Help

Overview

App Cleaner & Uninstaller is your all-in-one command center for macOS application management. Moving beyond simple uninstallation, it serves as a total maintenance suite designed to optimize your Mac’s apps’ performance and security.

While macOS allows you to “trash” apps by dragging icons to the Bin, this process leaves behind hidden caches, logs, and system files that clutter your drive. Our program ensures every app is removed correctly and completely.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller empowers you to take full control of your software ecosystem with a wide set of features:

• Complete uninstallation: Erase applications along with every hidden byte of service data.
• Software updater: Keep your system secure and functional by tracking and installing the latest versions of all your apps in one click.
• Startup & launch agent manager: Boost your Mac’s boot speed by managing login items and background processes.
• System extensions & plugins: Easily disable or remove web browser extensions, preference panes, and system plugins.
• Security & permissions audit: See exactly which programs have access to your Camera, Microphone, Photos, or Full Disk Access. For added peace of mind, you can instantly verify the Apple Notarization status of your software, ensuring every app you run is officially recognized by Apple as safe and free from malicious code.

Applications Section

In the Applications section, you can browse your software library with total clarity. Selecting any app from the list reveals a detailed profile in the right column, giving you an immediate overview of:

• Vital Stats: Total disk footprint, service file count, version number, and the date it was last opened.
• Security Insights: Verify the Apple Notarization status to ensure the app is recognized as safe and malware-free.
• Privacy Audit: See exactly what App Permissions have been granted (such as access to your Camera, Microphone, or Full Disk Access).
• AI App Summary: Get a smart, AI-generated summary that explains what the app does – perfect for identifying mysterious processes or deciding if an old app is still worth keeping.

How to completely remove an application:

• Select the app you wish to remove from the left column.
• Click the Uninstall button.
• Confirm the removal.

The app and all its associated service files will be moved to the Trash or deleted permanently according to your settings.

App security

App Cleaner & Uninstaller acts as a security audit tool for your Mac, helping you identify potential risks hidden in your application list.

• Verifying trustworthiness
  Use the App Verification field to see which apps have passed Apple’s notarization process. A warning icon (⚠️) signifies that the software has not been officially notarized by Apple. This means the app has not been scanned for known malware or malicious code, and you should exercise caution before keeping it on your system.
• Managing privacy exposure
  Regularly review the App Permissions section to see which apps have access to your sensitive data, such as your camera, microphone, location, or full disk. Clicking on a specific permission will automatically open the macOS System Settings window, where you can instantly disable the app’s access to that data.
• AI app summaries
  The App Summary feature is powered by Apple Intelligence to help you understand the true purpose of every application on your Mac.

  Note:

  To ensure these descriptions are always available, verify that “App Summary powered by Apple Intelligence” is enabled in the Advanced tab of your Settings.

  This feature is especially useful for identifying mysterious background processes or deciding if an old, forgotten app is still vital to your workflow or should be removed for security reasons.

Expert mode

For users who want full transparency and granular control, Expert Mode provides an “under the hood” look at every single file associated with an application.

You can activate this view by toggling the Expert Mode switch located at the top-center of the application window. Once enabled, the right-hand panel expands to show a detailed file tree instead of just a summary.

In this mode, you can see exactly where files are stored on your Mac. Service files are organized into clear categories:

• Executables – the application’s core program files. Note: Executables with the same identifier are combined into a single application.
• Application Support – app-specific data and support files created and managed by the application. These can also include files containing user data.
• Plugins – components that add specific features or functionality to an application.
• Shared – service files that are shared among different users on the macOS system.
• Library – app-specific data and support files that may be shared with other applications.
• Growl – components that support notifications via the Growl notification system.
• Caches – temporary data that can be regenerated as needed; applications do not rely on these files to function.
• Containers – home directories used specifically by sandboxed applications.
• Preferences – files that store the user’s custom settings for the application.
• Logs – record files for the console and specific system services.
• Cookies – data files containing web browser cookies.
• Crash Reports – diagnostic files generated when an application closes unexpectedly.
• Settings Panes – special plugins dynamically loaded into System Settings (formerly System Preferences) to customize app behavior.
• Login Items – agents, daemons, and items that allow an application to start automatically upon system launch or user login.
• Dock Icon – an alias (shortcut) to the application located in the Dock.
• Supported Document Types – a list of file formats that the application is capable of opening or handling.

