How do I properly uninstall Spotify on my MacBook?

General Mac Tutorials
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I’m having trouble removing Spotify from my MacBook. Every time I try to delete it, it seems like some files are left behind. I’ve already tried dragging the app to the trash, but that doesn’t completely uninstall it. Can someone guide me through a step-by-step process to ensure all Spotify files are removed? Thanks!

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How to Completely Uninstall Spotify from Your MacBook: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hey there!

So, you’re having a tough time getting Spotify off your MacBook for good? I get it; sometimes, just dragging the app to the trash doesn’t quite cut it. But don’t worry, I’ll walk you through a more thorough process to ensure all Spotify files are removed completely. Let’s get into it!

Method 1: Manual Uninstallation

Alright, let’s start with the manual method since it’s the most hands-on way to make sure you’re getting rid of every little Spotify file. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

  1. Quit Spotify (if it’s running):

    • First, make sure Spotify isn’t running. You can do this by right-clicking the Spotify icon in your dock and selecting “Quit.”
    • Alternatively, you can go to “Spotify” in the upper left corner of your screen and select “Quit Spotify.”

  2. Move the Spotify app to the Trash:

    • Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder. You can do this easily by pressing Command+Shift+A.
    • Locate the Spotify app, right-click on it, and select “Move to Trash.” Or you can simply drag the app to the Trash bin.

  3. Delete Spotify’s remaining files:

    Now, this is where the dragging-to-trash part tends to miss out. Let’s hunt down those leftover files!

    • Library Folder (User’s Library):

      • In Finder, click on “Go” in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
      • Hold down the Option key, and you’ll see “Library” appear in the dropdown menu—click on it.
      • In the Library folder, look for the following folders and delete anything related to Spotify:
        • ~/Library/Application Support/
        • ~/Library/Caches/
        • ~/Library/Preferences/
        • ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ (there might be files like com.spotify.webhelper.plist)
        • ~/Library/Logs/
        • ~/Library/Saved Application State/
        • ~/Library/Cookies/

      Inside these folders, search for anything named “Spotify” and move those files to the Trash.

    • System Library Folder (Computer’s Library):

      • Additionally, you might want to check the system-wide Library. Open Finder again, press Command+Shift+G to bring up the “Go to the folder” window, and type in /Library.
      • Look into the same folders mentioned above: Application Support, Caches, Preferences, etc.

  4. Empty the Trash:

    • Don’t forget to empty your Trash to permanently delete all the files. Right-click on the Trash bin and select “Empty Trash.”

Method 2: Using a Third-Party Uninstaller

If the manual method feels too tedious or you just want a quicker way to ensure everything’s cleaned up, you can use a third-party app. Apps like AppCleaner can help you thoroughly uninstall other applications and their lingering files. Here’s how you can use AppCleaner:

  1. Download AppCleaner:

  2. Install and Open AppCleaner:

    • Once downloaded, open the AppCleaner app.

  3. Drag and Drop Spotify:

    • Drag the Spotify app from your Applications folder into the AppCleaner window.
    • AppCleaner will search for all related files associated with Spotify and display them in a list.

  4. Select and Delete:

    • Select all the files in the list and click on “Remove” to delete them entirely.

Method 3: Terminal Command (For Tech-Savvy Users)

Now, if you’re more comfortable using Terminal, here’s another method:

  1. Open Terminal:

    • You can find Terminal by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

  2. Quit Spotify if running:

    • Use the killall command to make sure Spotify is not running.
      killall Spotify

  3. Remove Spotify Application:

    • First, navigate to your Applications folder:
      cd /Applications
    • Then remove Spotify using the rm command:
      sudo rm -rf Spotify.app

  4. Remove Additional Files:

    • Next, you can run the following commands to remove any remaining files:
      rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Spotify
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client
rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.spotify.client.plist
rm -rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.spotify.client.savedState
rm -rf ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.spotify.webhelper.plist
rm -rf ~/Library/Cookies/com.spotify.client.binarycookies
    • You might need to prepend sudo for some of these commands if they require administrative privileges.

  5. Empty Trash via Terminal:

    • You can empty the Trash from Terminal too, just for good measure:
      sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash/*

Conclusion

And there you have it! Whether you go the manual route, use a handy uninstaller app like AppCleaner, or delve into the Terminal commands, you now have multiple ways to ensure Spotify is entirely purged from your MacBook.

If you need any further assistance or run into any issues while trying these methods, feel free to ask. Good luck, and hopefully, this gets Spotify off your MacBook once and for all!

Cheers!