Originally published on LIZHI.SHOP, where selected software is available
Many users eventually run into challenges with Mac software downloading, installation, updating, and uninstallation.
A practical setup combines the App Store, Homebrew, and specialized management tools for Mac software management.
App Store
Searching for, downloading, installing, and updating apps through the App Store is fairly convenient, but it has one drawback:
Many commonly used apps are no longer listed on the App Store, or only a "stripped-down version" is available.
▲ Starting in March 2026, PopClip was removed from the App Store
The App Store does not directly provide app uninstall functionality, so users need to uninstall apps in one of the following two ways.
Method 1 (App Store versions only): Open Launchpad, press and hold the Option key, and click the delete (x) button in the upper-left corner of the target app;
Method 2 (for all types of apps): Go to the Applications folder, select the target app, and choose "Move to Trash" from the context menu.
Homebrew
Homebrew is a free project many people use. It supports searching, downloading, installing, updating, and uninstalling apps (one more feature than the App Store: uninstall!).
But it has two drawbacks:
It is a command-line tool, which is cumbersome to use and not friendly enough for average users;
It has requirements for the network environment; if it is not properly configured, downloads will be very slow or may even fail.
The first drawback can be solved by installing Applite. This tool serves as a graphical interface for Homebrew, making it much easier to use after installation.
App Cleaner & Uninstaller
The license for App Cleaner & Uninstaller is available from LIZHI.SHOP; feature details are on the official website. LIZHI.SHOP is an authorized reseller of the official license, with PayPal and credit card payment and human support if activation goes wrong. It supports app uninstallation, leftover cleanup, and managing app startup items and other permissions.
In version 8.3 released in 2026, it also added a batch update feature for apps on the computer.
For the App Store and Homebrew, they share a common drawback: they can only update apps installed through their respective channels.
App Cleaner & Uninstaller, however, supports updating, uninstalling, and cleaning apps from all kinds of sources! Moreover, after an app is updated, its source type will not change.
That is, App Store versions remain App Store versions after updating, and standalone installer versions downloaded from the web will also remain the same as before.
When uninstalling apps from Launchpad or the Applications folder, App Cleaner & Uninstaller will automatically detect it in the background and promptly show a reminder.
This helps thoroughly clean up uninstall leftovers and avoid junk files taking up disk space.
To sum up, here is a complete Mac software management setup:
For searching and installing apps, rely on the App Store, Homebrew, and official websites;
For updating and uninstalling apps, rely on App Cleaner & Uninstaller and Homebrew;
App Cleaner & Uninstaller can also manage startup items and clean extensions and leftovers.
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