How to uninstall Papers on Mac

Verify your Papers library in the web app, then copy the PDFs and styles you need to an independent backup before removing the Mac app. Homebrew zap includes the local Documents library and styles, so do not use it as an app-only shortcut.

Quit and remove the app

Quit Papers and move Papers.app to the Trash after checking the backup opens. The official getting-started guide treats the web library, desktop app, browser extension and SmartCite as separate components. This procedure removes the desktop app; remove a browser extension from that browser only if you also want to stop using it.

Review the local data

In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder and open each exact path below. Copy anything you need first, then move only the app-owned item you have decided to discard to the Trash. These locations come from the Homebrew removal list or the recorded local check; a missing location needs no cleanup.

Location What to keep or remove
~/Documents/Papers Library Keep or copy wanted PDFs outside this library before any removal; Homebrew zap names the whole folder.
~/Documents/Papers Styles Keep custom bibliography styles until backed up; also in the zap list.
~/Library/Application Support/Papers Desktop support data observed in the test; review before resetting.
~/Library/Application Support/ReadCube Shared Shared support store named by the cask; do not discard while another ReadCube component needs it.

Check the result

These commands only list the app and the locations discussed above. The app filename comes from the cask; adjust it if your official-download bundle has a different name.

ls -ld "/Applications/Papers.app"
ls -ld "$HOME/Documents/Papers Library"
ls -ld "$HOME/Documents/Papers Styles"
ls -ld "$HOME/Library/Application Support/Papers"
ls -ld "$HOME/Library/Application Support/ReadCube Shared"

An entry printed by ls still exists at that path. No such file or directory means that exact item is absent; Permission denied or Operation not permitted means the check could not establish its state. A retained data folder is expected if you chose to keep it. This check does not search every disk or cloud account.

If you installed it with Homebrew

Uninstall without running zap:

brew uninstall --cask papers

This removes Homebrew's managed app artifacts without applying its zap list. A “not installed” error means Homebrew has no matching cask installation; use the Finder route for a manually copied app.

The live cask source names these additional zap targets:

  • ~/Documents/Papers Library
  • ~/Documents/Papers Styles
  • ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.sharedfilelist/com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments/com.readcube.papers.sfl*
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Papers
  • ~/Library/Application Support/ReadCube Shared
  • ~/Library/Caches/com.ReadCube.Papers
  • ~/Library/Caches/com.ReadCube.Papers.ShipIt
  • ~/Library/Cookies/com.ReadCube.Papers-Installer.binarycookies
  • ~/Library/HTTPStorages/com.ReadCube.Papers-Installer
  • ~/Library/Logs/Papers
  • ~/Library/Preferences/com.ReadCube.Papers.plist
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.ReadCube.Papers-Installer.savedState
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.ReadCube.Papers.savedState

Some targets can hold settings or personal data. Keep the paths you still need and back them up before considering brew uninstall --cask --zap papers. That direct command applies the cask's entire zap list regardless of Mole's checkboxes. Mole uses zap only when its complete scope passes its selection and shared-data checks; unchecked, shared, out-of-boundary or unsupported targets suppress zap, while selected remnants use Mole's own removal path.

Account and subscription

Removing the desktop app does not cancel a Papers subscription or delete the online library. Keep those decisions separate and use the Papers help center for account or billing changes.

What Mole lists

Mole lists ~/Library/Application Support/Papers for review, not selected by default, while matching caches, logs and exact bundle preferences are selected by default. Its uninstall safety boundary refuses Documents library deletion. Do not select a shared ReadCube store merely because Papers is leaving. These defaults describe the app-data option switched off. Opting into Remove data and settings with apps also selects eligible reviewed app data; shared stores and protected data retain their individual review or protection.

What this test covered

The repeat removal used a source-built Mole app and checked the original reviewed paths, rather than every possible data location.

The official Apple-silicon desktop app was installed and removed without signing in on 21 September 2026. A repeat removal on 26 September 2026 checked the original reviewed paths again after removal. No populated Documents library, cloud synchronization, browser extension or SmartCite removal was verified. Homebrew instructions were checked against the current cask, but this record does not establish a Homebrew-managed uninstall or removal of every possible leftover.