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When you download a file from the Internet, it is saved in your operating system's downloads folder. Additionally, there is a record of it in your Internet browser. When a file is in the downloads folder, it can take up unnecessary storage space. Also, as it shows the files you've downloaded, it could be a security or privacy risk. To clear your downloads folder or download history, click a link in the list below and follow the instructions.

If you want to remove multiple downloads from your Mac at once, you can do that with CleanMyMac X. This app has a Large and Old Files feature that detects all massive files and lets you delete them all. I will explain how to quickly get to downloads on your Mac using CleanMyMac X later in the article. To clear downloads from your Mac, follow these steps: 1. Go to the Finder app in your dock. Select Downloads. Click on the files you want to delete. To delete all downloads, hold the Command Key + A or press shift on your keyboard and simultaneously click the first and last download on the list.

Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10

To clear the files in the Downloads folder in Windows, follow the steps below.

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard, type Downloads, and press Enter.
2. In the window that opens, highlight all the downloaded files using your mouse or press Ctrl+A. If you do not want to delete all files only select the downloaded file you want to delete.

3. Press Delete to send the files to the Recycle Bin.
4. To permanently delete the files, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin in the drop-down menu that appears.

If there isn't a Recycle Bin icon on your desktop, you can restore it. For help with getting the Recycle Bin back, see: Missing Windows desktop Recycle Bin icon.

macOS and Safari

To clear the files in the Downloads folder on your Mac computer, follow the steps below.

As it's built in to macOS, these steps are the same for those using the Safari browser.

1. Select Finder from the Dock at the bottom of your desktop.

2. In the window that opens, select Downloads from the list on the left side of the screen.

3. Right-click each entry and select Move to Trash in the drop-down menu.

You may also clear download history entries by highlighting them and pressing Delete.

Google Chrome

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Google Chrome, follow these steps.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Click the Customize and control Google Chrome button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Downloads from the drop-down menu that appears.
4. In the new window that opens, click next to each entry you want to remove.
5. To clear all entries, click the More actions icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and select Clear all.

In Chrome, press Ctrl+J (Windows) or Command+Shift+J (macOS) to view a list of your downloaded files.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

Mozilla Firefox

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Firefox, follow these steps.

1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Click the Library icon near the upper-right corner of the screen.
3. Select Downloads in the menu that appears.

4. At the bottom of the expanded menu, click Show All Downloads.

5. You may delete each file individually using the Delete key. To remove them all at once, right-click in the downloads section and select Clear Downloads in the drop-down menu.

In Firefox, press Ctrl+J (Windows) or Command+J (macOS) to view a list of your downloaded files.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

Microsoft Edge

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Microsoft Edge, follow these steps.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. Click the Settings and more icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
3. In the drop-down menu, select Downloads.
4. You can remove files individually by clicking the icon, or delete all files by clicking Clear all.

In Edge, press Ctrl+J to view a list of your downloads.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

Microsoft Edge Legacy

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Microsoft Edge Legacy, follow these steps.

1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
2. In the upper-right corner, select the Hub button.
3. Click the icon that looks like a down arrow.
4. You can delete each file individually by clicking next to the file entry, or click Clear all to delete all files.

In Edge Legacy, press Ctrl+J to view a list of your downloads.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Internet Explorer, follow these steps.

1. Open the Internet Explorer browser.
2. Click the Gearicon in the upper-right side of the window.
3. Click View downloads in the drop-down menu that appears.
4. You may delete each file individually by clicking the X next to the file entry, or click Clear list to delete all files.

In Internet Explorer, press Ctrl+J to open your Downloads folder.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

Opera

To clear the files in the Downloads folder for Opera, follow these steps.

1. Open the Opera browser.
2. Click in the upper-left corner of the window.
3. In the drop-down menu that appears, select Downloads.
4. In the tab that opens, you may delete each entry individually by clicking the icon on the right side and selecting Remove in the menu. To delete all files, click the button in the upper-right corner.

