How to remove an installed package in Emacs (ver 24+)?

Question

I'd like to remove several packages that I've installed. When I invoke package-list-packages, I notice that there is a 'd' (mark for deletion) command and an 'x' (execute). However, it seems like this simply removes the package name/description from the list and not the actual files under ~/.emacs.d/elpa. What am I doing wrong or missing? Surely there must be some way to remove installed packages.

Maegan

Possible duplicate of How to remove installed elpa package – Pede

The other question is slightly newer, but has remarkably better answers. Hence, nominating this one to be merged there, instead of the other way around. – Pede

Answer 1

The command package-menu-mark-delete (key 'd') followed by package-menu-execute (key 'x') worked for me.

Also here is very good introduction: Package management in emacs - The good, the bad and the ugly

Ninurta

Answer 2

I've noticed that all the installed packages end up at the bottom of the list. If a new version of the package you want to uninstall is available, it will occur twice in the *Packages* buffer, once for the new version, listed as available, and a second time, listed as installed, for the old version. Only the version listed as installed can be marked for deletion using d and subsequently removed using x, answering yes to the question in the mini-buffer. That removes the actual files in the elpa directory for me.

Spies

Thanks for pointing this out - I was trying to find out why d was doing nothing! – Hydrophyte

Answer 3

It happened on me when the update crack. It ends up with both new and old packages in elpa directory. You can not install or delete in emacs package management. You can just delete the package under elpa directory directly. Then the emacs package works again.

Plank