2 Ways to Completely Uninstall Xcode on Mac [2023]

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Clare Weaver
Last updated: Oct 26, 2023

Xcode is taking up a lot of space and you want to uninstall it from your Mac? Here's how to uninstall it completely.

Xcode is a powerful tool for developing apps for Mac devices. A big disadvantage of this program is that it takes up a lot of disk space. If you're having problems with it or you don't need it anymore, it's good to cleanly remove it from your Mac.

Don't know how to do a clean uninstall of Xcode? Read on for detailed steps.

2 Ways to Completely Uninstall Xcode on Mac

How to Manually Uninstall Xcode on Mac

Uninstalling Xcode from a Mac manually is risky and complicated. If you still want to do it yourself, follow these steps:

  1. Quit Xcode.

  2. Open Finder > Applications, select Xcode, and move it to Trash.

    Manually Uninstall Xcode on Mac with Finder
  3. Click the Go menu in Finder and select Go to Folder.

  4. Paste the following paths into the search box, one at a time, and press Return.

    • ~/Library/Developer
    • ~/Library/Application Support/Xcode
    • ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode
    • ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dt.Xcode.plist
    • /Library/Preferences/com.apple.dt.Xcode.plist
    • /System/Library/Receipts/com.apple.pkg.XcodeExtensionSupport.bom
    • /System/Library/Receipts/com.apple.pkg.XcodeExtensionSupport.plist
    • /System/Library/Receipts/com.apple.pkg.XcodeSystemResources.bom
    • /System/Library/Receipts/com.apple.pkg.XcodeSystemResources.plist
    Delete Xcode Related Files on Mac
  5. Move the file or folder opened to the Trash.

  6. Empty your Trash.

Earlier Xcode versions, such as 7 and 8, left files in different folders. To clear them all, use the Terminal.

Here's how:

  1. Open Terminal via Finder or Spotlight.
  2. Run the command: sudo /Developer/Library/uninstall-devtools --mode=all.
  3. Enter your admin password.
  4. Wait for the scripts to finish running, then quit Terminal.
Remove Xcode Leftovers on Mac with Terminal

How to Quickly Uninstall Xcode on Mac Using BuhoCleaner

A faster and easier way to uninstall Xcode from your Mac is to use BuhoCleaner, the perfect tool for uninstalling unwanted apps on your Mac.

With BuhoCleaner, you can delete Xcode and its supporting files with one click, so you can have more free space to play games and download movies.

Free DownloadFor macOS 10.10 and above
100,000+ Satisfied Users Worldwide

Here are the steps:

  1. Download, install, and launch BuhoCleaner.
  2. Click App Uninstall to see which apps are installed on your Mac.
  3. Locate Xcode, select it, and click the Remove button. That's it!
Quickly Uninstall Xcode on Mac with BuhoCleaner

Final Words

Have you successfully uninstalled Xcode from your Mac? Which way did you use?

Note that BuhoCleaner is more than an app uninstaller. It also comes with features like clearing caches and logs, removing large and duplicate files, managing startup programs, analyzing disk space, and much more. It's really worth a try.

FAQs

  1. Will Uninstalling Xcode Affect My Programming Projects?

    Uninstalling Xcode will not delete your programming projects, but it will remove the tools you need to build and run those projects. Make sure to back up any important data or files before uninstalling Xcode.

  2. How Do I Uninstall Xcode Command Line Tools?

    To uninstall Xcode Command Line Tools:

    1. Open Terminal.
    2. Copy and paste the following command into Terminal, then press Enter.

    sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools

    1. You'll be asked for your password, type it in and press Enter. The Command Line Tools will then be removed.
  3. Does Uninstalling Xcode Free Up a Lot of Storage Space?

    Yes, uninstalling Xcode can free up a significant amount of storage space on your Mac. Xcode, along with its related files and the iOS Simulator, can take up many gigabytes of storage space.

    Here is a guide on how to reduce the size of Xcode if you prefer not to uninstall it from your Mac.

Clare Weaver

Clare Weaver has been captivated by the world of Apple products since the launch of iconic iPhone in 2007. With a wealth of experience, Clare is your go-to source for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and all things Apple.