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How to uninstall Firefox on Mac completely

Deleting Firefox from Applications doesn’t remove your profile: bookmarks, history, passwords and cookies stay on the Mac, as do caches and an updater that runs with administrator rights. Here is how to remove all of it — and how to keep your profile if you need it.

Uninstaller: a list of apps sorted by size with when each was last opened, Google Chrome selected with its app and cache sizes
  1. Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
  2. Click Show Apps and check Firefox in the list.
  3. Click Remove and confirm. Files that may be yours are listed as Possible and stay unchecked.
Download MacWashingHow it works

Free trial · macOS 14 or later

Delete Firefox the way Mozilla describes

Firefox has no separate uninstaller. Mozilla’s support site describes these steps:

  1. Quit Firefox: in the menu bar, choose Firefox › Quit Firefox.
  2. Open Finder › Applications and drag Firefox to the Trash.

Mozilla notes that this doesn’t remove your user data. To remove it too, in Finder hold the Option key, choose Go › Library, open Application Support and delete the Firefox folder — after you have saved what you need.

What Firefox leaves behind

Check these places. The first ones are in the Library folder inside your home folder:

  • ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox — the folder with your profiles (see the note below).
  • ~/Library/Caches/Firefox and ~/Library/Caches/org.mozilla.firefox — the cache.
  • ~/Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.firefox.plist — macOS-side settings of the app.
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/org.mozilla.firefox.savedState — saved window state.
  • ~/Library/Caches/org.mozilla.crashreporter and ~/Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.crashreporter.plist — the crash reporter.
  • /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.mozilla.updater.plist and /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/org.mozilla.updater — the updater that runs with administrator rights.
  • /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.mozilla.dmgInstallHelper.plist and /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/org.mozilla.dmgInstallHelper — the install helper, also with administrator rights.

Your profiles are in ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles: bookmarks, history, saved passwords, cookies, extensions and settings. They are your data, not leftovers: back them up or sync them before deleting that folder, or keep it.

Remove the leftovers by hand

  1. In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), type a path from the list above and press Return.
  2. Move the folder or file to the Trash. Files in /Library need your administrator password.
  3. Repeat for the other paths.
  4. Restart your Mac, so the updater is no longer running, then empty the Trash.

Firefox isn’t the only app that leaves files behind: see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.

Keep your profile before you delete it

  • If you sign in to Firefox with a Mozilla account and sync is on, bookmarks, passwords and history are kept in the account and come back when you sign in again.
  • Without sync, copy the Profiles folder somewhere safe. Mozilla has an article on backing up and restoring profile data by hand.
  • If you only want to fix a problem, you may not need to uninstall at all: Mozilla recommends its troubleshooting steps first.

With MacWashing, it’s one click

Uninstaller: a list of apps sorted by size with when each was last opened, Google Chrome selected with its app and cache sizes

The Uninstaller in MacWashing knows the files Firefox creates — in your Library folder and in the system folders — and removes them together with the app, updater and install helper included. Folders that may hold your own files, like your Firefox profiles, are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself.

Download MacWashingHow it works

Free trial · macOS 14 or later

Questions and answers

Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Firefox?

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 Firefox 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 Firefox 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 uninstalling Firefox delete my bookmarks and passwords?

No. Mozilla says uninstalling doesn’t remove bookmarks, history, passwords or cookies. They are gone only if you delete the Firefox folder in Application Support and don’t use sync.

Why are there Mozilla files in the system Library folder?

Firefox installs an updater and an install helper that run with administrator rights, so they live in /Library and need your password to remove.

Can I reinstall Firefox later?

Yes. Download it again from mozilla.org. If you kept the profile folder or use sync, your bookmarks and settings come back.