In Opera, press Ctrl+J (Windows) or Command+J (macOS) to view a list of your downloaded files. Roblox wont download on mac.

If you're using Microsoft Windows, you can also see our Windows steps for deleting downloads using Windows.

1. Mac OS X can experience difficulty deleting certain files due to the following (and other) reasons: The file is in use by an application or system process The file is locked.
2. Mac OS X can experience difficulty deleting certain files due to the following (and other) reasons: The file is in use by an application or system process The file is locked.
3. Delete OperativeSync related apps through the Finder Check the list of installed apps on your Mac computer and delete all unknown and recently installed applications. If you see an unknown application with incorrect spelling or varying capital letters, it have most likely been installed by malicious software and you should clean it off first.

Click on the logo on the top left. On the drop-down menu, select Force Quit. On the next menu of available apps, select the app, you would want to quit and click on the Force Quit button. After force quitting all apps, now try deleting the file or folder. To use the app to securely delete files, download and install the app. Open the app and click Shredder at the bottom of the list on the left, under Utilities. Navigate to the folder containing.

Quick question – how do you uninstall programs on Mac?

If your answer is to drag the app to the Trash, we’re sorry to say that you’ve been doing it wrong.

You probably know or guess that you can remove apps by dragging them to the Trash bin, but it is not quite so. Dragging normal files like documents and movies to the Trash works fine. But doing the same for apps leaves gigabytes of leftover junk files on your hard drive. We’re going to show you what gets left behind and what you can do to completely uninstall apps from here on out.

How to uninstall on Mac

If you are trying to delete an old application, reinstall a corrupted software or just free up disk space on your Mac, removing all components of the program is important. These include the app, its preferences and support files, and sometimes other hidden files.

To completely uninstall a program on Mac you have to choose one of three options:

• Using Trash.
• Using Launchpad.
• Using a native uninstaller

Zsh mac install fonts in terminal.app. The ways mentioned above include navigating your Mac’s in search of the apps you want to remove and then locating their remaining data. The latter can take even more place than the app itself and can be stored anywhere in your folders.

I prefer clearing my Mac from apps using special software made for this particular task - CleanMyMac X. It’s Uninstaller feature, is an app-killer that sweeps away any program you don’t want on your Mac and clears remaining junk.

Now let’s go ahead and delete some apps!

1. Uninstall Mac apps using Trash

Whether you're running macOS Catalina or an earlier macOS, like Mojave or Sierra, the process of manually uninstalling remains relatively similar. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Finder.
2. Go to Applications.
3. Choose the app you want to delete.
4. Press Command + Delete (⌘⌫).
5. Open Trash.
6. Click the Empty button in the upper-right corner of the window.

And the app is gone.

Even uninstalling apps on macOS Catalina requires getting rid of leftovers, despite the fact that it's the latest and the most sophisticated system for Mac. Apple has done such a good job on macOS 10.15 but left this unfortunate issue unresolved for another year.

To completely remove programs from Mac manually, you have to find all the associated files that come along with the app. That means not just dragging the app icon to the Trash from your Applications folder, but searching the depths of the system files on your Mac.

We’re going to reveal the locations of the most common files that are associated with apps. To remove the app leftovers from your Mac just navigate to each of these folders and hunt for the app you want to remove. If you find files with the app name you can send them to the Trash.

So, when uninstalling any software, you have to go over each of these folders one by one and remove the following:

• Binary and dock icons are located in /Applications/
• Application support files are located in ~/Library/Application Support
• Support Caches can be found in /Library/Caches/ and
  ~/Library/Caches
  
• Plugins are located in ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
• Library can be found in ~/Library/
• App preferences are located in ~/Library/Preferences/
• Crashes are found in
  ~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/
  
• App saved states are located in
  ~/Library/Saved Application State/
  

There are many more hidden files, some of which cannot be accessed by the user. And macOS/OS X will prevent you from deleting some app files.

