How do I completely remove/uninstall Eclipse from my computer?

To completely remove or uninstall Eclipse from your computer, you need to follow different steps depending on whether you are using a Windows or macOS system.

Uninstalling Eclipse on Windows

Since Eclipse does not come with a built-in uninstaller, you need to manually delete several files and directories:

Step 1: Close Eclipse

Ensure that Eclipse is not running. If it is unresponsive, force quit the application through the Task Manager.

Step 2: Delete the Installation Directory

• Navigate to the directory where Eclipse is installed (usually in C:\Users\YourUserName or a custom directory) and delete the entire Eclipse folder345.

Step 3: Remove Shortcuts

• Delete the Eclipse shortcuts from the desktop and the Start menu. Typically, these are located at:
  • C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop
  • C:\Users\YourUserName\Start Menu\Programs\Eclipse4.

Step 4: Delete .p2 Directory

• Go to your user directory (C:\Users\YourUserName) and delete the .p2 directory, which stores cache, settings, and temporary files created by Eclipse34.

Step 5: Delete Other Related Files

• If you used Maven, you can also delete the .m2 directory, which stores jar files downloaded by Maven4.

Step 6: Check for Hidden Files

• Ensure to delete any hidden files or folders related to Eclipse. You can enable the view of hidden items in File Explorer to find these files2.

Step 7: Empty the Recycle Bin

• Finally, empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete all the files and folders related to Eclipse23.

Uninstalling Eclipse on Mac

Step 1: Close Eclipse

Ensure that Eclipse is not running. If it is unresponsive, force quit the application through the Activity Monitor.

Step 2: Delete Eclipse from the Applications Folder

• Open Finder, navigate to the Applications folder, find the Eclipse icon, and drag it to the Trash or right-click and choose Move to Trash13.

Step 3: Remove Eclipse-related Files and Folders

• Use the Go to Folder option in Finder to navigate to the following paths and delete any Eclipse-related files and folders:
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Eclipse/
  • ~/Library/Preferences/epp.package.java.plist
  • ~/Library/Caches/epp.package.java/13.

Step 4: Empty the Trash

• Empty the Trash bin to permanently delete all Eclipse files from your Mac13.

Using Third-Party Tools (Optional)

For both Windows and Mac, you can use third-party uninstaller tools to simplify the process. For example, on Windows, you can use Revo Uninstaller or IObit Uninstaller, and on Mac, you can use SpyHunter’s App Uninstaller feature to ensure all associated files are removed13.