What Uncork changes on your Mac
Updated 6 November 2026
In short: nearly everything Uncork stores sits in one data folder. It installs no login services, kernel extensions or background helpers. Since version 1.6 one button removes it all: Settings → Help → Remove Uncork completely.
What is on the disk
| What | Where | When it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Games, bottles, engines, cache, the Pro module, crash reports (those waiting to go and copies of the last 20 sent) | Uncork's data folder in ~/Library/Application Support, or wherever you moved it | at first setup; this is nearly all of the space used |
| Game shortcuts | ~/Applications/Uncork | if you created an app for a game |
| Shortcuts in Mac Steam | shortcuts.vdf and covers in Mac Steam's config folder | if you added games to Mac Steam; Uncork's entries are marked and it leaves other entries alone |
| Steam Web API key | the macOS keychain | if you added one |
| App settings | ~/Library/Preferences/app.uncork.plist | at first launch |
| The app itself | the Applications folder | when you installed it |
What changes in the system
- Pointer acceleration. Changes only if you turned this setting on in a bottle yourself. Uncork remembers the previous value and puts it back when you remove Uncork.
- Key repeat. While a game runs and the cursor is hidden, key repeat is off; then it comes back.
- Sleep. While a game runs, or a game downloads on mains power, the Mac stays awake. This ends by itself as soon as the game closes or the download finishes.
- macOS permissions. You grant Input Monitoring, Accessibility and notifications yourself in the system's own windows.
What Uncork does not install
Login services, kernel extensions and background helpers at login. It does not change network, fan or power settings.
How to remove everything
- Close your games and Steam in the bottles.
- Open Settings → Help → Remove Uncork completely. It shows what is there and how much space it takes.
- Press Move to Trash. Files go to the Trash, the app itself last. The Steam Web API key and the settings are deleted right away, and pointer acceleration goes back to how it was.
- Check your game saves and empty the Trash. The space comes back only then.
Saves live in the bottles. If a game has no Steam Cloud, they go with the Trash.
What stays
- Rosetta and other Apple components: they are not only for Uncork.
- Permissions in System Settings. You can remove Uncork's line there by hand.
- Your own files: problem reports, measurement tables, game settings in the Documents folder.
- Mac Steam and its games.
If the app is gone but the data is still there, download it again and press the same button: that is safer than looking for the files by hand.
Read next
- What Uncork sends from your Mac, and where — the list of what the app sends and where, and how to check it yourself
- Licences and source code — open components, their licences and how to get the driver's source code
- How Uncork works — graphics choice, Find out why, game recipes, Game Mode, and what Pro adds
Won’t start, crashes or something is unclear? Message us on Telegram at @uncorkwin and we’ll sort it out. If you sent a problem report from Uncork, include its number.