Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall Cursor on Mac

To remove the app, drag it from Applications to the Trash. This action alone does not delete your personal data or configuration folders, which typically occupy 500 MB – 10 GB.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Cursor and everything it leaves behind

Cursor data usually takes 500 MB – 10 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: Cursor
Typical data size: 500 MB – 10 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Cursor from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Cursor left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Cursor keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/Cursor App data · settings, workspaceStorage, chat state and caches Back up first: your data~/.cursor App data · installed extensions and Cursor CLI and agent data Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Caches/com.todesktop.230313mzl4w4u92 Cache · app network cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/HTTPStorages/com.todesktop.230313mzl4w4u92 Network cookies · network cookies used by the app itself Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/CachedExtensionVSIXs Cache · downloaded extension packages Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/logs Logs · Cursor and extension logs Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/User/workspaceStorage App data · per-project state, including local chat history Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/Backups App data · hot-exit copies of unsaved files Back up first: your data~/Library/Caches/com.todesktop.230313mzl4w4u92.ShipIt Cache · downloaded app updates Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

What Cursor leaves behind

Specific to Cursor

Dragging the icon to the Trash preserves your settings, extensions, and workspace storage across several directories. It leaves behind the ~/.cursor folder containing the CLI and agents, as well as various system caches and cookies identified by a ToDesktop bundle ID. These remain on your drive because they contain user-specific configurations and state that the app does not remove automatically.

License: Paid plans are subscriptions tied to the Cursor account.
Account and sync: Cursor requires a Cursor account for its AI features; the plan and usage belong to that account.

Preparing to uninstall Cursor

Quit the app before removing any associated files. Since paid plans are subscriptions tied to your account rather than the software installation, you must manage billing online. Your project files stay where they are regardless of how you remove the developer IDE.

Sign out and cancel your subscription in your account.Save custom rules or prompts from project folders and settings.Copy settings.json, keybindings.json and snippets from the User folder.Remove the cursor shell command from your PATH.

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By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	5 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

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every Cursor file and its size. No account needed.
Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.

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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own Cursor data: back them up before removing them. 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 Cursor is installed, so remove them after the app.

Will deleting the app remove my AI plan?

No, the plan belongs to your account and remains active until cancelled via your account settings.

Where are my saved project states kept?

Per-project state and local chat history are stored in the workspaceStorage folder within Application Support.