For every item listed, you can see the specific file path and the exact file size, ensuring you know exactly what you are modifying.

Expert Mode allows you to be surgical. Instead of deleting the entire app, you can use the checkboxes to select only specific folders or files like a bloated “WebLocalStorage” folder or an old version of an executable, and click the Remove button to clean them out.

Resetting apps

To fix a buggy application or clear its data without deleting the software itself, you can use the Reset feature. This returns the app to its original, default state by clearing its settings and cache while keeping the main program intact.

There are two ways to perform a reset:

• Via the Context Menu: simply right-click on any application in the list. From the dropdown menu, select Reset Application.
• Manually in Expert Mode: toggle Expert Mode → uncheck the Executables category so the main program isn’t deleted → select Application Support and other service categories like Caches or Preferences → click Remove to wipe only those selected files.

This manual method is perfect if you want to keep specific things (like large plugins) but clear out corrupted preferences or login data.

Startup Programs Section

In the Startup Programs section, you can optimize your Mac’s performance by managing the background processes that trigger during system boot. This section provides a comprehensive list of:

• Launch agents – background programs that run automatically upon user login or system startup. You can disable their auto-launch or delete them entirely from the disk.
• Login items – user-facing applications that open automatically when you log in. You can manage items that are typically found in System Settings or disable specific background agents associated with these apps.
• System daemons – files that contain scripts that manage system-wide service processes for all users. They load during system startup and run in the background to support various OS functions.

To change how a program behaves at startup, simply use the Enable/Disable slider next to each item. Disabling an item stops it from launching automatically, which can significantly speed up your Mac’s startup time without deleting the file itself.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller also allows you to permanently remove launch agents from your disk.

To remove an item:

1. Locate the launch agent in the Startup Programs tab.
2. Click the Remove button.
3. Confirm the action to finalize the deletion.

Extension Section

This area allows you to declutter your system by removing various plugins and add-ons that often accumulate over time.

To remove extensions

1. Navigate to the Extensions sidebar tab.
2. Browse the categories and select the items you no longer need.
3. Click the Remove button and confirm your choice.

Available extension categories

• Installation Files – setup files (.dmg, .pkg) used to install programs. Once an app is installed, these files are often no longer needed; removing them is a quick way to reclaim disk space.
• Web Browser Extensions – small programs that modify and enhance your browser’s functionality and interface. You can view and uninstall extensions for all browsers installed on your Mac from this single dashboard.
• Screen Savers – View all installed screen saver files and easily remove those you no longer use to free up storage.
• Settings Panes – custom plugins that appear in your macOS System Settings to manage specific third-party app behaviors. App Cleaner & Uninstaller allows you to remove these completely, along with their associated service files.
• Internet Plugins – components that add specific features to your web browsing experience.
• Widgets – simple programs originally designed for the Dashboard.

Settings panes

Some third-party apps may be downloaded as settings panes, for example, Flash Player, or they may create settings panes the same way MySQL or Wacom drivers do.

In the Extensions section, you can preview and remove all the settings panes on your Mac installed by third-party apps. Also, you can open any settings pane in Finder directly from the app by clicking the Arrow icon next to it.

If you previously clicked “Cancel” and need to enable access manually, follow these steps:

1. Open System Settings and navigate to the Privacy & Security section.
2. Select Automation from the right-hand panel.
3. Find App Cleaner & Uninstaller in the list and toggle the switch to enable access to Finder.

Remaining Files Section

When you delete an app by simply dragging it to the Trash, its hidden service files are often left behind. These “broken” files clutter your storage and provide no benefit to your system. App Cleaner & Uninstaller identifies these “forgotten” files and allows you to clear them.

To view these files, simply switch to the Remaining Files section. Since the original application has been removed, these file sets are grouped and labeled by the name of the app that created them.

