How to delete iOS apps from Mac with M1 (Apple silicon)

Apple’s been making its own chips since 2010, but when the M1 chip arrived in 2020, it brought something especially cool to Macs: the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps directly on your computer. Now, with the latest Apple Silicon chips (M3 and later), this feature is even smoother and works on Macs running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.

Need help with your M1 Mac? Here’s a straightforward guide to managing iOS apps on your Apple silicon device.

How to run iPhone and iPad apps on your Mac

Before you can delete iOS apps from your Mac, let’s quickly cover how they get there in the first place. Thanks to Apple silicon, most iPhone and iPad apps can run natively on your Mac.

Here’s how you install them:

1. Open the Mac App Store.
2. Click your profile icon in the lower-left corner.
3. Switch from Mac Apps to iPhone & iPad Apps at the top of the window.
4. Browse or search for the app you want, then click Download.

Tip: You can also find direct links to iPhone/iPad apps online and open them in the Mac App Store.

Most newly installed apps behave like native Mac apps. However, deleting them can sometimes be tricky.

Remove iOS apps from an M1 Mac

There are several ways to delete iOS apps from your Mac. Below, I’ll share the methods I’ve found most reliable.

Method 1: Remove via Finder (Applications folder)

This is the classic way to uninstall apps, but it doesn’t always remove everything.

Steps to remove iOS apps:

1. Open Finder.
2. Go to Applications (Shift + Command + A).
3. Find the iOS app you want to delete.
4. Right-click and select Move to Trash, or drag the app to the Trash, or press Command + Delete.

Here’s the thing I learned the hard way: Just dragging apps to the Trash doesn’t actually remove everything. You’ll still have leftover files scattered around your Mac, especially in the Library folder, where they’re often hidden from view.

Method 2: Remove via Mac App Store

If you installed the app from the Mac App Store, you can also delete it there.

Steps to remove via Mac:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Click your profile icon.
3. Switch to iPhone & iPad Apps.
4. Find the app you want to remove.
5. Click the three-dot menu next to the app and select Delete App....
6. Confirm when prompted.

Even after deleting, some files may remain. See the next section for cleaning up leftovers.

Method 3: Remove leftovers using Terminal (Advanced)

If you want to remove every trace of an iOS app, you’ll need to dig into the Library folder.

Steps to remove leftovers:

1. Open Terminal (in Applications > Utilities).
2. Type: cd ~/Library/Containers and press Enter.
3. Type: find . -iname "*app*" (replace app with the exact name of the app you deleted). This returns a long directory name like com.example.app-xxxx.
4. For each result, enter: rm -Rf [directory name] to delete the leftover files.

Be careful! Terminal commands can’t be undone. Only use it if you’re comfortable with the command line. Even the tiniest typo can remove the wrong container permanently.

Method 4: Use CleanMyMac for quick uninstall (Easy)

If Terminal commands aren’t your thing (and honestly, they can be intimidating), there’s a much simpler solution I’d recommend: CleanMyMac. It’s become my go-to tool for completely removing apps from my Mac.

To remove iOS apps with CleanMyMac:

1. Open CleanMyMac.
2. Go to the Applications> Scan.
3. Click Manage My Applications > Uninstaller tab.
4. Select the app(s) you want to delete > Uninstall.

CleanMyMac scans your entire Mac for leftover files, so you won’t be left with hidden clutter taking up space.

Method 5: Manage iOS apps with AnyTrans for iOS

If you want more control over your iOS app management, AnyTrans for iOS is a handy tool. It lets you manage contacts, files, backups, and even uninstall iOS apps.

To uninstall iOS apps using AnyTrans:

1. Install and open AnyTrans for iOS.
2. Go to the App Downloader tab.
3. Click App Library.
4. Select the app you want to delete.
5. Click Delete at the top.

Read also:

• Restore iPhone backup
• M1 vs M2 chip difference
• macOS versions in order
• Best calendar apps for iPhone

How to delete iOS apps from Mac: Final notes

Learning how to delete iOS apps from a Mac is easy on Apple silicon devices if you know the best methods for it. You can remove apps using:

• Finder
• Mac App Store
• Terminal
• Reliable third-party tools like CleanMyMac and AnyTrans for iOS.

For a complete uninstall, always empty the Trash and consider using specialized tools to clean up leftover files. With these methods, managing iPhone and iPad apps on your M-series Mac becomes fast, safe, and clutter-free.

If you want to try the easy methods, CleanMyMac and AnyTrans are available on Setapp with a 7-day free trial, along with 260+ other Mac and iOS apps to simplify your workflow.