{"id":"mac-storage-basics.can-i-delete-built-in-apple-apps","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-delete-built-in-apple-apps","category":{"id":"mac-storage-basics","title":"Mac storage basics"},"subcategory":{"id":"apps-macos","title":"Apps and macOS itself"},"question":"Can I delete built-in Apple apps like GarageBand, iMovie or Pages?","alt_questions":["delete garageband mac","remove imovie to save space","can I uninstall pages numbers keynote","delete preinstalled apps mac","remove safari mac"],"short_answer":"GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote can be deleted and re-downloaded free. Core macOS apps like Safari, Mail and Photos are part of the sealed system and can't.","answer_markdown":"Apps Apple installs from the App Store — **GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote** — can be deleted like any other app, and re-downloaded free from the App Store later. GarageBand's extra sound content is a separate download you can also remove.\n\nApps that are part of macOS itself (Safari, Mail, Photos, Music and similar) live on the sealed system volume and can't be deleted. They also don't count against the space you can free.","answer_html":"

Apps Apple installs from the App Store — GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote — can be deleted like any other app, and re-downloaded free from the App Store later. GarageBand's extra sound content is a separate download you can also remove.

\n

Apps that are part of macOS itself (Safari, Mail, Photos, Music and similar) live on the sealed system volume and can't be deleted. They also don't count against the space you can free.

","answer_text":"Apps Apple installs from the App Store — GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote — can be deleted like any other app, and re-downloaded free from the App Store later. GarageBand's extra sound content is a separate download you can also remove.\n\nApps that are part of macOS itself (Safari, Mail, Photos, Music and similar) live on the sealed system volume and can't be deleted. They also don't count against the space you can free.","tags":["apps","garageband","imovie","system apps"],"related":[{"id":"mac-storage-basics.what-is-the-macos-category-in-storage-settings","question":"Why is the macOS category in Storage settings so big, and can I shrink it?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-the-macos-category-in-storage-settings"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I delete built-in Apple apps like GarageBand, iMovie or Pages? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote can be deleted and re-downloaded free. Core macOS apps like Safari, Mail and Photos are part of the sealed system and can't.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Mac storage basics","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/"},{"name":"Can I delete built-in Apple apps like GarageBand, iMovie or Pages?","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-delete-built-in-apple-apps"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-delete-built-in-apple-apps","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I delete built-in Apple apps like GarageBand, iMovie or Pages?","alternateName":["delete garageband mac","remove imovie to save space","can I uninstall pages numbers keynote","delete preinstalled apps mac","remove safari mac"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Apps Apple installs from the App Store — GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote — can be deleted like any other app, and re-downloaded free from the App Store later. GarageBand's extra sound content is a separate download you can also remove.\n\nApps that are part of macOS itself (Safari, Mail, Photos, Music and similar) live on the sealed system volume and can't be deleted. They also don't count against the space you can free.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-delete-built-in-apple-apps"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Mac storage basics · Apps and macOS itself

\n

Can I delete built-in Apple apps like GarageBand, iMovie or Pages?

\n

Short answer: GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote can be deleted and re-downloaded free. Core macOS apps like Safari, Mail and Photos are part of the sealed system and can't.

\n

Apps Apple installs from the App Store — GarageBand, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote — can be deleted like any other app, and re-downloaded free from the App Store later. GarageBand's extra sound content is a separate download you can also remove.

\n

Apps that are part of macOS itself (Safari, Mail, Photos, Music and similar) live on the sealed system volume and can't be deleted. They also don't count against the space you can free.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}