   App Cleaner & Uninstaller
2. Locate Evernote and check it on the list of applications.
3. Press Uninstall → confirm the removal.

Easy as that 😎 No traces of Evernote.

How to erase Evernote’s remaining files

If you’ve proceeded with the Evernote uninstall by manually deleting files but want a faster way to catch leftover files, App Cleaner & Uninstaller makes it simple:

1. Come back to the App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
2. Switch to the Remaining Files tab.
3. Check Evernote and press Remove → complete the removal.

Troubleshooting: Evernote issues on Mac

Even with a comprehensive guide, you might run into a few technical glitches – especially when managing different versions or after recent updates. Here are some frequent problems users encounter and how I’ve found success in fixing them:

1. Conflicts between App Store and website versions
   Problem: If both the App Store and the official site versions of Evernote are installed (or one wasn’t fully uninstalled), they may conflict and cause database or syncing issues.
   Fix: Fully uninstall both versions of Evernote → Reinstall only one version.
2. High CPU usage after updates
   Problem: Sometimes, after an update (especially with the App Store version, e.g., 10.98.3), Evernote might cause unusually high CPU load.
   Fix: Delete the App Store version and its support files → Download and install the latest version from Evernote’s official site.
3. JavaScript Error at Launch (main process error)
   Problem: After installation, you might face an error message like:
   Error: dlopen(…node_modules/electron-native-auth…): Library not loaded.
   Fix: Update Evernote to the recent version, which addresses this bug. If the issue persists, perform a full uninstall and then reinstall the app.

If you face other rare issues (like Evernote crashing at startup), you can also refer to Evernote’s official troubleshooting guide for crash diagnostics and logs, which I found helpful.

Evernote alternatives

If Evernote has left you looking for something new, perhaps you’re seeking a simpler interface, deeper organization, or just a different approach. The note-taking landscape has many excellent replacements that better suit Mac.

• Want a simple, built-in app that syncs across your Apple devices?
  📌 Try Apple Notes.
• Need a robust all-in-one tool for planning, notes, and tasks?
  📌 Go with Notion.
• Prefer structured notebooks with a stylus and Office 365 integration?
  📌 Give OneNote a spin.

If you try out these tools and later realize they aren’t the right fit, you can learn how to properly uninstall Notion and correctly remove OneNote from your Mac.

Final notes

You’ve now got the full picture on how to completely uninstall Evernote from your Mac. While the manual method works if you want to dig through a library folder on your own, there’s a faster, safer, and more efficient way to do it.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller takes the guesswork out of the process by detecting and erasing every last file, background service, and hidden cache related to Evernote, so that you won’t leave any clutter, background processes, or annoying system files.

Instead of manually locating remnants, remove everything in seconds. This hack to keep your Mac clean, fast, and clutter-free – not just with Evernote, but any app you choose to remove. Ask Nektony how the tool can do even more for your Mac.