Completely uninstalling Anaconda on your Mac: a step-by-step guide

Anaconda is loved by data scientists because it simplifies Python and R programming and is widely used in tasks such as machine learning and data analysis. But it's powerful, and you might want to uninstall it to free up disk space, switch to another development environment, or stop using it altogether.

However, uninstalling Anaconda is not as simple as dragging an icon to the trash. This package contains many hidden files, environment variables, and configurations that you need to process to ensure that the program is completely removed from your Mac. It's like a cunning snake.

I remember how difficult it was when I first uninstalled this distribution, as it left a lot of clutter, but I'm going to show you different ways – from fast app-based solutions to manual deletion methods.

How to delete Anaconda on Mac

Before we proceed, let's quickly review how to quickly delete Anaconda:

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Uninstall Anaconda on Mac with one click

There are several ways to get rid of Anaconda on Mac, and I will start with my favorite method. This is the fastest way, and requires little effort.

Uninstall Anaconda using CleanMyMac

Using CleanMyMac is the easiest and fastest way to uninstall Anaconda. This is also my favorite Mac optimization tool, as it removes all hidden installation files, eliminates duplicates, and optimizes performance to make sure my Mac runs like new.

Here is how to completely uninstall Anaconda using CleanMyMac:

1. Install and open CleanMyMac.
2. Go to the Applications tab and click Scan.
3. After the scan is complete, click Manage My Applications.
4. Under Uninstall Programs > All Applications, select Anaconda-Navigator. Make sure everything is selected.
5. Then, click Uninstall.

After clicking Uninstall, CleanMyMac will delete all Anaconda-related files, as these files may slow down your Mac or cause it to behave abnormally.

Use the terminal to manually remove Anaconda from your Mac completely

If you prefer the manual method (and you are a professional), you have full control and you can uninstall the distribution using the terminal.

Here is how to remove Anaconda from your Mac using a terminal:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Enter conda remove anaconda-navigator > Press Enter to confirm the deletion.

3. Then, uninstall the directory using the commands rm -rf ~/anaconda3 or sudo rm -rf /opt/anaconda3 (for system-wide installation). For the latter, enter your password when prompted.

4. Use the command rm -rf ~/.condarc ~/.conda ~/.anaconda ~/.continuum to delete hidden files and directories.

5. Close the terminal. When you start the terminal again, you should no longer see the (base) environment indicator.

Tip: Manually removing Anaconda and similar software from your Mac can be troublesome, especially if you are not sure where the relevant files are hidden. I often encounter this problem on my Mac and the tool I rely on is Core Shell. It is everything the terminal should have. It allows you to perform all local terminal functions in a better, more customizable interface, and it also provides a GUI for managing remote connections. The app integrates with macOS Keychain and iCloud to remember all your connections, and it can save you a lot of time by making SSH connections seamless.

Remove Anaconda from .bash_profile

When Anaconda is installed, the PATH variable in the .bash_profile is modified to add its bin directory. This is very useful when you use this distribution, as it allows you to use Anaconda-related commands (like conda) directly from the terminal.

However, now that you have uninstalled Anaconda, the changes here will reference directories that do not exist, so they may cause errors when opening the terminal, or lead to incorrect Python versions.

You can edit the .bash_profile using the built-in Nano editor on the terminal.

Here is how to edit files using the Nano editor:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

2. Enter nano ~/.zshrc > Press Enter.

3. Find the text block between the following lines:

   • # >>> conda initialize >>>
   • #

4. Use Option K to delete everything.

5. Press Control X to save and exit, then press Y and press Enter.

6. Reload the configuration file by entering the command source ~/.zshrc .

You can then exit the terminal.

Personal advice: I think you would agree that using Nano text editor on the terminal is annoying and slow. Rather than dealing with keyboard commands, I prefer CodeRunner's GUI. It makes editing configuration files easy, you just need the cursor and delete buttons. The app also makes encoding easy with its smart features such as code completion, automatic indentation and bracket management. You can configure it to work exactly the way you want and in any language.

Manually remove Anaconda from Mac via Finder

Maybe you've had enough of Anaconda's hidden files and want to make sure the installation is actually gone. In this case, you can use Finder to delete the file manually.

The following is a step-by-step process:

1. Open Finder.
2. Click Go to > Go to Folder in the menu bar.
3. If you have Anaconda installed system-wide, type /anaconda3 or /opt/anaconda3 and press Enter.
4. Select all files, right-click > select Move to Trash.

