How to uninstall Notability on Mac

Back up wanted Notability notes and recordings before removing the tested Mac App Store app. The official backup guide distinguishes Note format, which retains audio and editable notes, from PDF, which omits audio and bookmarks. Check the saved backup, including any password-protected notes; they are excluded from automatic backup by default.

Quit and review local notes

Finish edits and recordings, complete the backup, then quit Notability. Inspect ~/Library/Containers/com.gingerlabs.Notability and copy wanted local contents before resetting it. Keep ~/Library/Group Containers/group.notability and ~/Library/Application Scripts/group.notability; the recorded removal could not safely remove these group paths. After checking the backup, move Notability.app from Applications to the Trash. iCloud syncing and a separate one-way backup are different; do not delete notes inside the app merely to uninstall it. App removal does not cancel a subscription.

Check the result

ls -ld "/Applications/Notability.app"
ls -ld "$HOME/Library/Containers/com.gingerlabs.Notability" "$HOME/Library/Group Containers/group.notability"

Printed paths remain. A missing-path error concerns only that item; permission errors leave it unknown. A kept group does not mean the app remains installed. These commands do not verify cloud notes, recording recovery or another device.

What Mole lists

The main container and scripts are selected by default when present and unprotected, as are confirmed bundled NotabilityActionExtension, PreviewExtension and WidgetExtension container and script rows. Uncheck wanted local notes. The short group paths above are individually reviewed, unchecked by default and not preselected by the app-data option, and may be refused by ownership protection; keep them on refusal. Remove data and settings with apps is off by default; enabling it includes eligible reviewed data while shared and protected items retain their boundaries.

What this test covered

The Mac App Store app was removed on September 21, 2026, initially retaining a denied main container and unchecked extension data. A September 26 repeat with a source-built Mole removed the app and selected main and extension rows, with the short group paths retained. No personal notes, recordings, backup restoration or subscription cancellation were tested. This does not establish the data layout of a different desktop distribution.