Utilities

How to Completely Uninstall Transmission on Mac

Dragging Transmission to the Trash removes only the application bundle, leaving its support files and your downloaded data intact. The app is free and open source, so no license deactivation is required before uninstalling.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove Transmission and everything it leaves behind

Transmission data usually takes 200 MB – 5 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: Transmission
Typical data size: 200 MB – 5 GB
Category: Utilities
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Transmission

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything Transmission keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/Transmission App data · copies of added .torrent files and resume data for transfers Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Preferences/org.m0k.transmission.plist Settings · settings, download folder and speed limits Yes, settings reset~/Library/Caches/org.m0k.transmission Cache · temporary app cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Downloads Your files · default download folder for torrent data Back up first: your data

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

Transmission files left behind

Specific to Transmission

The app leaves behind its preferences, caches, and Application Support folder, which contains torrent copies and resume data. This support folder uses 200 MB – 5 GB, while your actual downloaded files remain in your chosen download folder. Because the preferences and cache are rebuilt automatically, deleting the app does not remove them unless you manually delete these hidden folders. The user's own documents stay in the download folder and are not affected by removing the application.

License: Transmission is free and open source.

Prepare Transmission for removal

You must quit Transmission to stop seeding before deleting the app bundle. Check the settings to locate your download folder, as data may not be in the default Downloads directory. If you wish to keep your torrent history or resume data, copy the Application Support folder elsewhere first. Removing finished transfers from the list beforehand helps manage the resume files stored in the support directory.

Check the download folder location in Transmission's settings.Copy the Application Support folder if you need resume data.Remove finished transfers from the list to clean up resume files.Quit Transmission to stop seeding before moving it to 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 Transmission 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 Transmission 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 Transmission is installed, so remove them after the app.

Do I need to delete the preferences file?

No, the preferences file is rebuilt automatically, so it remains unless you manually delete it from the Library.

Will my downloaded movies be deleted?

No, downloaded data is saved in your chosen download folder and stays there after the app is removed.