What is uninstalld?

uninstalld handles app removal on macOS.

What is uninstalld?

uninstalld cleans up after you delete an app. When you drag an app to the Bin or use Launchpad to remove it, uninstalld manages the cleanup.

What does it do?

uninstalld handles:

• Removing the app from the Applications folder
• Cleaning up linked files (caches, preferences, containers)
• Removing the app from Launch Services
• Revoking app permissions
• Telling the system the app is gone

Does it remove everything?

For Mac App Store apps, uninstalld does a thorough job of cleaning the app container and linked data. For apps installed outside the App Store, the cleanup may be less complete. Some preference files or support files in ~/Library might remain.

When does it run?

uninstalld runs when:

• You delete an app from Launchpad (hold Option, click the X)
• You drag a Mac App Store app to the Bin
• A device management server sends a command to remove an app
• The system removes an app as part of a cleanup

Should you worry?

No. It is a normal macOS process. If you want to make sure all traces of an app are gone, especially for apps from outside the App Store, check ~/Library/Application Support/, ~/Library/Preferences/, and ~/Library/Caches/ for leftover files.

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