Help · Mac apps
How to uninstall Podman Desktop on a Mac.
Podman's documentation removes things in two stages: Podman itself (its machine, containers and images), then the Podman Desktop app.
This deletes your containers and images. Export or push anything you need first.
1. Remove Podman
- In Terminal, run
podman machine reset -f. This deletes all pods, containers and images. - If you installed Podman with Homebrew, run
brew uninstall podman. If you used Podman's installer package, follow the removal commands on Podman Desktop's “Uninstalling” page exactly; they remove system files and need your password.
2. Remove Podman Desktop
- Move Podman Desktop from Applications to the Trash, or run
brew uninstall podman-desktopif you installed it with Homebrew. - Remove its settings folder,
~/.local/share/containers/podman-desktop, and Podman's own folders listed on the same page if you want a clean slate.
Afterwards
- Check System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions for anything still named Podman; see login items. An app that's still in your Trash can stay listed there until you empty the Trash or restart; that's normal macOS behaviour.
- Empty the Trash when you're sure. Emptying the Trash is permanent.
More developer tools: clearing developer caches, Docker and Homebrew.
Based on Podman Desktop's own documentation, checked October 2026. Menu names can change between versions.
Then check for anything Podman Desktop left behind.
Once the app is gone, Pangalin Uninstaller's free Leftovers scan lists files left behind by apps that are no longer installed, by name and size. Apple's files are never included. It also shows where each one is and moves the ones you choose to the Trash in one go, with Undo. It's free.
Completely free · No account · Notarised by Apple · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later