Complete Guide to Installing and Uninstalling macOS Apps

If you’re coming to macOS from Linux, the app installation process can feel surprisingly different, almost too simple. There’s no apt, no dnf, no Flatpaks, no AppImages, no PPAs, and rarely any system-wide modifications. Instead, macOS uses a unique and surprisingly elegant system: the application bundle.

This tutorial explains exactly how application installation and removal works on macOS using the open-source 3D CAD application FreeCAD as the example. By the end, you’ll know how to install, uninstall, and completely clean up an app on macOS, with zero guesswork.

Why This Tutorial Exists

Many Linux users assume macOS installs apps the same way: through package managers, shared libraries, and compression formats that extract deep into the filesystem. But macOS apps behave more like self-contained AppImages, only with a cleaner user experience.

This guide is designed to:

• Explain what actually happens when you “install” an app on macOS
• Walk through installing FreeCAD from a .dmg file
• Show how to cleanly uninstall an app (and optionally remove settings)
• Clarify how macOS stores app data
• Remove misconceptions about “drag-and-drop” installs

Application Bundles Explained

On macOS, an “application” is actually a single folder, called an app bundle, that appears to the user as one icon ending in .app.

For example:

FreeCAD.app

Inside this bundle is everything the app needs: binaries, libraries, icons, Qt frameworks, Python, resources, etc.
macOS apps:

• Don’t scatter files around system directories
• Don’t install shared libraries
• Don’t modify /usr or /lib
• Don’t require a command like dpkg -i or rpm -i

This means most apps are completely self-contained, more like AppImages than Flatpaks, and this greatly simplifies installation and removal.

Installing an App from a .dmg File

(Example: FreeCAD)

A .dmg file on macOS behaves like a virtual disk. Think of it as a mountable installer container.

Step 1: Download FreeCAD.dmg

You download it just like any other file. Nothing is installed yet.

Step 2: Double-click the .dmg

macOS mounts it and opens a window showing something like:

• The app itself
• A shortcut to the Applications folder
• Sometimes a README or icon graphic

This is the “installer interface.”

Step 3: Drag FreeCAD.app into the Applications folder

This action copies the app bundle into:

/Applications

That’s the entire installation. No scripts, no package managers, no dependency resolution.

Step 4: Eject the .dmg

Either click the eject icon in Finder or right-click → Eject.

Then you can delete the .dmg file. It serves no further purpose.

Where Does macOS Store App Data?

macOS keeps apps in /Applications, but user-specific preferences and configuration files live elsewhere, inside your user Library:

~/Library/

The most relevant locations are:

• Preferences (small plist files)~/Library/Preferences/
• Application Support (larger config, plugins, models, data)~/Library/Application Support/
• Caches~/Library/Caches/

Apps do not put anything into system-wide directories unless they come from .pkg installers or the Mac App Store (which we are not covering here).

Uninstalling an App on macOS

(FreeCAD Example)

Here’s where macOS truly shines. To uninstall most apps:

Step 1: Delete the app from /Applications

Simply drag:

/Applications/FreeCAD.app

to the Trash or right-click → Move to Trash.

This removes the entire application bundle.

Most of the time, this is all you need to do.

Optional: Clean Removal of Settings & Support Files

If you want a completely clean system (such as when testing versions or starting fresh), you can remove FreeCAD’s supporting files.

Typical FreeCAD data is stored in:

Preferences

~/Library/Preferences/org.freecad.FreeCAD.plist

Application Support

~/Library/Application Support/FreeCAD/

Caches

~/Library/Caches/FreeCAD/

You can safely delete these folders if you want to fully reset or remove the application.

Note:
The user Library folder is hidden by default. To access it, open Finder and press:

Shift + Command + G

Then enter:

~/Library

How Does This Compare to Linux?

For Linux users, here’s how macOS app bundles relate to common packaging formats:

macOS App Bundle	Closest Linux Equivalent	Notes
.app bundle	AppImage	Both are self-contained
.dmg installer	AppImage download + mount	A .dmg is just a mountable container
Drag to uninstall	Remove an AppImage file	Almost identical simplicity
Optional leftover configs	~/.config, ~/.local/share	Same idea as Linux dotfolders
No sandbox by default	Flatpak sandbox	macOS apps rely on OS-level permissions instead

macOS apps feel simpler but encourage developers to bundle everything within the .app itself.

When macOS Apps Don’t Use the .dmg Method

Most third-party standalone apps use .dmg.
However, two other installation types exist:

1. Mac App Store apps

Installed and removed through the App Store interface.

2. .pkg installers

Used for system-level apps (e.g., drivers, virtualization tools). These behave more like traditional Linux packages and may install system services. Uninstalling requires a vendor-provided uninstall tool.

FreeCAD does not use these, so you don’t need to worry about them for this tutorial.

Summary: What a New Mac User Should Know

• macOS apps are self-contained bundles inside a single .app file.
• Installing from a .dmg is simply dragging the .app into /Applications.
• The .dmg itself is just a delivery mechanism and can be deleted afterward.
• Uninstalling is as easy as deleting the .app file.
• Optional settings live in your user Library and can be removed for a clean uninstall.
• There are no dependency issues and no system-level clutter for .dmg apps.

For Linux users, this process will feel very similar to working with AppImages, just more polished and fully integrated into the macOS interface. macOS makes both installing and uninstalling applications extremely easy, and once you get used to the drag-and-drop workflow, managing software becomes effortless.

If you’re new to macOS, be sure to check out the macOS applications I use on my Mac Studio.