Signal for Desktop for MacOS will not uninstall

[dscottboggs]

• I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

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Bug Description

When Signal.app is moved to trash on MacOS, it does not uninstall fully -- messages and presumably other configuration data is left behind.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Signal for MacOS from signal.org
2. Receive some messages
3. Remove the Signal application
4. Reinstall the application
5. Launch it.

Actual Result:

Messages from before the uninstallation will load

Expected Result:

Messages from before the uninstallation would no longer be present and wouldn't load.

Platform Info

Signal Version: The latest version from the web site as of right now. (the application isn't launching right which is why I'm trying to uninstall and reinstall)

Operating System: MacOS 10.14.5

Linked Device Version: Android 7.1.2

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Try the "Clear Data" option in settings if you'd like to delete everything.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

If the app doesn't start at all, then delete ~/Library/Application Support/Signal

But we'd sure like that log to help us understand why the app isn't launching! You can zip up the logs subdirectory of the above location, send it to [email protected].

[dscottboggs]

Should the application not be removing those files when it is uninstalled?

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Deleting a .app file on MacOS isn't an 'uninstall' action. It's just deleting a file. We'd have to ship an additional uninstaller you could run to remove everything. Some apps choose to do that, but it's mostly applications with installers that change system settings.

[3f6a]

@scottnonnenberg-signal Or maybe have instructions somewhere for complete uninstall ? Is there such a step-by-step guide somewhere?

[jamiebuilds-signal]

@3f6a Here's a support article with the latest instructions: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007061192-Delete-Account#desktop_delete

[3f6a]

@jamiebuilds-signal Thanks, I eventually found that. It's a bit confused that this is written under the heading "Delete account", when all I want to do is uninstall Signal from my Mac (without deleting the account elsewhere like my phone).