As you can see, it's not that easy to uninstall applications Mac doesn't need, even when you know what to do. By the way, be sure to look for the name of the app in the file names of the files you remove. Don’t remove anything you don’t know! Do your due diligence before removing something from your system.

When you delete software on Mac manually, be sure only to remove an app file or folder when you’re sure of what it is. Look at the name very carefully before you nuke it. Removing the wrong files could cause problems with your system.

Remember, please be careful when deleting system files — you never know how it will affect your Mac if you remove the wrong ones (or the right ones for that matter!).

2. Uninstall Mac programs with Launchpad

How to uninstall on Mac by using the Launchpad? It's easy and this manual method works like this:

1. Click Launchpad icon in your Mac's Dock.
2. Find the app you want to delete.
3. Click and hold the app until it starts shaking.
4. Click X in the top-left corner of the app icon.
5. Click Delete.

This will uninstall the app from your Mac. However, keep in mind that after removing the program, you should also delete its leftovers as we've described above.

Can't delete apps on Mac?

Unfortunately, manual methods won’t get everything. Some apps are pre-installed macOS components and protected by the system while others will refuse to delete because they are already open (even though that’s often not true).

So, how to delete the apps on Mac that won't delete? You can try the manual removal after force quitting the app in question (press Command-Option-Esc and if the app is on the list shut it down) or rebooting your Mac.

If you're still unable to delete apps on Mac or if you’re worried you won't do it correctly and want a safer alternative, there’s the easy method of uninstalling apps from your Mac so you don't have to force delete applications. It actually does a better (and safer) job and in a fraction of the time. Read on to learn how to delete apps on Mac automatically.

3. Uninstall apps with CleanMyMac X

When I referred to the easy method of uninstalling apps, I meant using CleanMyMac X. As for me, deleting apps is a pretty tiresome task. I’ve always put away this chore, as it will waste a huge amount of my time. But, my Mac was running low on free storage, so I decided to try CleanMyMac X to fix this problem and uninstall programs on Mac with ease. I used the Uninstaller module to get rid of multiple apps at once. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Download CleanMyMac X, install, and launch it (it takes less than a minute).
2. Go to Uninstaller.
3. Choose All Applications.
4. Check the boxes next to the app you want to remove.
5. Press Uninstall.

As you can see, CleanMyMac X shows precisely how much place each app takes, so it’s easier to detect the heaviest programs. Another benefit is that you can bulk uninstall programs on Mac without dragging each app and its files to the Trash.

Is it possible to delete system files on Mac?

CleanMyMac X doesn’t let you delete system apps like Safari. Neither of Mac cleaners can do that. But, CleanMyMac X allows you to delete the data associated with system apps and reset them completely. Click CleanMyMac X’s menu in the upper-left corner and choose Preferences. Go to Ignore List and click Uninstaller. Here uncheck the box next to “Ignore system applications.”

Now, you can close Preferences and go back to Uninstaller. Click ► next to the app's icon to show its files. Then check the data you want to delete and choose Reset from the drop-down list next to the app’s icon. Then press Remove.

It will help to clear some space on your Mac. Note that your app logs may also disappear after the reset.

4. Use the native uninstaller

Many applications are designed to clean after themselves. They come with a built-in uninstaller — a self-destroying utility bundled with the main app. This is mostly true for third-party apps that you download from the internet. That’s why native uninstallers remain more of a Windows thing, not much heard of in the Mac world.
The original uninstallers can be found in Finder > Applications. If your app looks like a folder (within the Applications folder) most likely it will have a separate uninstaller. The name will read [Your app] Uninstaller or Uninstall [Your App].

Open the folder, find the launcher, and just follow the onscreen instructions. After the removal is complete, you can enjoy your extra storage space!

Clear app leftovers: preferences files and caches

No sane developer wants people to delete their application. As your desperate ex, they would do everything to stay on your Mac, like planting pieces of their software around your Mac so one day they can return. Support files, preference files, and caches — all these will likely remain even if you’ve deleted the app itself.
Here I’ll show you how to root out these remaining traces. I’ll use the Telegram app as an example.

