How to Erase iCal
By Michael Cox
Apple's iCal calendar application is included when you buy a Mac or when you upgrade to a new version of OS X. If your company has standardized on another application such as Microsoft Outlook for Mac, you may want to delete events or even entire calendars from iCal to prevent confusion and duplicate alerts.
Delete single events by selecting an event in the iCal window and pressing the "Delete" key.
Delete multiple events on a single day, week or month by holding down the "Shift" key and selecting each event, then pressing "Delete." You can select events on multiple days, weeks or months using the navigation buttons above the calendar pane.
Delete an entire calendar by clicking the "Calendars" button and selecting the calendar you want to delete, then pressing "Command-Delete." If you're sharing a calendar with others, they'll be notified that they can no longer access the calendar.
Delete reminders by clicking "Reminders" in the right pane. Choose the Reminders list you want to delete from, then hold down the "Shift" key, select the reminders you want to delete and press the "Delete" key.
Tips
If you've accepted or sent invitations to any of the events you're deleting, iCal will ask you whether you want to notify the organizers or invitees of your cancellation.
If you delete a recurring event, iCal will ask you if you want to delete future occurrences of the event.
To set iCal to automatically delete past events, choose "Preferences" from the "iCal" menu, click "Advanced" and select "Delete Events [x] Days After They Have Passed." Change the number of days to suit your preference.
To delete iCal completely, drag the iCal application from the "Applications" folder into the "Trash." Enter your password when prompted to verify that you want to remove the app. To ensure you remove any hidden preference files, use an application such as AppCleaner (see Resources).
Warnings
You cannot undo deletion of events or calendars containing events you've accepted or for which you've sent invitations.
References
Resources
Writer Bio
Michael Cox writes about lifestyle issues, popular culture, sports and technology. In a career spanning more than 10 years, he has contributed to dozens of magazines, books and websites, including MSN.com and "Adobe Magazine." Cox holds a professional certificate in technical communications from the University of Washington.