How to uninstall Karabiner-Elements on Mac completely
Karabiner-Elements is more than an app: it installs a virtual keyboard driver and background services in system folders. Dragging it to the Trash leaves those behind, so use its own uninstaller. Your key mappings live in a separate folder — here is how to keep them.
- Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
- Click Show Apps and check Karabiner-Elements 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
Before you start: keep your configuration
Your settings and key mappings are in ~/.config/karabiner. The uninstaller doesn’t delete this folder. If you want a copy anyway, for example for another Mac, copy the folder somewhere else first.
The folder is hidden: in Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G) and type ~/.config/karabiner.
Uninstall with the built-in uninstaller
- Open Karabiner-Elements — its settings window.
- Go to the Uninstall tab and click Launch uninstaller.
- Follow the dialog and enter your administrator password when asked.
Or uninstall from Terminal
If the settings window doesn’t open, or you already deleted the app, run these two commands in Terminal, one after the other. The scripts are in a system folder, not inside the app.
- Turn off the driver:
bash '/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDDevice/scripts/uninstall/deactivate_driver.sh'- Remove Karabiner-Elements and enter your administrator password:
sudo '/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements/uninstall.sh'What Karabiner-Elements leaves behind
Its developer says some files stay after uninstalling and don’t affect the system: logs in /var/log/karabiner and ~/.local/share/karabiner, temporary files in /Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/tmp and your settings in ~/.config/karabiner. If you removed only the app, also check these places:
~/Library/Application Support/Karabiner-Elements— the app’s data.~/Library/Preferences/org.pqrs.Karabiner-Elements.Settings.plist— preferences of the settings window.~/Library/Preferences/org.pqrs.Karabiner-EventViewer.plist— preferences of EventViewer, the key-press viewer.~/Library/Caches/org.pqrs.Karabiner-Elements.Updater— the updater’s cache.~/Library/Containers/org.pqrs.Karabiner-VirtualHIDDevice-Manager— the container of the driver manager./Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements— system components and the uninstall script./Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDDevice— the virtual keyboard driver./Library/LaunchDaemons/org.pqrs.Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDDeviceClient.plist— the background service that runs with administrator rights.
If you deleted only the app, run the Terminal commands above before deleting the folders in /Library/Application Support/org.pqrs: the scripts are there.
Remove the leftovers by hand
- In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), type a path from the lists above and press Return.
- Move the folder or file to the Trash. Files in
/Libraryand/var/logneed your administrator password. - Repeat for the other paths. Leave
~/.config/karabinerif you want to keep your key mappings. - Restart your Mac, so the driver and background service are no longer running, then empty the Trash.
Karabiner-Elements 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 Karabiner-Elements creates — in your Library folder and in the system folders — and removes them together with the app, background service included. Folders that may hold your own files are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Karabiner-Elements?
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 Karabiner-Elements 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 Karabiner-Elements 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.
Does uninstalling Karabiner-Elements delete my key mappings?
No. They are in ~/.config/karabiner, which the uninstaller leaves in place. Delete that folder yourself only if you don’t need the mappings any more.
Why does the uninstaller ask for my password?
Karabiner-Elements installs its driver and background service in system folders that only an administrator can change. Removing them needs the same rights.
Can I reinstall it later with my old settings?
Yes. Keep ~/.config/karabiner (or copy it back), then download Karabiner-Elements again from karabiner-elements.pqrs.org and grant the permissions it asks for.