How to factory reset Mac software

Mac applications can be reset. Restoring them to the most recent developer version should restore an app to working order. In this article, we cover a few ways you can do that.

Note: If you are having regular difficulties with more than one app, then it could be a symptom of a more severe problem. It is worth looking at ways to clear out the junk, and unused apps, delete cache files and run maintenance scripts. CleanMyMac X can take care of all of that, and it takes less than a minute to get your Mac running again instead of tackling manually, which could take hours.

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How to reset Mac apps: The manual way 

Restoring an individual app to factory settings shouldn’t take too long. Providing you know what you’re looking for.

Firstly, you need to go to your Mac’s Library Folder. The Library Folder is where macOS applications store everything related to an app, including settings and cache files. However, this folder is hidden by default. Apple and app developers did that to protect your system from unnecessary system changes. 

Follow these steps to reset Mac apps manually:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Select Go to Folder, then type ~/Library in the search box.
  3. Search for the app's name. Don’t put any spaces in the title, even if that is how it appears on your Mac. This search should show up a lot of results. Most of them aren't going to be relevant, so some judgment is needed here. Most apps start with the developer's name, e.g., “Firefox.” or “com.name of developer-mac”, but it depends on how an application was organized and labeled when released.
  4. Find every folder related to that application and get ready to delete them all, except for the app itself. That way, it will restore to default settings while leaving the app in place. Essentially, this is a workaround for deleting an app and downloading it. Except when you do that, you'll still have folders and settings for that app sitting around your Mac.

Keep an eye on the files you’ve found, making sure not to delete app settings that have nothing to do with the app. Delete the relevant files and restart the application once you’ve found the suitable files. If you’ve done it the right way, it should be working as it used to after you log in again.

    Another way to restore the app is to remove from the trash and download it again, providing you can clear out folders connected to the app. Otherwise, there is a risk the new version won’t work. Before deleting an app, make sure you are running the latest version. It could be that your app isn’t working well because it needs an update.

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    How to reset Mac software: The quick & easy way

    Restoring an app manually can take a while. And if you delete the wrong folder, it could prevent the app from working ever again. Without realizing it, many simple issues could cause apps to crash. Thankfully, Mac reset software exists to make this job more manageable. 

    Use powerful app cleaner: CleanMyMac X. It has a perfect fit Uninstaller tool for these purposes. To check it out, follow the steps below:  

    1. Download CleanMyMac X (for free) and launch the app.
    2. Go to the Uninstaller tab. 
    3. Choose the app you want to reset and check the box next to it.
    4. Click the Reset button.
    All apps selected in the Uninstaller module of CMMX

    Now the app should work properly! 

    As long as you've already installed CleanMyMac X, why not optimize your whole Mac? Click the Smart Scan to start a thorough scan of your Mac to remove GBs of useless junk, speed up your system, and check it for malware threats. Stay tuned for more Mac tips!

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