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How to Completely Uninstall Motion on Mac

To uninstall Motion, quit the app and drag it to the Trash. This process removes the application but leaves behind associated data and support files ranging from 2 GB – 50 GB.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove Motion and everything it leaves behind

Motion data usually takes 2 GB – 50 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

Scan your Mac free

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

Application: Motion
Typical data size: 2 GB – 50 GB
Category: Video
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Motion

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything Motion keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/Motion App data · Motion support files, if present Yes, once the app is gone~/Movies/Motion Templates.localized Your files · custom titles, effects, transitions and generators Back up first: your data~/Library/Caches/com.apple.motionapp Cache · app cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.motionapp.plist Settings · app settings Yes, settings reset/Library/Application Support/ProApps Other · content shared by Final Cut Pro, Motion and Compressor Only if no other app uses it

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

What Motion leaves behind

Specific to Motion

Dragging the app to the Trash does not delete its preferences, caches, or support files. Your custom templates remain in the Movies folder, and shared content stays in /Library/Application Support/ProApps. These folders persist because they contain your personal work or assets used by other software.

License: The licence belongs to your Apple Account and Mac App Store purchases.
Account and sync: Motion is bought with an Apple Account through the Mac App Store.

Preparing for the removal of Motion

Before deleting the app, ensure you have backed up all creative assets. Since published templates are shared with Final Cut Pro, removing them will affect available titles and effects in that program. Verify that any external project dependencies are resolved before proceeding.

Save projects you wish to keep to another driveCopy the Motion Templates folder to preserve custom titles and effectsVerify that Final Cut Pro projects do not depend on custom templatesQuit the app before removing its files

0 of 4 done

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 Motion 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.

Download free and scan

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 Motion data: back them up before removing them. 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. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Motion is installed, so remove them after the app.

Will I lose my license if I uninstall?

No, the license belongs to your Apple Account and Mac App Store purchases.

Should I delete the ProApps folder?

Keep it if you still have Final Cut Pro or Compressor installed.