How to remove remnants:

1. Select an application remnant from the list in the left column.
2. Click the Remove button at the bottom of the window.
3. Confirm the removal action.

Updates section

Updates often introduce new features and functionalities. Also, they include security patches to protect your system. The Updates feature in App Cleaner & Uninstaller helps you identify outdated programs and apply security patches with ease.

How to update your apps:

1. Navigate to the Updates tab in the left-hand sidebar.
2. Review the list of outdated applications detected on your Mac.
3. Select the specific app you wish to refresh.
4. Click the Update button.
5. Confirm the action to begin the installation of the latest version.

You can detect and manage updates for both App Store applications and apps installed directly from developers. It is fully compatible with the most common distribution and update systems used on macOS:

• AppStore
• Sparkle
• Electron
• Squirrel
• Homebrew
• GitHub

Settings

You can customize your experience by adjusting the Settings to fit your workflow. To access these options, go to the App Cleaner & Uninstaller menu and select Settings.

General tab

In the General tab of the Settings, you can customize how the application monitors your system and manages your software list.

• Detect apps moved to Trash and offer full removal: Enable this option to receive an automatic notification whenever you delete an application by dragging it to the Trash. The app will then offer to find and remove all associated leftover service files simultaneously.
• Show system applications: Use this toggle to display built-in macOS applications in your main list. While these core apps cannot be removed, enabling this allows you to reset them by clearing their specific service files if they are malfunctioning.
• Help improve the app by sharing anonymous usage data: By keeping this enabled, you allow the app to collect anonymous data to help improve overall performance and user experience. You can disable this at any time, and you can learn more about how your data is handled in the Privacy Policy.

Locations tab

In the Locations tab, you can manage the specific areas of your Mac that the app scans for applications. By default, the app searches the standard /Applications, ~/Applications, and /System/Applications directories.

If you store software in non-standard locations, you can manually update the list to ensure no application is missed:

• Click the “+” button at the bottom to add a new folder to the application search path.
• Select a path and click the “–” button to exclude it from the Locations list.
• The Extra folder section automatically lists additional directories containing applications that the tool has discovered during previous scans.

Skip List tab

You can protect specific applications from being scanned or modified. Simply navigate to the Skip List tab and click the Plus (+) button to exclude chosen apps and their service files from all search results.

Remove tab

In the Remove tab of the Settings, you can configure how the application handles file deletion and post-cleanup notifications.

• Move to Trash: This is the default setting. Items are moved to the Trash during removal, allowing you to restore them if needed.
• Delete items permanently: Select this option to bypass the Trash. Items will be permanently deleted and cannot be restored once removed.
• Remind me to clean up unused apps: Enable this to receive helpful reminders to check for and remove applications that you haven’t opened in a while.
• Show detailed summary after successful removal or update: When this is checked, the app will provide a comprehensive report of all items cleared or updated once the process is complete.

Helper tab

In the Helper tab, you can enable a convenient menu bar agent to manage your system health without opening the full application window.

Toggling this checkbox adds a small icon to your macOS menu bar for instant access to core features. From this menu bar agent, you can directly monitor and manage:

• Startup apps
• Available updates
• Unused apps

Disk Access tab

In the Disk Access tab in the app’s Settings you can see whether you have already provided the necessary access.

For security reasons, macOS requires that you manually grant apps permission to access your private data. Since App Cleaner & Uninstaller scans your entire hard drive to locate service files, manage extensions, and restore items from the Trash, it requires Full Disk Access to function correctly.

Initial setup:

• Click the Open System Settings button in the app’s prompt to automatically open the Full Disk Access section of your macOS settings.
• Locate App Cleaner & Uninstaller in the list and switch the toggle to ON.

Manual method:

If you need to grant access manually:

• Open System Settings and go to Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access.
• Switch the toggle for App Cleaner & Uninstaller to ON.
• If the app is missing from the list, click the plus (+) icon and select it from your Applications folder.
• Relaunch the app to enable all features.

Advanced

In the Advanced tab, you can customize the application’s intelligent detection features and overall look to better suit your preferences.