Delete application support files

Click on Finder > Go to Folder… (in the upper menu).
Paste in: ~/Library/Application Support/Your App Name

In my case it's: ~/Library/Application Support/Telegram

Now, delete the content of this folder.

Delete application Preferences

The Preferences folder contains your user settings. These files are tiny but there’s no reason not to delete them, just out of principle.
Click on Finder > Go to Folder…
Paste in: ~/Library/Preferences/

Mac Pro Delete An App

Open the folder. Now type the name of your app in the search bar. Click to search 'Preferences.” Delete the found items.

Delete the caches

In the same vein, you’ll have to delete the remaining app caches.
This time, use the following command to paste in Finder > Go to Folder.
Paste this: ~/Library/Caches/Your App Name

Note: In some cases, you need to search for the app developer's name, rather than the name of the app.

Delete leftovers with CleanMyMac X

If you’ve been doing a 'spring cleaning' in your Applications folder, chances are some files are still left somewhere in your Mac’s system. CleanMyMac X detects and collects them into the Leftovers tab.

Go to Uninstaller once again and select Leftovers. Select all the remaining files and press Uninstall to say goodbye to the app remains.

Now you are just as good at uninstalling applications on Mac as any Apple engineer. Hopefully, you now have plenty of free space. Don't miss a few related articles below.

These might also interest you:

Find your files

The Files app includes files on the device you're using, as well as those in other cloud services and apps, and iCloud Drive. You can also work with zip files.* To access your files, just open the Files app and choose the location of the file you're looking for.

Save a copy of your file locally

You can find locally stored files in On My [device], under Locations. On your iPad, simply drag files into the On My iPad folder to store them directly on your device. If you want to save a file locally on your iPhone or iPod touch, follow these steps.

1. Go to the file that you want to store on your device.
2. Tap Select > the file name > Organize .
3. Under On My [Device], choose a folder or tap New Folder to create a new one.
   
4. Tap Copy.

You can also long press on a file, choose Move, and select which folder you want to copy it to.

On iOS 12 or earlier, tap the file and choose Move. Then, under On My [device], choose Numbers, Keynote, or Pages, and tap Copy.

Move iCloud Drive files

1. Go to the file that you want to move.
2. Tap Select, then choose the file.
3. Tap Organize .
4. Under On My [Device], choose a folder or tap New Folder to create a new one.
5. Tap Move.

You can also long press on a file, choose Move, and select which folder you want to copy it to.

Look for files on your Mac or PC

• On your Mac, choose Go > iCloud Drive from the menu bar, or click iCloud Drive in the sidebar of a Finder window.
• On iCloud.com, go to the iCloud Drive app.
• On your PC with iCloud for Windows, open File Explorer, then click iCloud Drive.

* Password protected zip folders or directories are not supported in the Files app.

Organize your files

It’s easy to organize all of the files stored in iCloud Drive — including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. When you make changes on one device, your edits are automatically updated on every device using iCloud Drive.

You can make your own folders. Or rename the files and folders you already have when you press firmly on them.

Create new folders

1. Go to Locations.
2. Tap iCloud Drive, On My [device], or the name of a third-party cloud service where you want to keep your new folder.
3. Swipe down on the screen.
4. Tap More .
5. Select New Folder.
6. Enter the name of your new folder. Then tap Done.

On iOS 12 or earlier, tap New Folder . If you don't see New Folder or it's gray, then the third-party cloud service doesn't support new folders.

View your files by name, date, size, or the tags that you add. With colorful and custom labels, you can assign tags to your files any way that you like. That means you'll quickly find just the project or document you need.

Add a tag

1. Tap Select.
2. Tap the file that you want to tag.
3. Tap Share > Add Tags .
4. Choose the tag that you want to add.

Rename a tag

1. Go to Locations.
2. Tap More > Edit.
3. Tap the name of an existing tag.
4. Enter the name of your new tag.
5. Tap Done.

