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How to Completely Uninstall Plex on Mac

To uninstall Plex completely, you must remove both the application and its associated data folders manually. Dragging the app to the Trash alone leaves behind server settings and metadata.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Plex and everything it leaves behind

Plex data usually takes 1 GB – 50 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: Plex
Typical data size: 1 GB – 50 GB
Category: Video
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything Plex keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server App data · library database, metadata, artwork and transcoder cache Back up first: your data~/Library/Preferences/com.plexapp.plexmediaserver.plist Settings · server settings and claim token Yes, settings reset~/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Cache Cache · server cache, including transcoder and update downloads Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Logs/Plex Media Server Logs · Plex Media Server logs Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

What Plex leaves behind

Specific to Plex

Moving the app to the Trash does not delete the library database, artwork, or preference files. Because the app stores metadata and preview thumbnails for every item, these remaining files typically occupy 1 GB – 50 GB. These containers and logs stay on your Mac until you manually remove them from the hidden Library folder.

Background items: Plex Media Server runs as a menu bar app and can be set to open at login.
Account and sync: The server is claimed to your Plex account; your media files remain in their own folders.

Preparing your Plex installation

Before removal, ensure you have noted your library folders to simplify adding them to a future server. You should also back up the main data folder if you wish to preserve your watch history. Finally, quit the server from the menu bar to stop all background helpers from running.

Remove the server from authorized devices in your accountBack up the Plex Media Server folder to keep metadataNote your current library folder locationsQuit the server via the menu bar icon

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	3 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 Plex 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 Plex data: back them up before removing them. 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.

Will uninstalling the app delete my movie and music files?

No, your media remains in its original folders because the app only stores metadata about them.

How do I access the hidden folders to finish the removal?

Use Finder > Go > Go to Folder and enter ~/Library to find the stored data.