Help · Mac apps

How to reset an app on a Mac.

By Grant and Brad, who make Pangalin's apps · Updated 6 October 2026

Reinstalling an app on a Mac usually doesn't fix it: the new copy picks up the same settings and data the old one left behind. Resetting means removing those files, so the app starts as if it were brand new.

Try the gentle fixes first

• Quit and reopen it, or restart your Mac.
• Check for an update to the app and to macOS.
• Look for a built-in reset. Many apps have one in their Settings or Help menu (“Reset to defaults”, “Clear cache”, “Sign out”). It's the safest option because the developer wrote it.

Reset it by hand

Resetting removes the app's own data. That includes settings and sign-ins, and for some apps local documents or libraries kept in its support folder. Back up anything you'd miss, and move files to the Trash rather than deleting them, so you can put them back.

1. Quit the app, including any menu-bar icon.
2. In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder… (⇧⌘G) and go to ~/Library.
3. Move the app's items to the Trash. They're usually named after the app or its ID, like com.company.AppName:
   • Preferences: files like com.company.AppName.plist
   • Application Support: a folder named after the app or company
   • Caches and Saved Application State
   • Containers: for App Store and sandboxed apps, a folder with the app's ID holds all of the above
4. Log out and back in, or restart. macOS keeps preferences in memory, so a removed preferences file can otherwise come back.
5. Open the app. It should start with its first-run setup.

If it works, empty the Trash when you're sure. If you lost something you need, open the Trash and drag the files back to where they came from.