How to uninstall Synology Drive Client on Mac

Before uninstalling Synology Drive Client, verify wanted files on your NAS through its web interface and download online-only files. The client guide distinguishes placeholders from downloaded or permanently pinned copies. COPY wanted local files outside every sync root, then open the independent copy; moving files while connected can propagate deletion.

Back up and use the vendor remover

Finish sync/backup work and save wanted settings before stopping the client. Also copy wanted existing ~/Library/Application Support/SynologyDrive and ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.synology.CloudStationUI after closing the client, outside sync/removal roots. The first folder held a second runnable product copy in the recorded installation; neither folder should be treated as only cache. Keep files and File Provider data whose local/cloud state you have not verified.

Keep /Applications/Synology Drive Client.app available. The Mac removal guide uses Finder › Applications › Synology Drive Client › Show Package Contents › Contents › SharedSupport. Copy Remove Synology Drive Client to the desktop, then open that remover and finish its prompts. The uninstall article says uninstalling does not delete the sync folder; this is not a reason to delete that folder yourself. Use the remover before trashing its host app.

If you installed it with Homebrew

The pkg cask declares ordinary launchd unloads, app/helper quits, TERM signals, receipt handling for com.synology.CloudStation and deletion of /Applications/Synology Drive Client.app:

brew uninstall --cask synology-drive

Those ordinary actions do not depend on zap. Zap also names ~/Library/Application Support/SynologyDrive, ~/Library/Application Support/FileProvider/com.synology.CloudStationUI.FileProvider, ~/Library/Containers/com.synology.CloudStationUI.FileProvider, ~/Library/Containers/com.synology.SynologyDrive*, ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.synology.CloudStationUI, ~/Library/Preferences/com.synology.CloudStationUI.plist, ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.synology.CloudStationUI.FileProvider, ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.synology.SynologyDrive.FinderHelper*, ~/Library/Application Scripts/group.com.synology.CloudStationUI, and matching com.synology.synologydrive.finderhelper.sfl* entries in ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.sharedfilelist/com.apple.LSSharedFileList.ApplicationRecentDocuments. Inspect wildcard matches individually and keep shared parents, sync files and unverified provider state.

Direct brew uninstall --cask --zap synology-drive ignores Mole's checkboxes. Mole uses zap only when its entire scope passes selection, ownership and safety checks; selected remnants otherwise use its own Trash flow.

Check the result

pgrep -ifl 'SynologyDrive|CloudStation|cloud-drive-eventd'
ls -ld "/Applications/Synology Drive Client.app" "$HOME/Library/Application Support/SynologyDrive" "$HOME/Library/Application Support/FileProvider/com.synology.CloudStationUI.FileProvider"
pluginkit -m | grep -i synology

No process match means no arguments matched this pattern. A surviving service must be judged by its executable path, not just the app's absence. Printed folders remain, expected for retained provider state. With a successful registration read and no errors, no matching line means that list has no matching registration, not that extension binaries are absent. Missing-path errors concern those paths only; other errors are inconclusive. If the removed client's old service survives, save other work and restart before checking again, without broad deletion or manual privileged killing.

What Mole lists

The product support copy and cask fallback extension data require review. With Remove data and settings with apps off they start unchecked; enabling it can preselect eligible unshared rows, but File Provider identities do not inherit ordinary embedded-extension selection. The differently identified FinderHelper does not inherit the launcher's main ID either. Group ownership checks and macOS permissions can keep items even after selection; preserve sync data and inspect the actual outcome.

What this test covered

The official pkg installation was checked on September 23, 2026, when the app left but its support copy and extension data remained. A separate official-package reinstall/removal check on October 3 removed the app and support copy, confirming pkg-cask data discovery. File Provider data and three extension containers remained after system refusal, and the group Application Scripts entry was protected. An old cloud-drive-eventd process still ran from the removed app; no extra privileged kill was attempted. Sync-file restoration, the vendor remover and Homebrew execution were not tested.