How to uninstall Little Snitch on Mac completely
Little Snitch filters network traffic through a system extension, so removing it takes a little more care than deleting an ordinary app. Here is the way its developer recommends, what to do when the extension stays behind, and where your rules are kept.
- Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
- Click Show Apps and check Little Snitch 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
Uninstall Little Snitch in Finder
Little Snitch has no separate uninstaller. Its help describes this way: when you move the app to the Trash in Finder, Finder removes its system extensions, and Little Snitch removes its helper tools.
- Open Finder › Applications.
- Drag Little Snitch to the Trash.
- Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.
Remove the app in Finder, not in Terminal and not with an app-removal tool. Otherwise macOS doesn’t remove the Little Snitch system extension, and it keeps running.
On macOS 15.3 and later: delete the extension first
Objective Development says that because of bugs in macOS 15.3 moving the app to the Trash may no longer remove the extension. Delete it in System Settings first:
- Open System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions.
- Scroll down to Extensions and click the i icon next to Network Extensions.
- Click the action icon (three dots) and choose Delete Extension.
- If you also have Endpoint Security Extensions from Little Snitch, delete that extension the same way.
- Now move the app to the Trash in Finder.
If the extension is still installed
If the extension survives the move to the Trash, Little Snitch can remove it itself:
- Put Little Snitch back in Applications: drag it out of the Trash or download the current version from obdev.at.
- Open the app and choose Help › Uninstall Little Snitch.
- Quit the app and move it to the Trash in Finder.
To check the result, run these two commands in Terminal:
systemextensionsctl list | grep activated | grep at.obdev.littlesnitch
pgrep -lf "Little Snitch|littlesnitch"When Little Snitch is gone, both print nothing.
What Little Snitch leaves behind
After uninstalling, check these places. The first ones are in the Library folder inside your home folder:
~/Library/Application Support/Little Snitch— the app’s data for your user account.~/Library/Caches/at.obdev.LittleSnitchConfiguration— the cache.~/Library/Preferences/at.obdev.LittleSnitchConfiguration.plist— settings.~/Library/Group Containers/MLZF7K7B5R.at.obdev.littlesnitch— data shared by the app and its parts.~/Library/Logs/Little Snitch Agent.log— a log./Library/LaunchDaemons/at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plistand/Library/LaunchAgents/at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist— the items that start Little Snitch’s background process and its agent./Library/Extensions/LittleSnitch.kext— the kernel extension of older versions, such as Little Snitch 4.
Your rules, settings and traffic history are in /Library/Application Support/Objective Development/Little Snitch. Little Snitch keeps this folder on purpose, so that a reinstall finds your rules in place. If you might need them again, open Little Snitch before uninstalling and choose File › Create Backup…: the backup file holds all rules and filter settings, but not the traffic history.
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 no part of Little Snitch is running, then empty the Trash.
Little Snitch 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 Little Snitch creates — in your Library folder and in the system folders — and removes them together with the app. Your rules folder is listed as Possible and stays unchecked until you check it yourself.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Little Snitch?
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 Little Snitch 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 Little Snitch 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 Little Snitch delete my rules?
No. Your rules, settings and traffic history stay in /Library/Application Support/Objective Development/Little Snitch, and a reinstall uses them again. Delete that folder only if you want to wipe them.
Why is the Little Snitch network extension still there after I deleted the app?
Bugs in macOS can keep the extension installed, especially on macOS 15.3 and later. Delete it in System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions, or reinstall the app and choose Help › Uninstall Little Snitch.
Can I move my rules to another Mac?
Yes. Choose File › Create Backup… in Little Snitch, then File › Restore from Backup… on the other Mac. The backup isn’t encrypted, so keep the file somewhere safe.