Last updated: 2026-04-23 · 4 min read
Cleanup Guides

How to Completely Uninstall Apple Music on Mac

Quick answer

Dragging Apple Music to the Trash leaves downloaded tracks, cache behind in folders like ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Music. This guide walks you through every manual step — plus a one-click alternative with OptiClear that finds every related file across your Mac.

Application
Apple Music
File Location
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Music
What Gets Cleaned
downloaded tracks, cache
Space Recovered
500 MB – 50 GB
Risk Level
Caution
Category
Music & Audio

Manual Cleanup Steps

  1. Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
  2. Open Finder and press ⌘+Shift+G to open "Go to Folder".
  3. Paste this path and press Enter:
    ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Music
  4. Select the files you no longer need and move them to Trash. Empty Trash to reclaim the space.

Manual cleanup is tedious and easy to get wrong. OptiClear scans your entire Mac in seconds, finds every related file, and removes them safely — files always go to Trash first, never permanent deletion.

Download OptiClear — Free for macOS

One-Click Cleanup with OptiClear

Manual cleanup is tedious and easy to get wrong. OptiClear scans your entire Mac in seconds, finds every related file, and removes them safely — files always go to Trash first, never permanent deletion.

Download OptiClear — Free for macOS →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to delete these files manually?

Yes — files in ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Music are app-generated and safe to remove after quitting the app. Risk level: Caution. macOS or the app will recreate anything still needed.

Will I lose my settings or data?

Manual removal of the support folder resets the app to defaults. To keep settings, back up the location first or use OptiClear's selective cleanup.

Download OptiClear — Free for macOS