How to Audit Installed Apps on Your Mac

Find unknown apps, helper tools and background items that appeared without your consent.

6 min read · Beginner friendly

On macOS, apps can install themselves in three places: the Applications folder, the user ~/Library folders, and as LaunchAgents that run silently in the background. A proper audit checks all three.

Step 1: Sort Applications by Date Added

1. Open Finder → Applications
2. Click the icon view in the toolbar, then choose View → as List
3. Click Date Added column to sort newest first
4. Anything in the last 30 days that you do not remember installing is worth investigating

Step 2: Login Items & background apps

1. System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions
2. Review every entry under Open at Login and Allow in the Background

Step 3: Check hidden Library folders

Open Finder, press ⌘ ⇧ G and paste each path:

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents
• /Library/LaunchAgents
• /Library/LaunchDaemons
• ~/Library/Application Support

Sort by Date Modified. Anything recent and unfamiliar — especially with random strings or names you cannot find online — is a strong candidate for malware persistence.