How delete Apps that are not on my Mac, but that appear as updatable apps on App Store?

App Store indicates I have 11 Apps to be updated. None (NONE) of these apps is installed in my Apps folder.


When I try to update them, the AppleID password challenge shows my wife's Apple ID and asks for her Apple ID password. While I could do that, none of these apps is resident on the machine, so I haven't gone through the update process (why would I, for nonexistent apps, right?).


I want to get rid of these update notifications. I have (of course) rebooted. I have signed the machine out of my Apple ID and then signed in again. No change, App Store still thinks I have 11 apps that need updating, which are not installed.


The system is a Mac mini M2, Sequoia with all O/S updates. We use the machine only as a media server, so the apps resident on the system are minimal - Sequoia, of course, and some debugging apps.


How can I nuke App Store's bogus list of these phantom apps? Thank you!

Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Posted on Oct 29, 2025 6:39 PM

Reply
4 replies

Oct 30, 2025 9:29 PM in response to ridgecritter

I don't believe there is a way to delete an app from your list of previously purchased apps.


You may, however, be able to hide unneeded apps from the list.

Have you tried the "Hide Purchase..." option?


When you roll the mouse cursor over a "Purchased" app listed in the App Store, a circle with three dots should appear. The 'Hide Purchase...' option is available if you click that circle.

Hide purchases from the App Store - Apple Support



How delete Apps that are not on my Mac, but that appear as updatable apps on App Store?

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