PearCleaner Lets You Uninstall Mac Apps the Safe, Easy Way

If you’ve used a Mac for a certain length of time, you’ll undoubtedly accrue multiple applications. But what happens when you no longer use or need a particular app?

In the early classic Mac OS days, one could simply drag an application to the Trash. But, with macOS’s added power and complexity, that option no longer works. Many modern Mac apps spread multiple files throughout your system, making it almost impossible to fully remove an application.

Since its introduction in 1999, Mac OS X (now macOS), has never shipped with an application uninstaller. This, in my opinion, is a tremendous oversight. Many novice Mac users have resigned themselves to keeping applications on their machines, as there is no easy method to remove an app within macOS. It would be one thing if Apple’s built-in storage tiers were generous. But on a Mac offered with a measly 256GB non-removable storage unit, it’s downright maddening that Apple does not include some type of uninstaller as part of macOS.

But, where Apple drops the ball, savvy developers pick up the slack. Thanks to skilled third party developers, Mac users have some good options to choose from. One of those options is PearCleaner, an free Mac uninstaller application.

PearCleaner, developed by Alin Lupascu, takes its inspiration from another Mac uninstaller app called AppCleaner.

PearCleaner’s main window is divided into two main sections. On the left is a sidebar, which lists all of the Mac apps installed on your system, along with their corresponding file size. Next to each app is a checkbox. Simply select the app you want to remove by clicking its checkbox. PearClear’s main section will then reveal pertinent details about the app you’ve chosen. Each file / folder that is a part of the app will be shown, along with an option to select individual files to uninstall. To uninstall an app, simply click on the red “Trash” button.

PearCleaner goes beyond the basics. Users can quickly search for an app to uninstall, view orphaned files / folders, and even prune unneeded translations. Many apps come with various language localizations; PearCleaner lets users choose which ones to safely remove, to increase your Mac’s free storage space.

PearCleaner’s user interface is polished, clear and intuitive. The developer includes several customization options to tweak its overall look, such as themes, customized menu bar icons and a mini-mode that condenses PearCleaner’s panel to take up less screen real estate.

I’ve tested PearCleaner extensively for the past several months across two Apple silicon Macs, and the program works as advertised. In my opinion, PearCleaner is safe to use and is an excellent option for both novice and pro Mac users alike. For what it’s worth, PearCleaner is my go-to app for removing apps on my Macs. PearCleaner is free to download from the developer’s site.