What Is ~/Library/Input Methods on Mac?
Your user folderUpdated
- Full path
~/Library/Input Methods
- Scope
- Your user folderInside your home folder — one copy per user account.
- Freshist & this folder
- Freshist checks this folder when uninstalling an app. When you uninstall an app, Freshist looks here for items that belong to it. Matches on the app's bundle ID can be pre-selected; name-only guesses are labeled “not sure” and never pre-selected. Removed items go to the Trash, so you can undo.
From Freshist's own cleaning rules — the same catalog the app uses.
What an input method does
An input method turns keystrokes into text in ways a plain keyboard layout can't: picking Chinese characters from pinyin, converting Japanese kana to kanji, or offering candidate words as you type. macOS includes many; you add them in System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit.
Developers build their own with Apple's Input Method Kit. Their bundles, usually packaged as small .app bundles, end up in one of these places:
| Folder | Contents |
|---|---|
/System/Library/Input Methods | Apple's built-in input methods, part of macOS |
/Library/Input Methods | Third-party input methods for all users |
~/Library/Input Methods | Third-party input methods for your account only |
The per-user folder is often empty, apart from a hidden .localized file that lets Finder show a translated folder name.
Why it matters more than its size
Input methods are small, usually a few megabytes, so they don't matter for disk space. What matters is that they see every keystroke you type while they're the active input source, including in password fields that don't use secure input. An input method you no longer use is better removed than kept around.
Inspecting it read-only
ls -la ~/Library/Input\ Methods /Library/Input\ Methods
du -sh ~/Library/Input\ Methods
To match a bundle to its developer, check its signature:
codesign -dv ~/Library/Input\ Methods/Name.app 2>&1 | grep -E "Identifier|TeamIdentifier"
Replace Name.app with the actual bundle name.
Removing an input method
Start in System Settings, as Apple's guide describes, so macOS stops loading it:
- Open System Settings → Keyboard, then click Edit next to Input Sources under Text Input.
- Select the input source and click the minus button to remove it.
- If the developer provides an uninstaller, run it now.
- Otherwise, in Finder choose Go → Go to Folder…, enter
~/Library/Input Methods, and move the bundle to the Trash. - Log out and back in so the old process is no longer running.
Apple notes for custom input sources that you can keep the file and add the source again later, or move it to the Trash to delete it.
What not to remove
Leave /System/Library/Input Methods alone; it's part of the protected system volume and holds services such as dictation, emoji and the character viewer. Don't delete the input method that's currently your only way to type in a language you rely on until you've added a replacement. Some input methods also keep a user dictionary of words they've learned in Application Support or a container; if you plan to reinstall later, keep that.
Sources
- Change Input Sources settings on Mac, Apple Support
- Create and use your own input source on Mac, Apple Support
- Input Method Kit, Apple Developer Documentation
Frequently asked questions
Why is ~/Library/Input Methods empty on my Mac?
That's typical. Apple's built-in input sources live in /System/Library/Input Methods, and many third-party tools install into /Library/Input Methods for all users instead.
I deleted an input method but it still appears in the Input menu. Why?
The running copy stays loaded until you log out or restart. Also remove the source from Keyboard settings so macOS stops trying to use it.
Can a third-party input method see what I type?
Yes. An input method processes your keystrokes by design, so install them only from developers you trust and remove ones you no longer use.