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Tasks & Calendar

How to Completely Uninstall Things 3 on Mac

To uninstall Things 3 completely, you must remove both the application and its associated library folders. Dragging the app to the Trash alone leaves your task database and settings on your Mac.

Last updated: 3 min read

Remove Things 3 and everything it leaves behind

Things 3 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
Things 3
Typical data size
100 MB – 1 GB
Category
Tasks & Calendar
File Location
~/Library/Containers/com.culturedcode.ThingsMac

Manual cleanup steps

  1. Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
  2. Move Things 3 from the Applications folder to the Trash.
  3. Remove the folders Things 3 left behind, listed in the table below.
  4. Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Things 3 keeps on your Mac

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

Locations are the standard macOS folders Things 3 uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What happens when you remove Things 3

Specific to Things 3

Moving the app to the Trash does not delete your personal documents or system folders. Because the app stores the task database in a Group Container separate from the main app container, your data remains even if the application is gone. These leftover files typically occupy 100 MB – 1 GB of space.

License
Things is a one-time App Store purchase per platform and can be reinstalled from the same Apple Account.
Account and sync
Things syncs through a free Things Cloud account; without it tasks exist only on this Mac.

Preparing to uninstall Things 3

Ensure your data is secure before deleting folders, as these actions are permanent once the Trash is emptied. Since the app uses a free Things Cloud account for synchronization, verify your tasks are visible on another device. If you do not use this service, your tasks exist only on this Mac.

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

By handWith OptiClear
Places to check3 folders, one by oneOne scan
File sizesYou look them up yourselfShown for every item
Removing the wrong thingEasy to delete the wrong folderGoes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
CostFreeScan 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

  1. Download and scan for freeSee every Things 3 file and its size. No account needed.
  2. Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
  3. 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 Things 3 data: back them up before removing them. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Things 3 is installed, so remove them after the app.
Will I lose my license if I delete everything?
No, because it is a one-time App Store purchase per platform and can be reinstalled from the same Apple Account.
Why are there multiple folders left over?
The app utilizes different locations for sandboxed settings, macOS-created script folders, and the primary task database.

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