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How do you completely uninstall Python 3 from a Mac? What steps ensure all associated files, settings, and directories are fully removed from your system?
How do you completely uninstall Python 3 from a Mac? What steps ensure all associated files, settings, and directories are fully removed from your system?
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Log in to answerBest Answer · By JanBask Python Expert
Answered on May 25, 2025
Uninstalling Python 3 completely from a Mac can be a bit tricky, especially because macOS comes with a system version of Python that you should not touch. So, how do you safely remove a version of Python 3 that you installed manually (like through the official installer or Homebrew)?
sudo rm -rf /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.xRemove symbolic links from /usr/local/bin:
ls -l /usr/local/bin | grep '../Library/Frameworks/Python.framework'Then manually remove each Python-related link with:
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/python3
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/pip3 (Adjust filenames as needed)
If you used Homebrew to install Python 3:
Run:
brew uninstall pythonAdditional cleanup:
Delete related caches and configuration files:
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/pip
rm -rf ~/.local
rm -rf ~/Library/Application Support/pipA few tips:
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