How to uninstall WhatsApp on Mac completely
WhatsApp on a Mac is a linked device: your phone holds the full chat history and the backups, the Mac keeps a local copy. Deleting the app leaves that copy, its settings and cache in your Library folder. Here is how to log the Mac out first and then remove everything.
- Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
- Click Show Apps and check WhatsApp in the list.
- Click Remove and confirm. Files that may be yours are listed as Possible and stay unchecked.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Log the Mac out of WhatsApp first
Deleting the app doesn’t remove the Mac from your account. Log it out, so it no longer appears among your linked devices:
- On your phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings › Linked Devices.
- Tap your Mac in the list and tap Log Out.
You can also log out in WhatsApp on the Mac itself, from its menu. Either way, your chats stay on your phone.
You can’t back up chats from the Mac: WhatsApp backs up and restores chat history only on the phone. If you want to keep your chats, make sure your phone’s chat backup is up to date. To keep one conversation as a file, export it from the phone.
Delete WhatsApp in Finder
- Quit WhatsApp: right-click its icon in the Dock and choose Quit.
- Open Finder › Applications and drag WhatsApp to the Trash.
- Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.
What WhatsApp leaves behind
All of it is in the Library folder inside your home folder:
~/Library/Group Containers/group.net.whatsapp.WhatsApp.shared— WhatsApp’s data on this Mac.~/Library/Containers/net.whatsapp.WhatsApp— the app’s own container with its data and settings.~/Library/Containers/net.whatsapp.WhatsApp.WAAppKitBridgeService— a helper service of the app.~/Library/Group Containers/group.net.whatsapp.WhatsApp.private— private app data.~/Library/Group Containers/group.net.whatsapp.familyand~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.facebook.family— data shared between apps of the same developer.~/Library/Caches/net.whatsapp.WhatsApp— the cache.~/Library/Saved Application State/net.whatsapp.WhatsApp.savedState— the saved window state.
If you also use WhatsApp Business on this Mac, leave the two folders with “family” in their names: they may be shared with it.
Remove the leftovers by hand
- In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), type a path from the list above and press Return.
- Move the folder to the Trash. If macOS says a container is in use, make sure WhatsApp is quit and try again.
- Repeat for the other paths.
- Restart your Mac, then empty the Trash.
WhatsApp isn’t the only app that leaves files behind: see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
The Uninstaller in MacWashing knows the files WhatsApp creates in your Library folder and removes them together with the app.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes WhatsApp?
No. The Uninstaller checks only what belongs to the app: its settings, caches, logs and background items. Folders that may hold your own files are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself, and apps go to the Trash by default, so you can put them back.
What if WhatsApp is still running?
MacWashing waits for it to quit, or quits it at your request, and only then removes its files.
Is it free to uninstall WhatsApp with MacWashing?
Yes, within the free trial: System Junk and the Uninstaller free up to 25 GB in total, with no account or card needed.
Will I lose my WhatsApp chats if I delete it from my Mac?
No, as long as your phone keeps them. The Mac only holds a copy of recent history synced from the phone. The full history and the backups are on the phone.
Does deleting the app log my Mac out of WhatsApp?
Not by itself. Log the Mac out in WhatsApp before deleting it, or later from your phone in Settings › Linked Devices.
Can I reinstall WhatsApp on the Mac later?
Yes. Install it again and link it to your phone with the QR code. Recent chats are synced from the phone again.