Removing apps from users desktop folder

rm -rf /Users/*/Desktop/*.app /Users/*/Desktop/*.dmg

You don't need the latter *.dmg, but I have found that if the app install process is to copy from a dmg file that often they run the app from the disk image, which tends to generate self update problems since the disk images mount as locked.

Make sure you test it first, as the last thing you want is the rm command going rogue due to a typo.

An alternative would be to use a restrictions profile (restrictions > Restrict which apps are allowed to launch > disallow folders) to prevent apps from running in that location.

We use restrictions profile to block apps from running in /users, would recommend.

@davidacland that's not a bad idea, it solves the issue of allowing admins to run those apps, but not standard users. The only problem is though, the reason this came up in the first place was because the apps aren't getting updated, and we are trying to patch as many holes as possible.

I've been wrestling with this and had it working on everything except the user's home folder—things like Spotify install here. I finally have a script that removes .app, .pkg, .dmg, and .zip from the desktop, downloads, documents, trash (yes, trash—kids are clever!), and now the user's home directory applications folder, too, then empties the trash. I tested it on Sonoma, and it works great!  I am not a scripting expert and this could probably be done more elegantly but hey... IT WORKS

#!/bin/bash
# This script is dependant on config profile that allows Terminal.app full disk access
#The following variable will specify the current user.
currentUser=$(/bin/ls -l /dev/console | /usr/bin/awk '{print $3}')
#
Sudo find /Users/${currentUser}/Applications -name '*.pkg' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/${currentUser}/Applications -name '*.dmg' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/${currentUser}/Applications -name '*.app' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/${currentUser}/Applications -name '*.zip' -exec rm -rf {} \\;

#Delete .app, .pkg, .dmg from trash, desktop, downloads & documents folders
Sudo find /Users/*/Desktop -name '*.pkg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Desktop -name '*.dmg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Desktop -name '*.app' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Desktop -name '*.zip' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
#
Sudo find /Users/*/Downloads -name '*.pkg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Downloads -name '*.dmg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Downloads -name '*.app' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Downloads -name '*.zip' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
#
Sudo find /Users/*/Documents -name '*.pkg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Documents -name '*.dmg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Documents -name '*.app' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/Documents -name '*.zip' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
#
Sudo find /Users/*/.Trash -name '*.pkg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/.Trash -name '*.dmg' -exec rm -f {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/.Trash -name '*.app' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
Sudo find /Users/*/.Trash -name '*.zip' -exec rm -rf {} \\;
#
#Empty the trash
find /Users/${currentUser}/.Trash -delete