Delete files

Select the files that you don't want anymore and tap Delete . If you delete files from the iCloud Drive folder on one device, they delete on your other devices too. iCloud Drive removes the files from every device that you're signed in to with the same Apple ID.

When you delete a file from iCloud Drive or On My [device], it goes into your Recently Deleted folder. If you change your mind or accidentally delete a file, you have 30 days to get it back. Go to Locations > Recently Deleted. Select the file that you want to keep and tap Recover. After 30 days, your files are removed from Recently Deleted.

You can also sign into iCloud.com from your Mac or PC, then go to iCloud Drive and check Recently Deleted.

Share folders and files with your friends or colleagues

Recover Deleted Files Mac Software

Want to share with a friend or colleague? You can share any folder or file stored in iCloud Drive directly from the Files app. In iCloud Drive, tap Select, choose the file or folder that you want to share, tap Share , and select Add People. You can share a folder or file through AirDrop, Messages, Mail, and more. Learn more about how folder sharing and file sharing work in iCloud Drive.

Or maybe you want to collaborate on a project in real time. The Files app lets you do that too with your Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. Select the file and tap Share or > Add People . You can invite them to collaborate through Messages, Mail, or copy and paste a link. Your participants are color-coded. And you can see when they're online, actively working on your shared document.

Use third-party apps in Files

The Files app lets you add your third-party cloud services — like Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Drive, and more — so that you can access all of your files on all of your devices. The files you keep in iCloud Drive automatically appear in the Files app, but you need to set up your other cloud services to access them in the Files app too.

Add third-party apps

1. Download and set up the third-party cloud app.
2. Open the Files app.
3. Tap the Browse tab.
4. Tap More > Edit.
5. Turn on the third-party apps that you want to use in the Files app.
6. Tap Done.

Clean Downloads Folder Mac

If you don't see one of your third-party cloud services in the Files app, check with your cloud provider.

On iOS 12 or earlier, open the Files app then tap Locations > Edit to add third-party apps.

Move third-party cloud files

Permanently Delete Files Apple Mac

1. Open the file that you want to move.
2. Tap Share > Copy.
3. Open the folder where you want to move your file.
4. Firmly press the screen.
5. Tap Paste.

Do more with Files on iPadOS

How Do I Delete All Downloads On My Mac Without

If you're on iPadOS, you can access files on a USB flash drive, SD card, or hard drive through the Files app on iPadOS. Just connect the storage device, and then you can select it under Locations. You can also connect to unencrypted storage on a file server, if that storage is using the APFS, Mac OS Extended, MS-DOS (FAT), or ExFAT format. You also have the option to view your files in Column View, which is helpful if you have files nested in multiple folders. Column View lets you see previews of files and offers access to tools like markup and rotate without even opening a file.

Connect to a file server

1. Open the Browse tab.
2. Tap More .
3. Select Connect to Server.
4. Enter the SMB address.
5. Tap Connect.
6. The server name appears under Shared in the Browse menu.

Switch to Column View

1. In landscape mode, open the Browse tab.
2. Select a folder.
3. Swipe down on the right side of the screen.
4. Select Column View in the upper right.
5. Tap a folder to expand its contents.
6. Tap a file to see a preview.

To leave Column View, tap Grid View or List View , or use your iPad in portrait mode.

How Do I Delete All Downloads On My Mac Hard Drive

If you need help

• Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest iOS, or iPadOS.
• Set up iCloud on all of your devices and turn on iCloud Drive.
• Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
• If you want to upload, download, or share files using cellular data, open Settings, select Cellular, scroll down to iCloud Drive and any third-party cloud services you use, and turn it on for each service.

How Do I Delete All Downloads On My Mac Using

If you don't want to access your iCloud Drive files in the Files app, you can choose to download and add only third-party cloud services instead.