Users not able to remove Opera browser
Several users have had problems with the Opera failing to delete, even when manual removal is attempted.
Several users have had problems with the Opera failing to delete, even when manual removal is attempted.
Apple Discussions poster Robin Bonathan writes:
"[I'm] trying to remove opera from my mac (Mac OS X 10.5.5). I have deleted the application, and I have deleted the preferences in the library, all as per instructions on opera web site. However, I still see the 'opera 9.1' and 'opera 9.2' options in the 'open file with' contextual menu. If i do that opera opens!"
The Opera browser can be installed as either a standalone browser for people to use, or is sometimes included with various applications as a support feature for displaying help files. In these situations the browser will not be as readily accessible as when it's located in the Applications folder. However, there are other ways to locate the browser and remove it.
For Opera, or any application that may be buried in an unknown location, there are several ways to locate the application files, including spotlight searches and some terminal commands; however, in the case of applications that will open with contextual menu shortcuts, the simplest way to do this is the following:
- Launch the Opera browser (or other application) using the 'open with' submenu in the contextual menus. The browser should display in the Dock as a normal application would.
- Right-click the application and select the "Show in Finder" menu item. This will open a folder containing the browser.
- Remove the application by deleting it.
- Repeat this as long as the application can be located in the Finder in this way (users may have to restart their computers after each deletion to update contextual menus and other application links).
NOTE: If the browser is located in the subdirectories of a specific application installation (or within the application package contents itself), it is highly recommended to not remove or modify it, as this can break the application it was bundled with. In these cases it's recommended to remove the bundled application if it is not used.
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