3D & CAD

How to Completely Uninstall Unreal Engine on Mac

To remove Unreal Engine completely, you must manually delete its associated data folders since dragging the app icon to the Trash does not erase them. These remaining files typically occupy 5 GB – 200 GB of disk space.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Unreal Engine and everything it leaves behind

Unreal Engine data usually takes 5 GB – 200 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: Unreal Engine
Typical data size: 5 GB – 200 GB
Category: 3D & CAD
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Epic/UnrealEngine

Manual cleanup steps

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

Everything Unreal Engine keeps on your Mac

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

~/Library/Application Support/Epic/UnrealEngine App data · shared derived data cache and engine settings Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Application Support/Epic/UnrealEngine/Common/DerivedDataCache Cache · shared derived data cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/Epic/EpicGamesLauncher App data · Epic Games Launcher data Only if no other app uses it/Users/Shared/Epic Games Other · engine versions installed by the launcher Yes, once the app is gone/Users/Shared/UnrealEngine/Launcher/VaultCache Other · downloaded asset packs from the launcher library Yes, once the app is gone

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

What Unreal Engine leaves behind

Specific to Unreal Engine

Dragging the app to the Trash preserves engine versions in the shared Users folder and asset packs in the VaultCache. It also leaves behind the shared derived data cache and general settings in Application Support. Because the Epic Games Launcher runs separately, its data remains to support other software from the same company.

Background items: The Epic Games Launcher runs separately and can start at login.
Account and sync: Unreal Engine is installed through the Epic Games Launcher with an Epic account.

Preparing to uninstall Unreal Engine

Before removal, use the Epic Games Launcher to uninstall specific engine versions. You should identify your project folders, as these reside outside the standard installation paths. Ensure the editor is closed before deleting internal project folders like Intermediate or DerivedDataCache.

Back up project Content, Config, and Source foldersUninstall old engine versions via the Epic Games LauncherDelete Intermediate and DerivedDataCache folders within each projectQuit the app and the Epic Games Launcher

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

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Frequently asked questions

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

Will deleting the Shared folder remove my personal projects?

No, because projects are stored in folders you choose independently of the system installation paths.

Does removing the app clear the DerivedDataCache?

No, this folder stays in Application Support and must be deleted manually.