Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall TextMate on Mac

To uninstall the app, quit it and drag its icon to the Trash. Because it is free and open source, you manage the removal of its associated data manually.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove TextMate and everything it leaves behind

TextMate data usually takes 100 MB – 1 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: TextMate
Typical data size: 100 MB – 1 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/TextMate

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything TextMate keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/TextMate App data · installed and managed bundles and your own bundles Back up first: your data~/Library/Preferences/com.macromates.TextMate.plist Settings · editor settings Yes, settings reset~/Library/Caches/com.macromates.TextMate Cache · app cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/TextMate/Managed App data · bundles installed from TextMate's preferences Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Saved Application State/com.macromates.TextMate.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

What TextMate leaves behind

Specific to TextMate

Moving the app to the Trash does not delete its support folders, which typically occupy 100 MB – 1 GB. These include editor settings, window positions, and app caches. Most notably, it leaves behind two distinct areas for bundles: one for managed downloads and another for those you edited yourself.

License: TextMate is free and open source.

Preparing to remove TextMate

Before deletion, you should secure any personal configurations. Since the app stores your modified bundles and .tm_properties files in the Library, these must be backed up manually. You should also handle system-level additions like the mate command. Access these files via Finder > Go > Go to Folder since the Library is hidden.

Copy bundles you created or edited from the Application Support folderSave any .tm_properties files located in your home or project foldersRemove the mate command if you previously installed itQuit the app before removing its files

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 TextMate 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 TextMate 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. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while TextMate is installed, so remove them after the app.

Where are my custom bundles stored specifically?

They are kept in ~/Library/Application Support/TextMate, separated from the Managed bundles folder.

Does emptying the Trash delete my editor settings?

No, because settings reside in a .plist file in the Library, not the app bundle.