Virtualization

How to Completely Uninstall VirtualBox on Mac

To uninstall VirtualBox completely, you must use the official uninstall tool provided in the installer disk image. Simply dragging the app to the Trash leaves behind system components and user data.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove VirtualBox and everything it leaves behind

VirtualBox data usually takes 10 GB – 500 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: VirtualBox
Typical data size: 10 GB – 500 GB
Category: Virtualization
File Location: ~/VirtualBox VMs

VirtualBox has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
The VirtualBox installer disk image includes an uninstall tool that removes the app and its kernel components.
Remove the folders VirtualBox left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything VirtualBox keeps on your Mac

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

~/VirtualBox VMs Your files · virtual machine folders with disks, snapshots and logs Back up first: your data~/Library/VirtualBox App data · global settings, list of registered machines and logs Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Preferences/org.virtualbox.app.VirtualBox.plist Settings · app preferences Yes, settings reset/Library/Application Support/VirtualBox App data · kernel extensions and launch files (Intel Macs) Yes, once the app is gone/usr/local/bin/VBoxManage Other · command-line link; VBoxHeadless and VirtualBox links sit beside it Yes, once the app is gone

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

What happens when you trash VirtualBox

Specific to VirtualBox

Dragging the icon to the Trash does not remove kernel extensions, launch files, or command-line links like VBoxManage. It also leaves behind registration lists and preference files. Most importantly, your virtual machines—which typically occupy 10 GB – 500 GB—remain on your drive because the app does not delete user documents.

Background items: The installer adds command-line links such as VBoxManage in /usr/local/bin, and on Intel Macs kernel extensions that need approval in System Settings; both remain until its uninstall tool is run.

Preparing to remove VirtualBox

Before removal, ensure you handle your virtual machines carefully since they are stored separately from the registration list. Deleting one without the other results in broken entries. Using the official uninstall tool is necessary to clean up kernel components on Intel Macs and remove binary links from /usr/local/bin.

Export required virtual machines as appliances or copy their foldersRemove unused snapshots to reduce backup sizeQuit the app before removing any associated filesRun the uninstall tool from the original installer disk image

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	5 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 VirtualBox file and its size. No account needed.
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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 VirtualBox data: back them up before removing them. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while VirtualBox is installed, so remove them after the app.

Why should I use the uninstall tool instead of the Trash?

The tool removes kernel extensions and command-line links that the Trash cannot access.

Where are my actual virtual machine disks stored?

They are kept in individual folders within the VirtualBox VMs directory.