How to Uninstall Kaspersky on Mac

This guide walks you through completely removing Kaspersky security software from your Mac, including leftover files that can cause conflicts or slow down your system. You’ll need your administrator password and, ideally, the Kaspersky uninstaller app that came with the installation.

What You’ll Need

• Your Mac’s administrator username and password
• The Kaspersky uninstaller app (usually named “Uninstall Kaspersky”) – if you can’t find it, the manual removal steps below will still work
• About 15 minutes of uninterrupted time

Step-by-Step

1. Quit Kaspersky completely. Look for the Kaspersky icon in the menu bar (top-right of your screen). Click it and select “Quit” or “Exit.” If the menu doesn’t show that, right-click the icon and choose “Quit.”
2. Run the official uninstaller (if available). Open Finder → Applications → find the Kaspersky folder (e.g., “Kaspersky Internet Security”). Inside, double-click “Uninstall Kaspersky.” Follow the on-screen prompts. You’ll likely be asked for your administrator password. Let it finish, then restart your Mac if it asks you to.
3. If the uninstaller is not there, drag the app to Trash. Go to Applications, find the Kaspersky app (e.g., “Kaspersky Internet Security.app”), and drag it to the Trash. You may need to enter your password to confirm.
4. Remove Kaspersky’s background processes. Open Activity Monitor (Finder → Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor). In the search box, type “kaspersky.” Select any process that shows Kaspersky in the name (like “kavsvc” or “kaspersky”) and click the “X” button to force quit. Repeat until no Kaspersky processes remain.
5. Delete leftover files in your home folder. In Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G and type ~/Library. Look for these folders and delete anything inside them that has “Kaspersky” in the name:
   • ~/Library/Application Support
   • ~/Library/Preferences
   • ~/Library/Logs
   • ~/Library/Caches

   To be thorough, also check ~/Library/LaunchAgents and ~/Library/LaunchDaemons for files like com.kaspersky.*.plist and delete them.

6. Delete system-wide files. Press Cmd+Shift+G and go to /Library. Do the same as above in these folders:
   • /Library/Application Support
   • /Library/Preferences
   • /Library/Logs
   • /Library/Caches
   • /Library/LaunchAgents
   • /Library/LaunchDaemons
   • /Library/Extensions (look for .kext files with “kaspersky”)

   You’ll likely need to enter your administrator password for each deletion.

7. Empty the Trash. Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock and select “Empty Trash.” Confirm when prompted.
8. Restart your Mac. This ensures all Kaspersky components are fully stopped and removed from memory.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the official uninstaller. The uninstaller removes kernel extensions and system services that you can’t easily delete manually. Always try it first.
• Only dragging the app to Trash. This leaves behind preferences, logs, and helper tools that can cause errors or slow down your Mac.
• Forgetting to check LaunchAgents. These auto-start items will try to relaunch Kaspersky even after you delete the main app.
• Not quitting Kaspersky first. If the app is running, the uninstaller may fail or leave files locked.

Tips

• Before uninstalling, make sure you have another antivirus solution ready if you still want protection. Don’t leave your Mac without any security software if you browse the web often.
• Use a clean-up tool like AppCleaner (free) to help find leftover files, but always review what it wants to delete before confirming.
• If you have a Kaspersky subscription, cancel it separately to avoid being charged after you’ve removed the software.
• Take note of any Kaspersky-related items in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access. If they remain, you can remove them after uninstalling.

Troubleshooting

Uninstaller says “Kaspersky is not installed” but the app is still there. This happens when the uninstaller can’t find its own installation record. Try restarting your Mac, then run the uninstaller again. If it still fails, proceed with the manual removal steps above.

You get “The operation can’t be completed because the item is in use.” This means a Kaspersky process is still running. Open Activity Monitor, search for “kaspersky,” and force quit every matching process. Then try deleting the files again.

After uninstalling, you see a pop-up asking for a password to modify a “Kaspersky” system extension. This is a leftover kernel extension. Go to System Settings → General → Startup Items & Extensions (or Security & Privacy on older macOS). Find the Kaspersky extension and click the minus button to remove it. If it won’t delete, restart your Mac and try again.

Your Mac feels slower after uninstalling. This is usually temporary. Rebuild Spotlight indexing by going to System Settings → Spotlight → Privacy, add your hard drive, then remove it. This forces a re-index and often resolves lag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to restart my Mac after uninstalling Kaspersky?
A: Yes, a restart is strongly recommended. It clears any remaining background processes and ensures all system extensions are properly unloaded.

Q: Will uninstalling Kaspersky remove my firewall settings?
A: Kaspersky’s firewall settings are removed with the app. Your Mac’s built-in firewall (System Settings → Network → Firewall) will remain unchanged, but you may want to re-enable it if it was off.

Q: Can I reinstall Kaspersky later?
A: Yes. Download the latest version from the official Kaspersky website and install it fresh. You’ll need your license key or account login.

Q: What if I don’t have the uninstaller app?
A: You can download it from Kaspersky’s support page, or you can use the manual removal steps in this guide. The manual method is just as effective if done carefully.

Q: Is it safe to delete files with “Kaspersky” in the name from Library folders?
A: Yes, as long as you’ve already uninstalled the main application. These are leftover data files and won’t affect other software.

Q: Will uninstalling Kaspersky affect my other apps?
A: No. Kaspersky is standalone security software. Removing it won’t impact other applications, though you may lose any quarantine or password manager data stored inside Kaspersky.

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