Photo & Design

How to Completely Uninstall Adobe Bridge on Mac

To remove Adobe Bridge, use the Creative Cloud desktop app by navigating to Apps, selecting the app's menu, and choosing Uninstall. Dragging the app icon to the Trash is possible but leaves several data folders and background processes on your system.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Adobe Bridge and everything it leaves behind

Adobe Bridge data usually takes 500 MB – 20 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Adobe Bridge
Typical data size: 500 MB – 20 GB
Category: Photo & Design
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Bridge

Adobe Bridge has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Uninstall it from the Creative Cloud desktop app (Apps > the app's menu > Uninstall); removing the Creative Cloud app itself needs Adobe's separate Creative Cloud Uninstaller.
Remove the folders Adobe Bridge left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Adobe Bridge keeps on your Mac

9 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Bridge App data · Bridge settings, workspaces and collections Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Caches/Adobe/Bridge Cache · thumbnail and preview cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw App data · Camera Raw settings and presets shared with Photoshop and Lightroom Only if no other app uses it/Library/Application Support/Adobe Other · Adobe components, licensing and libraries used by all Adobe apps Only if no other app uses it~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE App data · Creative Cloud sign-in and licensing data Only if no other app uses it/Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud Other · Creative Cloud desktop app and its uninstaller Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchAgents/com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist Background item · starts Creative Cloud at login Only if no other app uses it/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.acc.installer.v2.plist Background item · Creative Cloud installer background job Only if no other app uses it/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.adobe.acc.installer.v2 Other · privileged helper that installs and updates Adobe apps Only if no other app uses it

Locations are the standard macOS folders Adobe Bridge uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What Adobe Bridge leaves behind

Specific to Adobe Bridge

Dragging the app to the Trash does not remove its settings, workspaces, or collections. It also retains a thumbnail and preview cache that typically ranges from 500 MB – 20 GB. Background helpers like Core Sync and Adobe Desktop Service remain active until the Creative Cloud app is removed using its own dedicated uninstaller.

Background items: Creative Cloud installs background services such as Adobe Desktop Service, Core Sync and the Creative Cloud launch agents, which stay until Creative Cloud itself is removed.
Account and sync: Bridge is free with an Adobe ID through Creative Cloud.

Preparing to remove Adobe Bridge

Before uninstalling, ensure all metadata edits are written to your files rather than remaining in the cache. You should note any essential keywords or collections since these reside in application support folders. Quit the app before attempting to remove any associated files via Finder > Go > Go to Folder.

Purge the thumbnail cache via Tools > Cache > Purge Cache For FolderVerify all metadata edits have been written to your original filesNote any critical collections and keywords you rely onQuit the app completely

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	9 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Items marked “Only if no other app uses it” are also used by other apps from the same company; keep them while any of those apps is installed. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Adobe Bridge is installed, so remove them after the app.

Can I delete the Camera Raw settings folder?

Keep this folder if you still have Photoshop or Lightroom installed, as these apps share those settings.

Why are there still Adobe processes running after I deleted the app?

The Creative Cloud desktop app manages background services and launch agents that persist until the entire suite manager is uninstalled.