Written by
Yvonne Feng
Summary: How do you uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac? This article will provide multiple methods to help you. We'll also explain how to remove Bitdefender from the menu bar or startup. If you encounter difficulties uninstalling Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, try CleanMyApp for a more straightforward uninstallation process.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is an antivirus and cybersecurity software specifically designed for macOS. It helps protect your data and privacy, preventing malware from infecting your Mac.
While this software is powerful and performance-friendly, you may sometimes find it unsuitable or wish to uninstall it for other reasons. However, during the uninstallation process, you may encounter some issues. Below are the problems Mac users often face when trying to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.
I'm trying to uninstall Bitdefender for Mac antivirus software from my MBP. When I run the uninstaller program I receive an "Unexpected error has occurred" message after a few seconds. Any ideas on what I can do? - Apple Discussions
In addition to the above, many instances fail to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac. So, keep reading to completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac on your Mac.
How to completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac?
You may find that Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac cannot simply be dragged to the “Trash” for uninstallation. This is because it installs multiple additional components and background services within the system, which must be completely removed. Otherwise, they may affect your Mac's performance or cause your Mac to be slowing.
Here are three ways to help you completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac. Here is a table to help you quickly look through them.
| Methods | Easy to Use | Delete Leftovers | Operation |
| Using CleanMyApp | Yes | Yes | One-click to completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac. |
| Using Bitdefender Uninstaller | No | No | Need to manually delete the remaining files after using Bitdefender Uninstaller. |
| Manually Uninstall | No | Yes | Need to delete the leftovers one by one after moving to the Trash. |
Uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac using CleanMyApp
The easiest way to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is by using CleanMyApp, a professional application designed for uninstalling third-party software. It not only easily removes the application itself but also helps you thoroughly clean all files related to Bitdefender.
Besides, you can use it to fully uninstall other third-party software as well. With CleanMyApp, uninstalling Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac can be achieved in just a few simple steps.
Here are the detailed steps to tell you how to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.
- Download, install, and open CleanMyApp.
- Select Bitdefender in the main interface of CleanMyApp.
- Click Uninstall in the bottom right corner of the main page.
- Click Continue uninstall and type admin password if asked to completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.
Now, your Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac has been completely uninstalled, including all leftover logs, caches, and configuration files.
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Uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac by Bitdefender Uninstaller
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also has an official uninstallation tool, which is the Bitdefender Uninstaller. You can follow the steps below to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.
- Click Finder > Go(at the top left of the screen) > Applications.
- In the Application, you will see a Bitdefender folder. Double-click to open it.
- At this time, you can see Bitdefender Uninstaller, double-click it.
- In the new window that pops up, select Bitdefender and click Uninstall below.
- Enter your username and password to allow uninstallation. Then, wait for the uninstall to finish and click Close.
- After uninstalling, if the Bitdefender icon is still in your Dock at this point, right-click Bitdefender in the Dock > Options > Remove from Dock.
Note: The Bitdefender Uninstaller can handle most of the Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac uninstall tasks, but it may not remove certain cache files, logs, or configuration files associated with the software. These residual files can still occupy storage space. You can manually delete these remaining files if you want a complete cleanup.
Manually uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Manually uninstalling Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is feasible, but the process is quite complex and may take considerable time. Here's a detailed guide on how to uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac manually to ensure all files, services, and extensions are completely removed.
- Open Activity Monitor (Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor).
- In the search bar, type Bitdefender to find all related processes. Select each process, click the Stop (X) button in the top-left corner, and confirm to terminate the process.
- Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder. You can locate the Bitdefender app and drag it to the Trash. Enter your administrator password if prompted.
- Delete related files and folders: Open Finder and use Shift + Command + G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog. Then, enter the following paths one by one and delete the related files/folders.
For the current user:
~/Library/Application Support/Bitdefender
~/Library/Preferences/com.bitdefender.*
~/Library/Logs/Bitdefender
~/Library/Caches/com.bitdefender.*
For all users (system-wide files):
/Library/Application Support/Bitdefender
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.bitdefender.*
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.bitdefender.*
/Library/Extensions/ - Remove system extensions (if installed): Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > General. Check for blocked Bitdefender extensions and click Allow to unblock them before removal. Then, navigate to /Library/Extensions using Finder or Shift + Command + G. Identify and delete Bitdefender-related extensions (e.g., .kext files).
- Empty your Trash.
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How do I remove Bitdefender from the Mac menu bar?
If there are too many icons in the menu bar and you want to remove the Bitdefender icon to make the interface look cleaner and reduce visual clutter, you can follow these steps.
- Click the Bitdefender icon in the menu bar.
- Open Preferences or Settings (depending on the version).
- Look for an option to disable the menu bar icon or enable "Silent Mode."
- Right-click the Bitdefender icon in the menu bar.
- Select Quit or a similar option if available.
At this time, Bitdefender will no longer be in the menu bar.
How do I remove Bitdefender from the Mac startup?
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac typically starts and loads automatically during startup to ensure real-time protection for your device against viruses and malware. If you want to stop loading automatically at startup, you can do this by following the steps below.
- Click the Apple Menu in the top left corner of your screen, and select System Settings (or System Preferences if you are using macOS Mojave or earlier).
- In System Settings, click General > select Login Items > go to Users & Groups > select your user account > click the Login Items tab.
- Find Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac in the list of login items. Select Bitdefender, then click the minus (-) button to remove it from the list of startup programs.
After these steps, Bitdefender for Mac will no longer launch automatically when you start your Mac.
Conclusion
It is not easy to completely uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac because the software has many related files. However, we believe you can successfully uninstall Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac after reading this article. Of course, if you want to quickly and easily uninstall Bitdefender on Mac, try CleanMyApp!
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