Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall Eclipse on Mac

To uninstall Eclipse, quit the app and drag it to the Trash. Because it stores data in separate directories, simply removing the application icon leaves behind user projects and system configurations.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove Eclipse and everything it leaves behind

Eclipse 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: Eclipse
Typical data size: 500 MB – 10 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/eclipse-workspace/.metadata

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything Eclipse keeps on your Mac

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

~/eclipse-workspace/.metadata App data · workspace preferences, local history, launch configurations and indexes Back up first: your data~/eclipse-workspace Your files · default workspace with projects and the .metadata folder Back up first: your data~/.eclipse App data · per-user configuration and plugins installed into the user area Yes, once the app is gone~/.p2 App data · shared plugin pool; Installer-made Eclipse installs break without it Yes, once the app is gone~/eclipse Other · default install folder of the Eclipse Installer Yes, once the app is gone

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

What Eclipse leaves behind

Specific to Eclipse

Dragging the app to the Trash does not remove your documents or settings. It leaves behind the workspace containing your projects and the .metadata folder with local history and indexes. Additionally, per-user plugins and the shared bundle pool remain on your disk. These remaining files typically occupy 500 MB – 10 GB.

License: Eclipse is free and open source.

Preparing to remove Eclipse

The app ties its state to the workspace folder rather than the application bundle. You should manually manage these folders since the installer shares plugins across different installations via a hidden directory. Be careful not to delete shared resources if other instances of the software are still active.

Export preferences via File > Export > General > PreferencesCopy projects out of the default workspace folderVerify if other installations still use the shared bundle poolQuit the app before moving files to the Trash

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	4 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 Eclipse file and its size. No account needed.
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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own Eclipse data: back them up before removing them. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Eclipse is installed, so remove them after the app.

Where are my project files stored?

Your projects are located in ~/eclipse-workspace, along with their associated metadata.

Why is the .metadata folder so large?

This happens when the folder accumulates extensive local history or stale indexes.