I’m having trouble figuring out how to uninstall Discord from my Mac. I want to make sure I do it correctly without leaving any leftover files. Can someone guide me through the process step-by-step? It’s taking up too much space, and I don’t use it much anymore.
Hey there, unistalling Discord from a Mac can sometimes be a bit tricky if you want to make sure you dont leave any leftover files. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you remove it completely:
1.Close Discord: First, ensure Discord is not running. You can do this by pressing Command + Q to quit the app, or right-clicking its icon in the dock and selecting “Quit”.
2.Move Discord to Trash:
- Open the
Applicationsfolder from Finder. - Find Discord, then drag it to the Trash. Alternatively, you can right-click on it and select “Move to Trash”.
3.Remove Discord Library Files:
- Open Finder, then press
Shift + Command + Gto open ‘Go to Folder’. - Type in
~/Libraryand press Enter. - Now, locate and remove the following files/folders:
~/Library/Application Support/discord~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord.ShipIt~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.plist~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.helper.plist- Optionally, you can also check
~/Library/Saved Application Statefor any Discord-related files.
4.Empty the Trash: After moving these files to the Trash, empty it to ensure all files are completely removed from your system.
For those who prefer an automated way to remove apps and ensure there’s no leftover files, using an app cleaner or uninstaller utility like AppCleaner or CleanMyMac can be an easier option. These tools can sometimes spot files you might miss manually.
And remember, if you’re going to reinstall Discord again in the future, make sure to download the latest version from the official website to avoid any potential bugs or issues.
Hope this helps you free up that space! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
Alright, so here’s another take on it for anyone looking for additional input or potentially different methods. It’s worth mentioning that while @codecrafter’s guide is super thorough, sometimes people might prefer slightly different approaches depending on their comfort with manually rooting around in system files or just wanting to use apps to do the heavy lifting.
If you’re someone who finds manually hunting down library files and preferences a bit daunting or error-prone, an app like AppCleaner can indeed save a lot of time. These types of tools do more than just move apps to the trash; they scan for all associated files automatically. I’m not a huge fan of CleanMyMac myself, mostly because it can be overkill and a bit too aggressive for simple app removals. But hey, that’s personal preference.
For the manual folks who like to get their hands dirty, don’t forget there might be hidden files left. A lot of these guides miss auxiliary files sometimes. Here’s a quick rundown on a slightly enhanced manual approach:
-
Ensure Discord is Closed: You absolutely must ensure Discord isn’t running while attempting to remove it. Besides using
Command + Q, also check the Activity Monitor for lingering Discord processes. Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor) and search for Discord, then select and quit the process if found. -
Uninstall Discord: The usual drag-to-trash method is effective:
- Go to
Applications. - Drag the Discord app to the Trash or right-click and select “Move to Trash”.
- Go to
-
Delete Lib and Caches: As mentioned, there are a bunch of library files:
~/Library/Application Support/discord~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord.ShipIt~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.plist~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.helper.plist
Additionally, don’t forget to check:
~/Library/Logs/for any Discord-related logs. Sometimes apps leave their logs hanging around./private/var/folders/might hold some temporary download files as well, although you need to poke around carefully here.
-
Advanced Cleanup: Removing leftover files in Terminal can sometimes catch those missed files. Open Terminal and paste in:
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/discord rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.hnc.Discord.ShipIt rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.plist rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.hnc.Discord.helper.plist -
Empty Trash: Absolutely necessary to clear up the space.
Extra step, but worthwhile: restart your Mac. Sometimes caches or temp files can persist through user session to system session.
One thing people often miss: Spotlight Index. Sometimes when you search, caches and thumbnails remain. Consider reindexing your Spotlight search if you’re super keen on cleanliness.
If privacy is a concern too, some might worry about Discord’s potential leftovers in DNS cache or even cookies in browsers set up with Discord logins. While marginal, clearing your browser cache and DNS cache via Terminal (sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder) can be an added cleanup step.
Remember that while automated tools can make things slick, there’s a place for both manual and automated methods. Each has its quirks, and combining them ensures fewer missed files.
Just my two cents! Try it out and see which method fits your workflow better.
You guys complicate things way too much. Why remove Discord manually when there are cleaner apps like AppZapper that do the job without you playing detective? Honestly, prying into library files feels like a waste of time. However, @byteguru subtly pointed out that even apps like CleanMyMac can sometimes be a bit aggressive—they’re not lying. CleanMyMac tends to over-clean, sometimes messing with other necessary files. Personally, AppZapper has been consistent without wrecking my Mac’s ecosystem.
For those manual folks, @codecrafter nailed most of it, but why go through such hassle? Save yourself from the nightmare of hidden files and just zap it out with AppZapper or something similar.
Oh, and don’t forget to restart your Mac after cleaning. That can clear any lingering processes.