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WeChat is a popular messaging app that’s loved by many users. Aside from sending text messages, it can also be used to send photos and videos, among others. If you’re a Mac user, you might be wondering how to get WeChat on your device so you can use it.
In this article, we’ll show you how to launch WeChat for Mac. Plus, we’ll give you ways to uninstall the app don’t need or wish to reinstall it again. Read on to learn more.
Contents: Part 1. How to Open & Use WeChat on Your Mac Device?Part 2. How to Uninstall WeChat for Mac?To Wrap It All Up
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Part 1. How to Open & Use WeChat on Your Mac Device?
There are different methods you can do to open WeChat on your Mac device. We’ll start with the way of doing it on your web browser.
Method 01. Opening WeChat On Mac Using A Web Browser
Below are the steps to open WeChat for Mac on a web browser:
Step 01: Use your mobile device to open the WeChat app. In this way, you don’t need to download the app on your Mac computer to open it. Make sure you are signed into WeChat on the mobile device.
Step 02: On your mobile device, tap the + icon on the platform's top-right corner. Then, press "Scan QR Code". A code scanner will open up.
Step 03: On your Mac computer, visit this site. Use any web browser that you wish. A QR code will now appear on your computer.
Step 04: Use the mobile device to scan the QR code that appears on the computer. Once this is done, your profile photo will be displayed on the Mac device.
Step 05: On the mobile device, press Login. Now, you will see WeChat’s home interface within your web browser.
It is important to remember that if you’re logged into WeChat on the Mac computer, notifications on your mobile device will be disabled. In order to log off WeChat on your Mac, click the three horizontal lines (☰) found at the top-left part of the interface. After which select Log Out.
Method 02. Using WeChat Directly On Your Mac Device
As we know, WeChat for Mac is safe and convenient to use. In this method, you will need a mobile device (Android smartphone, tablet, iPhone, iPad, etc.) for it to work. Here are the steps on how to get WeChat for Mac:
Step 01: Visit this site using any browser. This method will enable you to directly download the WeChat app for your Mac.
Step 02: Press the icon for macOS. Then, press Download On the Mac App Store. This will open the homepage in the App Store.
Step 03: Press Get. Then, press Install to begin downloading the app. Once the installation is done, WeChat will now be installed in your Mac’s Applications folder. However, it might be necessary to sign in to your Apple ID in order to download WeChat for Mac.
Step 04: Go to Finder and then press the go menu. After that, choose Applications. Then, open the WeChat application.
Step 05: Use your mobile device and ensure that WeChat is installed in it. Sign in to WeChat using the said mobile device. Press + at the top-right part of the interface.
Step 06: Press Scan the QR Code on the mobile device. This will launch the scanner. Then, Scan the QR code using your mobile device. Once this is complete, your profile photo will show up on the Mac computer.
Step 07: On the mobile device, press Enter. Now, a welcome message will appear on Mac’s screen.
Remember that mobile notifications will still be disabled if you’re logged into WeChat on your computer. To sign off of the app in your computer, you can click the three horizontal lines (☰) found at the bottom-left part of WeChat > Settings > Log Out.
Part 2. How to Uninstall WeChat for Mac?
By now, you know how to open WeChat for Mac. Now, if you need to reinstall the app or uninstall it completely, we’ll give the different steps on how to do so.
When you uninstall apps on a Mac computer, it is not the same as doing so in a Windows device. Typically, Mac users simply need to drag the unwanted app and drop it to the Trash. Afterward, they need to empty the Trash to uninstall the application.
Generally, almost all Mac apps are separate bundles comprised of the executable and other associate resources. Thus, users can delete unwanted software anytime from the Mac device provided that they’re installed properly.
However, there are situations wherein software leave residual preference and configuration files. These leftover files can be located on various system directories after you have implemented a basic uninstallation of the app. When left unattended, these “useless” files can occupy a huge portion of your space and affect your Mac’s performance.
Most beginners don’t know how to remove WeChat (or any other app) properly on a Mac computer. Even experienced users might get lost when doing malicious application removal. In this section, we will go through both automatic and manual ways of uninstalling WeChat while making sure residual files are not left behind.
Method 01: How to Uninstall WeChat For Mac Easily
To completely remove WeChat and all its associated files, we will use the iMyMac PowerMyMac software. The said application is not limited to uninstalling applications on a Mac device. It can be used to detect and delete unnecessary files within the system using a simple, easy-to-understand interface.
The App Uninstaller tool of PowerMyMac has an intuitive interface and provides a powerful performance. It can be used to “completely” remove stubborn and malicious applications located within your Mac device. Thus, it frees your Mac of much-need disk drive space. And, it ensures that no leftover files are clogging up the system.
Here’s how to use PowerMyMac’s tool to uninstall WeChat for Mac completely:
- Download and install PowerMyMac on your Mac device. Launch the application.
- Select App Uninstaller and press the SCAN button to detect all apps within the system.
- Visit the list of installed apps. Scroll down until you find WeChat in the list.
