How to remove Java from your Mac

With the news that Apple has finally decided to ditch Java completely on Safari, it’s a good opportunity to remove Java completely from your Mac.

Java vulnerabilities are responsible for an increasing number of security risks in OS X, as shown by the Flashback Trojan earlier this year. Fewer and fewer sites rely on Java to serve content so chances are, if you remove it, you won’t miss it.

Here’s how to uninstall Java from your Mac:

1. Go to Finder and select your Applications folder

2. Note that Java won’t appear in the Applications folder as an app because it’s only installed as a preference pane. However, you can search the folder for “Java” and find it:

3. Drag Java Preferences and Java VisualVM to your Trash.

Alternatively, you can use an uninstaller such as AppCleaner. Select the Others section in AppCleaner and you should see the Java Plugin:

Just select the JavaAppletPlugin.plugin file and click remove.