โœฆ Software Cleanup Guide โ€‹

Sometimes uninstalling a program isn't enough. Many applications leave behind files, caches, registry entries, services, and plugins which can interfere with future installations.

This guide walks you through performing a complete uninstall before reinstalling software or plugins.

This is recommended if:

  • Installers fail or crash.
  • Plugins don't appear inside your host application.
  • Older software still behaves as if it's installed.
  • Licensing issues persist after reinstalling.
  • You're downgrading/upgrading to another version.
  • Installation support specifically asks for a clean installation.

Table Of Contents โ€‹

โœง General โ€‹

โœง Windows โ€‹

โœง MacOS โ€‹

โœง Important โ€‹

Do not delete folders unless you're certain they belong to the software you're uninstalling.

If you're planning to reinstall immediately afterwards, restart your computer before running the installer again.

โœง Common Software Locations โ€‹

These are some of the most common folders used by popular creative software.

Adobe โ€‹

Windows โ€‹

C:\Program Files\Adobe

C:\ProgramData\Adobe

%AppData%\Adobe

%LocalAppData%\Adobe

MacOS โ€‹

/Applications/Adobe*

/Library/Application Support/Adobe

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe

Maxon โ€‹

Windows โ€‹

C:\Program Files\Maxon

C:\ProgramData\Maxon

%AppData%\Maxon

%LocalAppData%\Maxon

MacOS โ€‹

/Applications/Maxon*

/Library/Application Support/Maxon

~/Library/Application Support/Maxon

BorisFX โ€‹

Windows โ€‹

C:\Program Files\BorisFX

C:\ProgramData\BorisFX

%AppData%\BorisFX

%LocalAppData%\BorisFX

MacOS โ€‹

/Applications/BorisFX*

/Library/Application Support/BorisFX

~/Library/Application Support/BorisFX

Red Giant โ€‹

Windows โ€‹

C:\Program Files\Maxon

C:\Program Files\Red Giant

C:\ProgramData\Maxon

MacOS โ€‹

/Library/Application Support/Maxon

/Library/Application Support/Red Giant

โœง Windows โ€‹

Before You Start โ€‹

  1. Close the application you're uninstalling.

  2. Close any related background processes using Task Manager.

  3. If the software installs services (such as Maxon, Adobe, BorisFX, etc.), ensure those are closed as well.

You may restart your computer for extra precaution, though it's not always necessary.

Use the Official Uninstaller โ€‹

Always uninstall using the developer's own uninstaller first.

This can usually be found in one of these locations:

Settings > Apps > Installed Apps

or

Control Panel > Programs and Features

Some developers also include dedicated uninstallers inside their installation folders. If the developer provides a cleanup utility, use that before manually deleting files.

Check Plugin Folders โ€‹

Many plugins install outside of the program itself.

Check these folders for any leftover plugin folders:

Adobe MediaCore โ€‹

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Common\Plug-ins\7.0\MediaCore

Common folders include: BorisFX Continuum Sapphire Mocha Maxon Red Giant Universe Trapcode Magic Bullet Element Deep Glow Optical Flares

Delete only folders belonging to the software you're removing.

OFX Plugins โ€‹

C:\Program Files\Common Files\OFX\Plugins

Many video plugins install here.

Examples include: Sapphire Continuum Mocha Neat Video FilmConvert Topaz

Remove Remaining Program Files โ€‹

Check these locations:

C:\Program Files

C:\Program Files (x86)

C:\ProgramData

Delete folders belonging to the software you're uninstalling.

Examples include: C:\Program Files\Maxon C:\ProgramData\Maxon C:\Program Files\BorisFX C:\ProgramData\BorisFX

Remove AppData & User Files โ€‹

  1. Press Win + R and type %AppData%.

  2. Delete any folders related to the software.

  3. Repeat for %LocalAppData% and %LocalLow%.

These folders should contain caches, preferences, logs, and/or licensing information.

Registry Cleanup (Optional) โ€‹

This step is usually unnecessary. Only do this if reinstalling still doesn't solve your issue.

  1. Open Registry Editor.

  2. Search for the software name and remove only entries clearly belonging to it. Examples include: Maxon BorisFX RedGiant Adobe

Be careful when editing the registry as deleting unrelated entries may cause Windows or other software to malfunction. If you feel uncertain about following through with this step, skip it or reach out to us for any questions.

โœง MacOS โ€‹

Before You Start โ€‹

  1. Close and Quit the application you're uninstalling.

  2. Open Activity Monitor and close any remaining background processes.

  3. Restart your Mac if you'd like. It's recommended, but not always necessary.

Use the Official Uninstaller โ€‹

If the software includes an uninstall tool, use it first.

Otherwise:

  1. Drag the application to Trash.

  2. Empty the Trash afterwards.

Check Plugin Folders โ€‹

Check these locations for any leftover plugin folders:

Adobe MediaCore โ€‹

/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/Plug-ins/7.0/MediaCore

OFX Plugins โ€‹

/Library/OFX/Plugins

Audio Units โ€‹

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins

Only remove plugins related to the software you're uninstalling.

Remove Remaining Program Files โ€‹

Check these folders:

/Applications

/Library/Application Support

~/Library/Application Support

/Library/Preferences

~/Library/Preferences

/Library/Caches

~/Library/Caches

/Library/Logs

~/Library/Logs

Delete folders belonging to the software.

Clear Preferences & Caches โ€‹

Delete preference files if they remain.

These are commonly stored in: ~/Library/Preferences or ~/Library/Application Support.