Part of: How to uninstall apps on Mac completely, leftovers included (Uninstall and duplicates)
A launch agent is a small file that tells macOS to start a helper program, usually when you log in. When you delete an app, its launch agent may stay and try to start a program that no longer exists. To find them, list the Launch Agents folders and check System Settings. Remove only the ones you can match to a deleted app.
DiskJoy is our product. It does not list or remove launch agents today: the scan is read-only and cleanup is not built yet. The commands below only read.
Two different things
- Login items are apps or helpers that open when you log in. You manage them in System Settings.
- Launch agents are small
.plistfiles in Library folders. Apps add them to run helpers, updaters or background tasks.
Look at login items first
Following Apple’s guide: open the Apple menu, then System Settings, General, then Login Items and Extensions. You will see names and the kind of each item. Apple says a yellow triangle next to an item means it will not open automatically because it was moved or deleted. That is a good sign of a leftover. Apple also describes an App Background Activity list for apps that run tasks when they are not open.
To remove a login item, Apple says to select it and click the remove button. Only administrators can change these settings.
List launch agents, read-only
Open Terminal and run:
ls ~/Library/LaunchAgents
ls /Library/LaunchAgents
ls /Library/LaunchDaemonsThe first lists agents for your account. The second lists agents for all users. The third lists daemons, which run at the system level. File names follow a usual pattern: the maker’s reversed domain, then a label, for example com.google.keystone.agent.plist (seen in these folders on one Mac on 2026-10-05).
To see what is running now, use:
launchctl listIt prints each job with a label. A job with a dash instead of a process number is loaded but not running at that moment.
Match each file to an app
- Read the file name. It usually names the maker.
- Check whether the app is still in your Applications folder.
- Search the name online if you are unsure.
- If the app is gone and the file is clearly its helper, it is a candidate leftover.
- If you cannot tell, leave it. Some helpers belong to apps that live elsewhere, such as in your home folder.
Removing a leftover
For a launch agent in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, once you are sure its app is gone, drag the file to the Trash in Finder and keep it there for a while (why the Trash does not free space yet). Files in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons are shared and need an administrator password. Treat these more carefully, because some belong to macOS or to security software.
What to leave alone
- Anything starting with
com.apple.. - Files from software you still use, such as updaters.
- Files you cannot match to an app.
Why a leftover agent matters
A leftover launch agent costs very little space. The reason to remove one is tidiness: a helper that fails to start can leave odd entries in System Settings or log messages. It is not an emergency, and nothing about it needs a rush. If you are not sure, leaving it is a perfectly fine choice.
What the file contains
A launch agent is a property list that gives the helper a label and says which program to run. You can open one in a text editor to read it, which changes nothing. Look for the program path. If that path points into an Applications folder that no longer holds the app, the file is a leftover. If it points to a program that still exists, the agent is live and belongs to something you have installed.
Updaters are not always leftovers
Many apps use an updater that runs in the background. An updater file for software that is still installed is not a leftover. Removing it stops updates for a program you still use, so check the app’s presence first.
Safe, Risky, Never
| Level | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Safe | A login item with a yellow triangle for an app you deleted. A user launch agent clearly named after an app you removed |
| Risky | Files in /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons. Updaters of apps you still use |
| Never | Anything from Apple. Files whose owner you cannot identify. Removing system daemons to save a few megabytes |
Related guides
Leftover launch agents are one part of the bigger picture. See how to uninstall apps completely and what apps leave behind. If you also have copies of the same file, see finding duplicate files.
Try a scan
To see where your disk space goes, run DiskJoy’s scan. It reads only and removes nothing.
Sources and disclosure
Apple, Login Items and Extensions, accessed 2026-10-05: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-login-items-extensions-mtusr003/mac. The read-only commands ls on the three folders and launchctl list were run on macOS 27.0. We did not test removal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove launch agents on Mac?
First list them and match each to an app. For login items, use System Settings, General, Login Items and Extensions. For a leftover launch agent file, check that its app is gone, move the file to the Trash and keep it there for a while.
How do I find leftover login items on Mac?
Open System Settings, General, Login Items and Extensions. Apple says a yellow triangle next to an item means it will not open because it was moved or deleted.