• Unused app threshold: Define the specific timeframe that determines when an application is flagged as “unused” in your scan results.
• Appearance mode: Manually toggle between Light or Dark themes, or select Auto to have the app automatically match your macOS system appearance.
• Apple Intelligence: Enable the “App Summary powered by Apple Intelligence” to receive brief, AI-generated explanations of what specific applications on your Mac do.
• Reset Application Settings: Use this button to instantly restore all App Cleaner & Uninstaller preferences to their original factory defaults.

Removal history

If you have uninstalled an application by mistake, you can easily restore your data.

To recover your files, follow these steps:

1. Open the App Cleaner & Uninstaller and navigate to Menu → File → Removal History.
2. Browse the Removal History window to find the apps or service files you wish to recover.
3. Select the desired items and click the Restore button.

Once confirmed, your files will be moved out of the Trash and returned exactly to their original folders.

Language

App Cleaner & Uninstaller is designed to be accessible globally and currently supports the following languages:

How to change the language

By default, the application matches the preferred language set in your macOS system settings. However, you can set a specific language without changing your entire system language by following these steps:

1. Open System Settings and navigate to General → Language & Region.
2. Scroll down to the Applications section at the bottom of the window.
3. Click the plus (+) button and select App Cleaner & Uninstaller from the list.
4. Choose your preferred language from the dropdown menu and click Add.
5. Restart App Cleaner & Uninstaller for the changes to take effect.

Shortcut Commands

App Cleaner & Uninstaller provides a variety of keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate the interface and manage your files more efficiently.

Processing Apps and Service Files

View Modes

Selections

Search

Additional Options

Upgrade to Pro

App Cleaner & Uninstaller offers a free trial that includes access to all premium features. Once the trial expires, an upgrade to the Pro version is required to continue using the following advanced tools:

• Complete uninstallation: Remove apps and all their associated service files in a single click.
• Service and remaining file cleanup: Clear service files for currently installed apps and “forgotten” remnants from previously deleted programs.
• System extension management: Remove system-level extensions.
• Startup control: Stop specific programs from launching automatically when your Mac starts.
• Deep analysis: Preview installed programs in the Expert mode, their specific service files, and supported document types.
• Customization: Tailor how you manage default applications and how the app handles the removal or restoration of items.

How to Upgrade to Pro

Follow these steps to unlock the full version of the application:

1. Launch the app.
2. Click the green Unlock Full Version button located at the top of the window.
3. In the pop-up window, click Go to Purchase to open the official purchasing page in your browser.
4. Select your license type and payment method. Ensure your email address is correct, as your unique license key will be sent there.
5. Once you receive your license key via email (check your Spam folder if it doesn’t appear), open the app and go to the Menu Bar → App Cleaner & Uninstaller → License info…. Alternatively, click the green Unlock Full Version button again and select Activate License.
6. Enter your key into the field and click Activate.

Once successfully upgraded, the green “Unlock” button will disappear, indicating that you have full, unrestricted access to all features.

Uninstall App Cleaner & Uninstaller

If you need to remove App Cleaner & Uninstaller from your Mac, the process depends on which version you are using. To ensure a clean removal and license deactivation, follow the appropriate steps below:

For the current version

The easiest way to remove the application is to use its built-in self-uninstallation tool:

1. Go to the app’s menu, select Settings, and switch to the Advanced tab.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the Advanced tab.
3. Click the Remove button.

This action will completely uninstall the app from your Mac and automatically deactivate your license.

For Version 6.10 and earlier

If you are using an older version, you must manually remove the binary and its associated service files:

1. Drag App Cleaner & Uninstaller from your Applications folder into the Trash.
2. Open Finder, select Go → Go to Folder (or press ⇧⌘G), and enter ~/Library and press Return.

3. Find and delete the following folders and files to ensure no “broken” files are left behind:

   • ~/Library/Application Support/com.nektony.App-Cleaner-Pro
   • ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.nektony.App-Cleaner-Pro
   • ~/Library/Caches/com.nektony.App-Cleaner-Pro
   • ~/Library/Preferences/com.nektony.App-Cleaner-Pro.plist
4. Empty your Trash and restart your Mac to complete the process.