TidyMacQuit Spotify, drag it from Applications to the Trash, then remove its leftovers: the cache in ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client (streaming cache and any offline downloads, usually the biggest part), ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify, its preferences file and saved window state. Empty the Trash when you’re sure.
Uninstall Spotify step by step
- Quit Spotify (Spotify › Quit Spotify).
- Drag Spotify from Applications to the Trash.
- In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder and open ~/Library/Caches. Move com.spotify.client to the Trash.
- Move ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify to the Trash.
- Move ~/Library/Preferences/com.spotify.client.plist and ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.spotify.client.savedState to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash.
Where Spotify leaves files
| Location | What it is | After uninstalling |
|---|---|---|
| ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client | Streaming cache and offline downloads (Premium) | Safe |
| ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify | Settings and local app data | Safe |
| ~/Library/Preferences/com.spotify.client.plist | Preferences | Safe |
| ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.spotify.client.savedState | Window positions | Safe |
In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G) and paste a path to open it. Safe means nothing you made is inside; Check first means it may hold the only copy of something. To see how much space they use, run this read-only command in Terminal:
du -sh ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client ~/Library/Application\ Support/Spotify ~/Library/Preferences/com.spotify.client.plist ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.spotify.client.savedState 2>/dev/nullThe cache is where the space goes
Spotify streams into ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client, and with Premium the songs and podcasts you download for offline listening are stored there too. That’s why this one folder is often bigger than the app.
Only want the space back?
You don’t need to uninstall. In Spotify open Settings › Storage and choose Clear cache; downloads are listed separately on the same screen, and you can set where Spotify stores them. More about com.spotify.client
Uninstall Spotify with TidyMac
TidyMac’s uninstaller lists every app with its size and last use, and finds the leftovers that belong to it by bundle ID. Remove Spotify and its leftovers in one review: everything goes to the Trash first, you confirm twice, TidyMac checks the disk afterwards, and you can put anything back. Leftovers from apps you already deleted are found too, labelled Check first.
Uninstall apps and their leftovers in one step
See every part of your storage explained, and clean only what’s safe after you confirm twice. $9.99, one time.
Frequently asked questions
Does dragging Spotify to the Trash uninstall it completely?
No. It removes the app, but Spotify leaves 4 kinds of files behind in your Library and elsewhere: streaming cache and offline downloads (premium); settings and local app data; preferences. The steps above remove them.
What is Spotify’s bundle ID on Mac?
com.spotify.client. Most of its leftover files and folders are named after it, which is how you (and TidyMac) can tell they belong to Spotify.
Can I reinstall Spotify later?
Yes. Download it again from Spotify. Anything stored in your account online comes back when you sign in; local-only data you removed does not.