The Mac operating system (OS) is fully capable of functioning on its own. Support for native hardware functions is built in and does not call for any additional drivers. However, third-party hardware devices require the installation of the specialized drivers in order to function on a Mac.
Therefore, there is no need in continuing to maintain the hardware’s drivers on your Mac after you have stopped using the hardware. So, if you find you no longer require a certain driver. You may remove it from your Mac and reclaim the disc space it took up.
Let’s scroll down to learn about removing drivers from a Mac.
If you have a Mac, you may be wondering: What Exactly Does a Driver Do?
Drivers are more commonly connected with PCs running Microsoft Windows than Macs. The reason for this is that MacOS doesn’t require device drivers. Its software is built in such that it can communicate with standard hardware add-ons.
On MacOS, you can save the hassle of tracking down and downloading printer drivers. That’s because Apple includes a feature called AirPrint with every Mac OS. There’s no need to install any drivers to make it work with your printer. In the event that AirPrint is not supported by your printer, you will need to obtain the appropriate drivers.
How Do You Know Which Drivers to Download for Your Mac?
A number of drivers are required to properly function with peripherals like gaming controllers and graphics tablets. In a nutshell, you’ll want to install specific drivers if you want to use any kind of non-native hardware.
Additionally, drivers must be kept up-to-date to guarantee proper configuration with modern versions of MacOS. However, if the device’s maker doesn’t release drivers for your version of MacOS, you’ll have to replace it. Consequently, you should remove the offending drivers from your Mac.
Reasons Why Mac Drivers Are Often Removes
When you no longer need a driver, you may remove it from your Mac in a variety of ways.
- For your Mac, driver support has ended.
- It appears to be related to the driver software.
- Support for newer versions of MacOS necessitates newer drivers.
- A lot of room on your Mac’s hard disc is being take up by this app.
- There are problems with other Mac programmes and processes because of the driver files.
Where Can I Find Mac Drivers?
It’s common practice to delete the previous driver before installing a new one. Therefore, it is imperative that you delete any driver-related data from your machine.
Unfortunately, each driver program requires a unique installation location on your Mac. The System Preferences pane allows you to install and adjust certain hardware drivers.
The Applications category also contains a few useful pieces of hardware. Drivers frequently utilize either the user Library or the system Library to save their data. If you want to delete drivers on your mac, check https://perfectpcserver.com/ to solve the issue in an easy way. However, you may also find driver files in places like Application Support, LaunchAgents, and so on.
Under the case of audio drivers, for instance, they are often put in the Library/Audio folder.
A Comprehensive Guide to Removing Drivers from Your Mac
Due to their pervasive nature, driver files on a Mac might be difficult to remove. Further issues will arise if certain driver files are remove. In order to successfully remove drivers from your Mac, we advise you to take the following steps:
Solution 1: Use Finder to delete all Drivers.
The Macintosh search utility Finder is quite straightforward. It may scan your computer for driver files and remove them one by one. Disabling drivers in Finder is as follows:
Step 1: Make sure the Mac software you wish to remove is close. To terminate an application, locate its icon in the Dock, right-click it, and choose Exit from the context menu.
Step 2: From the Dock, select Finder, and then from the Finder’s left pane, select Application.
Step 3: With the applications listed in the right pane, you may search for and install the necessary drivers.
Step 4: Simply send the app’s icon straight to the trash by dragging it there.
Step 5: To permanently remove the software, right-click the Trash icon on the Dock and choose Empty Trash.
Step 6: If any of the driver files remain after the previous procedures, you will need to start again.
Step 7: Select Go > Go to from the main menu.
Step 8: Navigate to the user’s library by typing /library/ into the search box and hitting Enter.
Step 9: Open the Library’s Application Support folder by double-clicking its icon. Then locate the folder labelled with your driver’s name and remove it.
Step 10: Reopen the Library window and click Caches to clear out any remnants of the removed driver.
Step 11: Access the Preferences’ folder in the Library and remove the preferences for each programme.
Step 12: Uninstalling drivers on a Mac is to double-check all the areas where drivers once existed.
Solution 2: Rely on External Programs
It’s not simple to locate and remove all traces of driver files manually. It is time-consuming, and it’s possible that a driver file may be overlooks. Thus, a computerized method of removing drivers from a Mac is a viable option.
To remove drivers from your Mac, follow these steps using CleanMyMac X:
Step 1: Go to the CleanMyMac X page on the MacPaw website and download the application.
Step 2: Choose the CleanMyMac.dmg file from the Download Trial menu.
Step 3: Move CleanMyMac X to your Mac’s Applications folder by dragging its icon there.
Step 4: Locate CleanMyMac X in your Mac’s application folder and then launch it.
Step 5: Next, hit the Activate button on the top right.
Step 6: Enter the Activation Code or continue with the free trial. The Activation Number may be found on the Buyer License.
Step 7: Open CleanMyMac X by clicking its icon, and then navigate to the Uninstaller menu.
Step 8: Afterward, click the Uninstallation button next to the driver you wish to remove. The drivers may be locate and remove from the system by selecting the Boost menu item if they are not already display in the list.
Common Ground for Deleting Driver from Your Mac
- Driver’s records are inaccessible online.
- An issue has been discover inside the program itself, which must be fixed before further work can be done.
- A fresh installation of the driver is require for Mac.
- This software takes up a lot of storage space and slows down my Mac.
- Driver is the root of all evil when it comes to Mac app compatibility issues.
Frequent issues that may arise while you are moving out
- How to begin uninstalling this app
- Indecisive as to the proper Mac program uninstall procedure.
- Inability to locate and eradicate all of Driver’s digital remnants
- You can’t be sure you’ve deleted every last trace of the program.
- When attempting to remove a driver the conventional method. You may run into issues, such as the removal process hanging or shutting down before it is complete.
Optionally delete the program and its data manually.
- Use the top-level Go menu item to access the Applications submenu.
- If you have the Driver folder on your Mac, double-click it to access it.
- To remove it, double-click its uninstaller and follow the on-screen instructions.
- If your Mac lacks this specialized uninstallation option. You’ll need to find an alternate method to delete the application.
- Like the first standard procedure, after removing the software from the Applications folder. You should navigate to the user’s Library folder. And remove any leftover caches, preferences, or support files for the program there.