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How to uninstall OBS Studio on Mac completely

OBS Studio keeps your scene collections and profiles in its settings folder in your Library, together with its logs and other settings. Delete that folder and your scenes go with it. Here is how to save what you need and remove OBS completely, virtual camera included.

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 OBS 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

First, export your scenes and profiles

OBS has no uninstaller of its own. Before deleting anything, save the setup you have built, so you can bring it back later or move it to another Mac.

  1. Open OBS and choose Scene Collection › Export in the menu bar. Save the file somewhere outside the OBS folders, for example in Documents.
  2. Choose Profile › Export and save your profile the same way. A profile holds your stream, video and output settings. Your scenes are in the scene collection.
  3. If you have several scene collections or profiles, switch to each one and export it too.

Your recordings are saved in the folder set in OBS’s output settings, not in the OBS folders below, so removing OBS doesn’t touch them.

Delete OBS in Finder

  1. Stop the virtual camera if it’s running, then quit OBS: right-click its icon in the Dock and choose Quit.
  2. Open Finder › Applications and drag OBS to the Trash.
  3. Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.

On macOS 13 and later, the OBS virtual camera is part of the app, and OBS says that uninstalling OBS removes it.

What OBS leaves behind

After deleting the app, check these places. The first ones are in the Library folder inside your home folder:

  • ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio — scene collections, profiles, settings and logs.
  • ~/Library/Preferences/com.obsproject.obs-studio.plist — app settings.
  • ~/Library/Group Containers/2MMRE5MTB8.com.obsproject.obs-studio — data shared between OBS and its parts.
  • ~/Library/HTTPStorages/com.obsproject.obs-studio — stored web data.
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.obsproject.obs-studio.savedState — the saved window state.
  • /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL/obs-mac-virtualcam.plugin — the older virtual camera plug-in, installed when the camera was started on macOS 11 or 12.

~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio holds your scene collections and profiles. They are your work, not leftovers: export them as described above 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. The plug-in in /Library needs your administrator password.
  3. Repeat for the other paths.
  4. Restart your Mac, so no app keeps the old virtual camera loaded, then empty the Trash.

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

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 OBS creates — in your Library folder and in the system folders — and removes them together with the app, the old virtual camera plug-in included. Folders with your scene collections, profiles and plug-ins 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 OBS Studio?

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 OBS Studio 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 OBS Studio 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 OBS delete my scenes?

Deleting the app doesn’t. Your scenes and profiles stay in the obs-studio folder in your Library until you delete that folder. Export them first if you plan to clean up.

Why does OBS Virtual Camera still show up in other apps?

On macOS 13 and later it goes away with the app. If you used the camera on macOS 11 or 12, delete the old plug-in from /Library/CoreMediaIO/Plug-Ins/DAL and restart your Mac.

How do I bring my setup back after reinstalling?

Install OBS again and use Scene Collection › Import and Profile › Import with the files you exported.