How do I uninstall Adobe Acrobat from my Mac?

Mac
1

Having trouble removing Adobe Acrobat from my Mac. I no longer need the software and it’s taking up too much space. I tried dragging it to the Trash but it seems like there are still some leftovers. How can I fully delete it?

2

Ugh, Adobe Acrobat is a nightmare to completely uninstall. Dragging it to the Trash barely does anything, of course. Adobe’s notorious for leaving behind a bunch of junk files all over your Mac. You might not even be able to find all the leftover files manually unless you know exactly where to look (and good luck with that).

First off, try the Adobe Acrobat uninstaller if it’s available. It should be in the Acrobat folder within your Applications. If that doesn’t work (which often it doesn’t), you might need a third-party uninstaller app like AppCleaner or CleanMyMac. AppCleaner, for example, is free and can sniff out those hidden files. CleanMyMac is paid, but it has more features if you wanna go all out.

Cons of using these third-party apps: they might not get absolutely everything, and sometimes they could delete something you actually need if you’re not careful.

Pros: They’re pretty easy to use and usually do a better job than just dragging the app to the Trash. Plus, they can help keep your system clean in general.

Adobe isn’t the only offender here. You’ve got Microsoft Office doing the same garbage. It’s frustrating, but third-party cleaners help. Good luck—you’re gonna need it.

3

Good job trying to drag it to the Trash in the first place, even though it’s not enough :sweat_smile:. Uninstalling Adobe Acrobat on a Mac is indeed as delightful as stubbing your toe repeatedly. But hey, let’s level up from just dragging it to the Trash.

First, make sure you’ve tried the uninstaller that’s usually bundled with Adobe apps (found in the Applications > Adobe Acrobat folder). But let’s be realistic, right? That thing is about as reliable as a cardboard umbrella in a rainstorm.

Next up, ditch the idea of third-party uninstallers if you’re feeling cautious about those apps (yes, they also need hefty permissions). Instead, why not dig into some manual clean-up?

  1. Library Cleanup: Navigate to ~/Library (use Cmd + Shift + G in Finder, then type it in). You’ll find folders like Application Support, Preferences, and Caches. Scrounge around these folders for anything labeled Adobe or Acrobat. Toss them into the Trash. There should be some folders like

    • ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe
    • ~/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.Acrobat.plist

  2. Automate via Finder: While you’re in those directories, you can even use the Finder’s search feature. Change the search scope to “This Mac,” then search for “Adobe” or “Acrobat”. This will show any deeply hidden files. Make sure you’re in an admin account so you can delete hidden files.

  3. Launch Agents & Daemons: Check out the LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons folders within both ~/Library and /Library. If you see any Adobe-related .plist files, delete them.

  4. Remaining Bundles: Sometimes there are leftover applications or frameworks within /Library/Frameworks or /Library/Application Support that may need removing.

Opinionated moment here: some people say AppCleaner or CleanMyMac are must-haves, and while they might help, they’re not foolproof and could even eat something vital if you’re not on your toes. These apps aren’t always the knight in shining armor folks claim them to be.

For the ultra-redundant belts-and-suspenders approach, reboot your Mac after you’ve tossed all Adobe files. This helps in case any processes were lingering around—that is, if you want to be super thorough.

Finally, bash and clean: Open Terminal and use:

sudo lsof | grep Adobe

If any stubborn processes still linger, you’ll see them pop up here.

Theres no magic bullet, but mixing manual and software tools should get you most of the way. If that doesn’t work, move to a deserted island without internet and contemplate simpler times. :palm_tree:

Happy file hunting!

4

Yo, dealing with Adobe Acrobat on a Mac can make you wanna tear your hair out, I get it. So, seeing what @codecrafter and @techchizkid brought to the table, I’ll throw in a couple more angles to round this out without regurgitating the same steps.

First off, totally get it if you’re not keen on going full third-party app. I’m with the caution club on this even though I do use them occasionally. Sometimes relying solely on these apps leaves you hanging, ya know? They could leave bits behind or, even worse, clean out stuff you didn’t wanna mess with in the first place.

If you’re up for some more DIY action beyond what the previous folks mentioned, let’s dive a bit deeper. Here’s another level just to make sure we don’t miss anything in those nooks and crannies.

Step Up Your Game with Terminal:

Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and use the find command to track down those sneaky files all over your system:

sudo find / -iname "adobe" -delete
sudo find / -iname "acrobat" -delete

sudo find / will search through your whole filesystem, and -iname makes it case-insensitive (helpful cause filenames can be inconsistent). The -delete option trashes the files. Careful with this because you don’t wanna go deleting non-Adobe stuff with similar names!

Look for Browser Plug-ins:

Adobe likes to slip its tendrils into browsers too. Check these folders and delete any Adobe-related plug-ins/extensions:

  • ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default/Extensions/
  • ~/Library/Safari/Extensions/

Sometimes these things might stick around and keep taking space and resources without you even noticing.

Don’t Forget Fonts:

Weirdly enough, Adobe software can sometimes install fonts that’ll stick around even after you think you’ve got everything. Head to Font Book (Applications > Font Book) and look for any Adobe fonts you don’t need. Just highlight and delete 'em.

Final Touch with a Clean-Up Script:

If you’ve got a little coding savvy or bravery, this shell script can automate some searches and deletions:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Starting clean-up process..."

# List of directories to check
declare -a directories=(
    "/Applications"
    "/Library/Application Support"
    "/Library/Preferences"
    "/Library/Internet Plug-Ins"
    "~/Library/Application Support"
    "~/Library/Preferences"
    "~/Library/Caches"
    "~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins"
    "~/Library/LaunchAgents"
    "/Library/LaunchDaemons"
)

# Extensions to consider for removal
declare -a extensions=(
    "adobe"
    "acrobat"
)

for dir in "${directories[@]}"; do
    for ext in "${extensions[@]}"; do
        echo "Searching in $dir for $ext..."
        sudo find "$dir" -iname "*$ext*" -exec rm -rf {} \;
    done
done

echo "Clean-up process completed!"

Make sure you know what you’re running. Save this as clean_adobe.sh, give it executable permissions with chmod +x clean_adobe.sh, and then run it with sudo ./clean_adobe.sh. This scrubs through common directories and deletes files as marked.

Above and Beyond – Double-check Available System Resources:

After doing everything, and before rebooting, open Activity Monitor just for peace of mind. Check for any Adobe processes that might still be running. Force quit anything related (if they’re still there after manual hunts and cleanings, you probably did miss something major).

If this still doesn’t nail it down, and you’re ready to burn down the Adobe house, you might really wanna consider:

  • Backup your critical data before getting crazy with deletion commands.
  • Using third-party apps, cautiously, as a final check-in.

From experience, combinatorial attacks—manual hunt, scripts, third-party cleaners, all layered—usually get the job done. And yeah, if nothing else works and you’ve ensured no critical files are left, a system reboot post-cleanup is like hitting refresh for your sanity.

Good luck in your endeavors!