How to Uninstall Parallels Desktop on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you tired of using Parallels Desktop on your Mac, but not sure how to completely remove it? You're in luck! In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to uninstall Parallels Desktop manually and automatically.

Before we begin, let's talk about why you might want to consider uninstalling Parallels Desktop. While it has its benefits, such as seamless data sharing between your host OS and virtual environment, it also has some drawbacks. For example, it can take up a lot of space on your hard drive, require payment to use, lack support for games and multimedia, and be unable to start.

To completely uninstall Parallels Desktop on your Mac, you'll need to remove not only the application itself but also any associated files and service files that it creates. We recommend using CleanMyMac X, an app we've used in the past to uninstall apps and remove all associated files.

First, let's identify where Parallels Desktop stores its files. According to our research, Parallels creates various service files that can be found in the following locations:

* /Library/Application Support/Parallels

* /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.parallels.desktop.plist

* /Library/LaunchAgents/com.parallels.desktop.plist

* ~/Library/Application Support/Parallels

To check for these files, we used Funter and App Cleaner & Uninstaller tools from Nektony. We've been coding an uninstalling tool for Mac's apps for many years, so we're familiar with what service files Parallels creates and where it stores them.

Once you've identified the files associated with Parallels Desktop, you can use CleanMyMac X to remove them. To do this:

1. Open CleanMyMac X and select 'Cleanup' from the main menu.

2. Click on 'Smart Cleanup' and select 'Parallels Desktop'.

3. Follow the prompts to remove all associated files.

If you're not using CleanMyMac X, you can also manually remove these files by dragging them to the Trash or deleting them directly in the Finder. However, be careful not to delete any important system files or folders!

Before writing this guide, we checked the official Parallels uninstallation guide, which claims that all you need to do is move the application to the Trash. Unfortunately, this is absolutely incorrect and can leave behind many unwanted files.

If you're running Parallels Desktop on a Mac with less than 8 GB of RAM, it's worth noting that it can slow down your system quite badly. Additionally, the overall requirement to run Parallels Desktop on older laptops may be too high for some users.

In conclusion, uninstalling Parallels Desktop from your Mac is a straightforward process that requires removing not only the application itself but also all associated files and service files. By following these steps using CleanMyMac X or manually removing files, you can ensure that Parallels Desktop is completely removed from your Mac.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below!

Parallels desktop uninstall mac