How to uninstall Bartender on Mac completely
Bartender changes how the menu bar works, so it installs more than the app: a helper with administrator rights, a scripting addition and an audio plug-in in system folders, plus settings and caches in your Library folder. Here is how to remove all of it.
- Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
- Click Show Apps and check Bartender 7 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
Delete Bartender in Finder
- Quit Bartender. It has no Dock icon: quit it from its menu bar icon, or open Activity Monitor, select Bartender and click the Stop button (✕).
- Open Finder › Applications and drag Bartender to the Trash.
- Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.
This removes only the app. Its helper, plug-ins and settings stay until you delete them as below.
What Bartender leaves behind
Check these places. The first ones are in the Library folder inside your home folder:
~/Library/Application Support/Bartender 7— Bartender’s data.~/Library/Preferences/com.surteesstudios.Bartender.plist— settings.~/Library/Caches/com.surteesstudios.Bartender— the cache.~/Library/Group Containers/24J875RH8J.com.surteesstudios.Bartender— files shared between Bartender’s parts./Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.surteesstudios.Bartender.BartenderInstallHelper— the helper that runs with administrator rights./Library/ScriptingAdditions/BartenderHelper.osax— a scripting addition./Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/BartenderAudioPlugIn.plugin— an audio plug-in.
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 or file to the Trash. Files in
/Libraryneed your administrator password. - Repeat for the other paths.
- Restart your Mac, so the helper and the audio plug-in are no longer loaded, then empty the Trash.
Bartender isn’t the only app that leaves files behind: see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.
Remove Bartender from Privacy & Security
Bartender asks for Accessibility and Screen & System Audio Recording access. After you delete it, its name can stay in these lists:
- Open System Settings › Privacy & Security.
- Click Accessibility, select Bartender and click the − button.
- Do the same in Screen & System Audio Recording.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
The Uninstaller in MacWashing knows the files Bartender creates — in your Library folder and in the system folders — and removes them together with the app, its helper and plug-ins included.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Bartender?
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 Bartender 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 Bartender 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 Bartender license?
No. Deleting the app doesn’t affect the license, and a Bartender license covers all Macs you own and personally use. If you lose the key, the license lookup page on macbartender.com emails it to you again.
Why does removing Bartender need my password?
Bartender installs a helper, a scripting addition and an audio plug-in in system folders that only an administrator can change. Removing them needs the same rights.
Will my menu bar setup come back if I reinstall?
Only if you keep its settings file and folder. If you delete them, Bartender starts with fresh settings and you arrange the menu bar again.