How to Uninstall Pro Tools from macOS
Reclaim Your Disk Space and Your Computer!
I recently was testing ProTools and decided that it wasn't for me. I removed the application, but there were a few files that remained. Here's my steps to clean up my computer to reclaim the space and declutter my audio menu.
Uninstalling Pro Tools completely from your Mac requires more than just dragging the app to the Trash. This guide walks you through a full cleanup to remove associated files and settings.
Step 1: Quit Pro Tools and Related Processes
Before uninstalling, make sure Pro Tools and any Avid background processes are not running. Open Activity Monitor and quit anything related to:
- Pro Tools
- Avid Link
- Avid Application Manager
Step 2: Use the Avid Uninstaller (If Available)
If you still have the Pro Tools installer DMG or package, open it and run the Uninstall Pro Tools option. This removes the core components automatically.
Step 3: Manually Remove Remaining Files
Some files may still remain on your system. You can remove these manually by deleting the following directories:
sudo rm -rf /Applications/Pro Tools.app
sudo rm -rf /Library/Application Support/Avid
sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Application Support/Avid
sudo rm -rf /Library/Preferences/Avid
sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.avid.ProTools.plist
sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/AvidUse Finder's Go to Folder (Shift + Command + G) to navigate to these folders if you prefer a GUI approach.
Step 4: Delete Avid User Files (Optional)
If you want to remove user settings and sessions, look in your Documents folder:
rm -rf ~/Documents/Pro ToolsOnly delete this if you do not need to save your session files.
Step 5: Delete Library Files
Go to:
and delete:
Step 7: Remove Pro Tools Aggregate I/O
Open up Audio MIDI Setup, this is located in the Utilities folder, from the finder simply use the shortcut Shift Command U
You should see "Pro Tools Aggregate I/O" in the left menu. Select it and then click on the '-' in the bottom of the dialog box.
Step 8: Empty the Trash and Reboot
After all deletions are complete, empty your Trash and restart your Mac to finalize the removal process.
Conclusion
Uninstalling Pro Tools completely ensures no background processes or leftover files consume resources or interfere with new installs. Be cautious when using sudo rm -rf, and always back up important files before making system changes.