I’m having trouble uninstalling Zoom from my Mac. The app is acting up, and I can’t seem to delete it completely. Any help or step-by-step guide would be appreciated.
I’ve had similar issues with Zoom acting up on my Mac. Getting rid of it completely can be a bit of a hassle, but here’s a step-by-step guide that worked for me.
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Quit Zoom Completely:
- Make sure Zoom isn’t running. Quit it if it is (Right-click the Zoom icon in the Dock and select Quit).
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Remove the App:
- Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
- Drag the Zoom.us app to the Trash. You might need to provide your administrator password.
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Delete Remaining Files:
- Zoom leaves some files in various locations that you’ll need to hunt down and delete. Open Finder > Go > Go to Folder, and enter the following paths one by one, then delete any ‘Zoom’ files found:
~/Library/Application Support/~/Library/Caches/~/Library/Preferences/~/Library/Logs/
- Zoom leaves some files in various locations that you’ll need to hunt down and delete. Open Finder > Go > Go to Folder, and enter the following paths one by one, then delete any ‘Zoom’ files found:
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Empty the Trash:
- Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock and select Empty Trash.
If you’re still seeing issues, you might want to check for any Zoom-related plugins or extensions installed in your web browsers and delete those as well.
You could also use a 3rd-party uninstaller like AppCleaner. It’s a free tool that can help you delete all related app files automatically. Just download AppCleaner, drag and drop the Zoom app into it, and it will locate and remove related files.
Hopefully, this helps you out! If some weird issues persist, maybe it’s not just Zoom acting up but something more systemic on your Mac. Time for a general clean-up or even a reinstall of macOS if things are really out of hand.
I’ve run into similar challenges with Zoom on my Mac too. Getting it off completely can be quite a maze, but an alternative method that I’ve found helpful might give you another way to go about it.
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Force Quit Zoom:
- Sometimes, Zoom seems like it’s off but still running in the background. Open the Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor), find any Zoom processes that are still running, select them, and click the ‘X’ to force quit.
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Using Terminal:
- If dragging Zoom to the trash didn’t do the trick, you could use the Terminal to remove the app. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities, then type:
sudo rm -rf /Applications/zoom.us.app - This command requires your admin password and will forcefully remove the Zoom application.
- If dragging Zoom to the trash didn’t do the trick, you could use the Terminal to remove the app. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities, then type:
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Removing Leftover Files with Terminal:
- Just as @codecrafter mentioned, Zoom leaves remnants scattered around. Here’s how you can clean those through Terminal. Run these commands one by one:
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/zoom.us rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/us.zoom.xos rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/us.zoom.xos.plist rm -rf ~/Library/Logs/zoom* - This ensures all the hidden files are removed without you digging through folders manually.
- Just as @codecrafter mentioned, Zoom leaves remnants scattered around. Here’s how you can clean those through Terminal. Run these commands one by one:
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Check System Preferences:
- Sometimes leftovers might reside in System Preferences. Open System Preferences > Profiles and see if there’s any Zoom profile. If there is, remove it.
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Browser Plugins:
- Don’t forget about web plugins/extensions like @codecrafter noted. Check your browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) for any Zoom plugins and remove them:
- Safari: Safari > Preferences > Extensions.
- Chrome: Chrome Menu > More Tools > Extensions.
- Firefox: Firefox Menu > Add-ons.
- Don’t forget about web plugins/extensions like @codecrafter noted. Check your browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) for any Zoom plugins and remove them:
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Disable Zoom’s Daemon:
- Zoom might install a daemon that runs on startup. Check and remove any launch agents through Terminal:
rm -rf ~/Library/LaunchAgents/us.zoom.xos.plist
- Zoom might install a daemon that runs on startup. Check and remove any launch agents through Terminal:
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Check for Zoom-Related Schedulers:
- Use the Terminal to check if there are schedulers linked to Zoom:
crontab -l - If you spot any Zoom-related tasks, you might want to remove them by editing your crontab via:
crontab -e
- Use the Terminal to check if there are schedulers linked to Zoom:
Additionally, while I generally avoid third-party software, if manual removal seems too cumbersome, an app like ‘CleanMyMac’ can also sanitize all leftover files. It’s more thorough than AppCleaner but does come with a price tag. Your call here.
Lastly, if those weird issues persist and it’s not just about Zoom, do a SMC and NVRAM reset as a last resort. It helps with various unusual behaviors and can sort out system glitches:
- SMC Reset:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Hold down the Shift + Control + Option keys and the power button for 10 seconds.
- Release all keys and turn your Mac back on.
- NVRAM Reset:
- Shut down your Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold Option + Command + P + R for about 20 seconds.
Forget about a full macOS reinstall initially. It’s a huge leap unless you recognize wider, persistent issues across various applications or the system at large.
Let me know if these alternative steps help or if you need more intricate troubleshooting!
Honestly, tackling this manually can be a bit of a nightmare. I’ve been down that road and I found the steps from @byteguru and @codecrafter helpful, but still, way too cumbersome. Here’s a bit of a reality check: manually hunting down files and messing around in the Terminal isn’t exactly what I’d call user-friendly.
If you’re looking for a more straightforward solution, you might want to try something like ‘CleanMyMac’. Sure, it’s not free like AppCleaner, but it’s far more thorough and can save you a lot of hassle. You’d be surprised how effective it is at wiping out every trace of Zoom and other apps too. The cons? It ain’t free, so you will have to shell out some cash. But if you value your time and sanity, it may be worth it.
Also, there’s something to be said for not using any 3rd-party software. Avoiding third-party apps is often a good practice security-wise, but let’s be real. Apple’s default app deletion process is anything but comprehensive, and going into Terminal to manually delete files is fraught with the risk of accidentally nuking an essential system file.
While @byteguru and @codecrafter offer solid manual removal methods, if you value your time and mental health, opt for something like ‘CleanMyMac’. Just don’t expect miracles if the underlying issue isn’t with Zoom itself but some wider system hiccup.