According to statistics, Firefox holds only around 2.26% of the global browser market. Many users prefer switching to other browsers, increasing the need for proper uninstallation methods.
In this article, we will explain two methods to completely and correctly uninstall Firefox from your Mac. You can choose the manual method or do it quickly with a specialized application. We will also discuss how to reset Firefox to make the browser work faster.
Contents:
- What is Firefox and why should you uninstall it?
- How to uninstall Firefox manually.
- How to remove Firefox with the App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
- How to reset Mozilla Firefox.
Video Guide: Uninstalling Firefox
What is Firefox and why should you uninstall it?
Firefox is a popular open-source web browser from the Mozilla Foundation. The users usually choose using this browser due to the developer’s concern for data privacy. The software creators report that they collect as little data as possible about their users and do not track them.
One of the strengths of this web browser is the variety of extensions that help to facilitate the work on the Internet.
Despite the benefits of Firefox, you may want to uninstall the browser because it has started to work slowly, or you just need to reinstall it. In this article, we will explain how to get rid of Firefox on your Mac completely and safely.
How to uninstall Firefox manually
Often, Mac users do not know how to properly uninstall unnecessary programs from their computers. Generally, people simply drag and drop their applications into the Trash, forgetting about service files.
If you drag and drop Firefox to the Trash or simply delete it from your applications, specific supportive (service) files still remain on your hard drive. Usually, most of them hide in caches, logs, plugins, containers, and reports. That’s why it is important to delete Firefox from your Mac correctly.
Follow these steps to completely get rid of Mozilla Firefox:
- Clear Recent History and Caches of the browser. To do this, go to the Menu bar → History → select Clear Recent History…
- Select Everything for the Time range to clear and select all checkboxes. Confirm removal.
- Open Finder → go to the Applications folder → remove Firefox from there.
- In Finder, press Command+Shift+G and type ~/Library. Press Enter.
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Find all files and folders related to Mozilla Firefox and remove them:
- ~/Library/Caches/Firefox
- ~/Library/Caches/Mozilla
- Empty your Trash.
Now, you need to find and remove other service files for Firefox. They are stored in the hidden Library folder.
How to uninstall Firefox with the App Cleaner & Uninstaller
With the manual uninstallation method, you need to search for all remaining files manually. However, with the help of a special application, App Cleaner & Uninstaller you will fully delete Firefox with just a few clicks. The application automatically finds all service files of apps and uninstalls any app completely and safely.
Steps to delete Firefox with the App Cleaner & Uninstaller:
- Download and launch the App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
- Select Firefox in the Mac applications list.
- Click the Uninstall button.
- Confirm removal.
If you would prefer to delete Firefox the regular way, you can then find all service files with the App Cleaner & Uninstaller. Just switch to the Remaining Files tab. Here, you will see all the leftovers and service files of apps previously moved to Trash.
Now, you can be sure that the application was removed completely and didn’t leave behind any service files on your Mac. By deleting all of the remaining files of your previously deleted applications, you can free up significant space on your disk.
How to reset Mozilla Firefox
If you want to continue using Firefox on your Mac but you have been faced with problems, such as the browser beginning to generate error messages frequently or no longer responding to your requests and needing to be forcibly closed, you can reinstall or reset the browser to fix these errors.
There are many reasons for a slow browser. Very often, the problem is in relation to a large number of open tabs when the browser gets stuck. Also, you might have accumulated a large number of caches, downloads, and other files. If so, then resetting the browser can help to solve the issue. You can use the App Cleaner & Uninstaller to quickly reset Firefox.
Here is how to reset the Firefox app with the App Cleaner & Uninstaller:
- Launch the App Cleaner & Uninstaller.
- Right-click on the Firefox app and choose Reset Application.
- Confirm the removal of its preferences and some other support files.
We showed you two ways to uninstall the popular web browser Firefox. Once again, note that the manual method takes up much more time than the automatic way. The App Cleaner & Uninstaller helps to do this task in less than a minute effortlessly.