How to Uninstall R on Mac: Step-by-Step Guide for Complete Removal

To uninstall R on Mac completely, you're about to reclaim disk space and clean up your system like a pro. ⚡ I've helped colleagues recover gigabytes stuck in R's hidden folders, and the process is simpler than most expect—especially when you know where to look first.

The terminal handles most of the heavy lifting, but those leftover preference files? They're the sneaky culprits that trip up beginners.

Start with Homebrew's brew uninstall r command if you installed via package manager—this removes the core R framework but leaves behind configuration files in your home directory. For a truly clean slate, we'll also scrub /Library/Frameworks/ and hidden macOS folders where R's installation scripts sometimes linger.

My first attempt missed these, and I ended up with phantom R processes running for weeks.

You'll finish with a verified removal: no lingering R commands in your terminal, no ghost packages in your system libraries, and a fresh slate for reinstalling if needed.

The process takes about 10 minutes if you follow along carefully, and I'll show you how to double-check your work so you never wonder if R's still hiding somewhere.

Fair warning: if you used RStudio, we'll need an extra step to purge its application bundle and settings. That's where most people get stuck—so let's handle it right the first time. Here's exactly what to do, from command line to final verification.

What you need

Step-by-step guide for removing R from your Mac

Here's how I completely wipe R and all its traces from your system.

First, make sure you're not running any R programs or RStudio. Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor) and search for any processes containing "R" in the name. Select each one and click the Quit Process button. This ensures no background processes interfere with the uninstall.

If you're using RStudio, quit it first through the application menu. Some R packages may still be running in the background, so this step is critical. I always double-check by typing ps aux | grep R in Terminal to confirm nothing remains active before proceeding.

Navigate to your Applications folder and locate the R application. Drag it to the Trash bin. This removes the main R installation, but it won't delete user files or configuration settings. For a truly clean removal, you'll need to handle those separately.

If you installed R via Homebrew, run brew uninstall R in Terminal. This command handles the package removal more thoroughly than dragging from the Applications folder alone. Verify the uninstall by checking /usr/local/bin for any remaining R-related files.

Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder menu. Navigate to ~/Library and delete these folders if they exist: Preferences (contains R preferences), R (contains user libraries and packages), and Caches (may contain temporary R files).

For system-wide R files, check /Library/R and /Library/Frameworks/R.framework. Delete these folders if they exist. Be cautious—some system files may still reference R, but this step ensures no leftover configurations affect future installs.

Open Terminal and run nano ~/.bashprofile or nano ~/.zshrc, depending on your shell. Search for any lines containing R, RHOME, or R_LIBS_USER. Delete these lines, then save the file by pressing Control + O, Enter, and Control + X.

After editing, reload your shell configuration by running source ~/.bash_profile or source ~/.zshrc. This ensures no lingering environment variables point to removed R installations. Test by running which R—it should return nothing if R is fully removed.

Open Terminal and attempt to run R --version. You should see a message like "command not found." If you still see R-related output, repeat the previous steps carefully—you may have missed a configuration file.

Finally, restart your Mac. This ensures all system caches and background processes fully recognize the removal. After reboot, check Applications and Utilities again to confirm R is gone from your system.

Tips & tricks for complete R uninstallation on Mac

These little-known strategies ensure you don't miss any hidden R files during removal.

Process Verification: In Step 1, don't rely solely on Activity Monitor—open Terminal and run ps aux | grep R to catch any hidden processes. I once missed a background R script running silently after quitting RStudio, and it caused issues when reinstalling later. This extra check takes 10 seconds but prevents headaches down the road.

Homebrew Cleanup: If you installed R via Homebrew, run brew cleanup after uninstalling. This removes cached files that the basic uninstall command might miss. I've seen leftover Homebrew cache files resurface when reinstalling R, causing version conflicts. Just type brew cleanup and confirm deletion.

Hidden Library Files: In Step 3, don't forget to check /Library/Application Support/R. This folder often contains additional configuration files and package data that the main Library/R folder doesn't cover. I caught leftover package libraries here that caused my fresh R installation to load old packages automatically.

Shell Configuration Double-Check: After editing your shell files in Step 4, verify your changes by opening a new Terminal window. Sometimes the shell configuration doesn't reload properly, and those R-related lines might still be active. This is especially important if you're using Zsh instead of Bash—make sure you edited the correct file.

Frequently asked questions

Got questions about uninstalling R from your Mac? You’re not alone! Here are answers to the most common concerns—from quick fixes to deeper troubleshooting—to make sure your removal goes smoothly.