- Press the CLEAN button to uninstall the app and delete its residual files. Wait until the entire process is complete.
Why Using PowerMyMac and its Uninstaller Is Better Compared To Manually Removing WeChat?
All Mac users want a “completely clean” installation of an app within their device. But, hunting down each and every one of the application’s leftover files is not an easy thing to do. With PowerMyMac, you don’t have to manually locate every residual file anymore. Plus, you are sure that you don’t mistakenly delete unrelated apps that might lead to errors within other applications and the entire system.
Method 02. How To Manually Uninstall WeChat For Mac
Before you actually uninstall WeChat, you should log into the Mac device using your administrator account. Then, you should turn the application off if it is still open and running within the system. Here’s how to deactivate the application: Right-click the WeChat icon located within the dock and press Quit. Or, you can visit the menu bar and select WeChat. Then, press Quit WeChat.
You can also go to the Activity Monitor found in the Applications > Utility folder. In it, you should check if the background processes associated with the app are still running. Simply select WeChat In the Activity Monitor. Press the red button called Quit Process. Then, press Force Quit in the pop-up box that is displayed.
Now, let’s move on to uninstalling WeChat for Mac manually. There are two parts to uninstalling WeChat. The first part involves uninstalling the app itself. The second part involves deleting associated leftover files. Uninstalling the app can be done in three ways. Let’s start with the first method of doing so.
Uninstalling WeChat Option 01: Drag and Drop to Trash
- Launch Finder and Press Applications. Choose WeChat.
- Drag the said app towards the Trash and drop it there.
- Right click the Trash and select Empty Trash. It is important to note that before you empty the Trash, you should make sure you don’t have important files in it. Emptying the Trash will permanently delete all files within it.
Uninstalling WeChat Option 02: Deleting the App in Launchpad
- Open Launchpad and use the search box to type in WeChat.
- Click WeChat and hold this click until the icon wiggles.
- Press the X button that is located in the upper-left corner of WeChat.
Uninstalling WeChat Option 03: Using the Built-In Uninstaller
Applications, sometimes, comes with a built-in uninstaller. This is true for software such as Adobe. You can delete associated components manually. However, it is best to run the software uninstaller to completely remove the app including its associated items.
- Find the installation file of WeChat and launch it.
- In its package, choose the Uninstaller. Launch it by double-clicking.
- Follow the instructions shown on the screen to complete the process.
Deleting WeChat Caches, Library Files, and Preferences
Most applications for Mac can be uninstalled by simply dragging and dropping them towards Trash. However, exceptions might apply to other apps. That’s why it is necessary to check if there are related files left within your disk drive after WeChat for Mac was deleted. Leftover files won’t damage your system. But they can take up space. Thus, you can manually delete the remnants if you wish.
To remove WeChat traces from your Mac device, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Launch Finder and visit the Menu Bar. Click Go and press Go To Folder.
Step 2. Type the following: ~/Library/
Step 3. Press Enter.
Step 4. Search for items with the name WeChat in the following places:
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/Library /Library/Preferences/Library/Caches/Library/Application Support/Library/StartupItems/Library/PreferencePanes/Library/LaunchDaemons/Library/LaunchAgents
Step 5. Right-click the said files or folders. After which, select Move To Trash.
Now, let’s move on to finding user library data. Here are the steps on how to do it:
Step 1. Visit Go and then Go To Folder.
Step 2. Type ~/Library within the search box
Step 3. Determine and remove files or folders that are similar in name and associated with WeChat. Find them in these set of folders:
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/Library /Library/Preferences/Library/Caches/Library/Application Support/Library/StartupItems/Library/PreferencePanes/Library/LaunchDaemons/Library/LaunchAgents
Step 4. Empty Trash to make sure all residual files are deleted permanently.
Components associated with the app may appear in a variety of locations. These include, but are not limited to, the file paths stated above. For example, security and antivirus software will place kernel extensions in the path /System/Library/Extensions. For residual files you cannot identify obviously, a Google search for these associated app components might be done. Then, you can remove them manually with caution.
Deleting WeChat residual files manually can be very tedious especially for novice Mac users. If you are unsure on how to permanently delete remnant files, or if you’d like to save time in doing so, using professional software like PowerMyMac’s Mac Uninstaller tool would be great. It’s better than having to remove everything manually and possibly deleting unassociated files accidentally.
To Wrap It All Up
WeChat for Mac computers is a great tool for instant text messaging and sending videos and photos. This communication app is a great way to connect with family, friends, and colleagues. If you want to open WeChat on your Mac device, you can follow the steps above to do so. You can choose a method that works for you.
But, if you already have the app and wish to uninstall it, you can do so using various methods. The first method is an easy way. It involves using iMyMac PowerMyMac software. The said software has a Uninstaller tool that allows you to remove WeChat including its remnant files. The second method involves manually deleting the app. It also includes finding the app leftover files in various folders to make sure you delete everything associated with the WeChat application.
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