5. Delete the anaconda3 folder. You can do this by returning to the opt folder (Go to Folder>/opt) or by using Command Shift H to return to the main location.
6. Right-click the Trash icon and click Clear Trash.

You have now deleted Anaconda. From there you can edit the .bash_profile or .zshrc file. to this end:

1. Open Finder > Press Command Shift H to go to the home folder.
2. Press Command Shift . to display the hidden file.
3. Click on .bash_profile (for bash users) or .zshrc (for zsh users). You can choose the editor you like, but I recommend CodeRunner because it makes editing and running code easy and fast.
4. Delete all content (including these lines) between # >>> conda initialize >>> and # .

In some cases, especially when you are performing a system-wide installation, the .bash_profile file may be locked. If this is the case, you can go to the terminal and type the command sudo chown your_user_name ~/.bash_profile . This should allow you to edit the file.

Note that for macOS Sequoia, you're likely to edit the .zshrc file instead of the .bash_profile, because zsh is now the default shell.

Tip: While manually deleting Anaconda files gives you more control, navigating between many folders associated with the software can be annoying. You can use PathFinder to simplify this task, which is basically an enhanced version of Finder. It shows you the path to a specific folder storage and has various shortcuts that make navigation easy. When uninstalling Anaconda, you will find its dual-pane interface very useful because you can access different storage and configuration folders at the same time.

Please read also:

• How to Uninstall Creative Cloud on Mac
• How to install Jupyter Notebook on Mac
• Uninstall Dropbox from Mac
• How to update Python on Mac

How to Uninstall Miniconda on Mac

Maybe you don't want to install Anaconda because it's very comprehensive, so you choose to install a simpler version of Miniconda. It doesn't have many packages preinstalled, but it still creates directories and configuration files specific to its environment.

To completely remove Miniconda, the process you need to follow is similar to deleting Anaconda.

Here is how to operate:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Uninstall the Miniconda directory by running the command rm -rf ~/miniconda3 or sudo rm -rf /opt/anaconda3 . If prompted, enter your password.
3. Use the command rm -rf ~/.condarc ~/.conda ~/.continuum to delete the relevant configuration files.

You can now proceed to edit the .bash_profile or .zshrc file to delete the Miniconda edit.

Verify that Anaconda is completely uninstalled

Considering that Anaconda is difficult to uninstall completely, it is very important to verify that it is indeed gone. You don't want hidden files or settings to slow down your Mac or cause problems in the future.

Here is how to verify that Anaconda is uninstalled:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal > Check if the (base) indicator has disappeared.
2. Type the command conda --version to see if the system still recognizes Anaconda or its package manager (conda).

If Anaconda is uninstalled correctly, you will not see the (base) indicator and the version check should display the error "conda not found". If you see a version number or some kind of conda-related response, it means that there is still some residue in your system.

After verifying that the installation does not exist, you can check that the directory still exists. to this end:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Type the command echo $PATH and view the output to make sure there is no Anaconda directory -- /opt/anaconda3/bin or ~/anaconda3/bin . If these directories still exist, you may need to manually delete them from the PATH in the .bash_profile or .zshrc file.

Completely uninstall Anaconda on your Mac

Uninstalling Anaconda on your Mac can be tricky due to hidden files and configurations, but it doesn't have to be a headache. If you are looking for the easiest way, CleanMyMac is your trusted assistant that can help uninstall all applications (and their dependencies) and simplify all Mac operations.

If you want a more hands-on approach, you can use Core Shell as an alternative to your terminal. It's more powerful and customizable, and it makes managing multiple hosts easy with a dedicated GUI. Apart from that, CodeRunner is great for editing those annoying shell file entries, while PathFinder is very good at managing files and directories through its dual-pane interface. All of these apps are available on Setapp – a platform with over 250 macOS and iOS apps, with just one subscription plan – you can try it for 7 days for free!

FAQ

Where is Anaconda installed on Mac?

Anaconda is usually installed in a folder named "anaconda3" in the user directory.

Here is how to find the installation path for Anaconda on your Mac:

1. Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.

2. Type echo $CONDA_PREFIX and press Enter.

3. Check the output:

   • For single user: /Users/your-username/anaconda3
   • For system scope: /opt/anaconda3

How to check if Anaconda is installed?

To check if Anaconda is installed on your Mac:

1. Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Type conda --version and press Enter.
3. If Anaconda is installed, you will see the version number.

Optional: Type echo $PATH to check if Anaconda's directory appears in the output.

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