How to uninstall SuperCollider on Mac
Save your SuperCollider code, recordings and custom extensions before uninstalling the Mac app. The Application Support directory can contain your own extensions, so it is not disposable just because it sits in Library.
Quit and remove the app
Stop your running synth work and quit the IDE. Check Activity Monitor for the SuperCollider language and audio-server processes before moving SuperCollider.app to the Trash; do not kill every process named like an audio tool. Keep project files and recorded audio at their saved locations.
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 |
|---|---|
~/Library/Application Support/SuperCollider |
Back up extensions and custom support files before deleting this whole folder. |
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/SuperCollider.app"
ls -ld "$HOME/Library/Application Support/SuperCollider"
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 supercollider
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:
~/Library/Application Support/SuperCollider~/Library/Preferences/net.sourceforge.supercollider.plist~/Library/Saved Application State/net.sourceforge.supercollider.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 supercollider. 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.
What Mole lists
Mole lists the display-name Application Support folder for review, not selected by default, and matching app caches are selected by default. Your synth library and external code folders are separate from this support-folder selection. 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 official universal Mac app was installed and removed on 21 September 2026, together with a small support folder and matching cache entries that were selected in the test. The test did not install a personal synth library and does not establish its recovery. Homebrew instructions were checked against the current cask, but this record does not establish a Homebrew-managed uninstall or removal of every possible leftover.