Where apps hide your files

TeamViewer's logs and preference files

Updated 2026-10-28 · 5 min read

TeamViewer writes its log files to your Library folder and keeps settings in preference files. Here is where each one is, how to open the log from the app, and how to remove what an old install left behind.

The log folder

TeamViewer's own support article gives this location for the Full Version, Host and QuickSupport on macOS:

~/Library/Logs/TeamViewer

The main file inside is named TeamViewerXX_Logfile.log, where XX is your TeamViewer version (for example TeamViewer15_Logfile.log), sometimes with a TeamViewerXX_Logfile_OLD.log beside it. TeamViewer's article says you must be signed in to an administrator account to access the logs on macOS.

The quickest route is from the app: in both the current TeamViewer and TeamViewer (Classic), choose Extras > Open Log Files in the menu bar, which opens the folder in Finder. By hand, press ⇧⌘G in Finder, paste the path and press Return, or run:

open ~/Library/Logs/TeamViewer

TeamViewer is not installed on the Mac used for this guide, so the log folder and file names come from TeamViewer's documentation and could not be checked locally.

Where the settings live

Settings are kept in preference files, which are the part left behind after the app is removed. On the Mac used for this guide, a leftover TeamViewer install shows these names (listed only, never opened):

Path	What it is
~/Library/Preferences/com.teamviewer.TeamViewer.plist	Per-user settings for the app.
~/Library/Preferences/com.teamviewer.teamviewer.preferences.plist	A per-user preferences file.
~/Library/Preferences/com.teamviewer.teamviewer.preferences.Machine.plist	Machine-level preferences, stored in your home folder.
/Library/Application Support/TeamViewer	A system-wide folder owned by root. Empty on this Mac.
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.teamviewer.Helper.plist	Starts TeamViewer's privileged helper at boot.
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.teamviewer.Helper	The helper program itself, about 1.9 MB here.

The three .plist files are readable only by your account (permissions -rw-------). They may hold device and connection settings, so do not paste them into a forum or a support ticket.

Change settings inside TeamViewer's own settings window, not by editing these files.

Other places TeamViewer uses

Homebrew's uninstall list for TeamViewer names a few more locations that a full install can create. None of them existed on the Mac used here, but they are worth knowing when you clean up:

~/Library/Application Support/TeamViewer
~/Library/Caches/com.teamviewer.TeamViewer
~/Library/Caches/TeamViewer
/Library/Preferences/com.teamviewer*

The last one is a system-wide set of preference files, separate from the per-user ones above. To check which of these exist on your Mac without opening anything:

ls -la ~/Library/Preferences /Library/Preferences | grep -i teamviewer

Sending logs to support

TeamViewer says it always needs the log files of both connection partners, plus the approximate time the problem occurred. Quit TeamViewer on the Mac, copy the contents of ~/Library/Logs/TeamViewer to your Desktop in Finder and send those files, with the time noted in your message. Read through the logs before you send them: they record connection attempts and may show partner IDs.

What the logs are good for

The log is plain text. Open it in TextEdit, or in Terminal with less. The newest lines are at the end, so jump there and look for the word "error" or for a time close to when the problem happened. Do not paste the entire file into a public forum, because it contains IDs and network details.

Removing TeamViewer, and its leftovers

TeamViewer's knowledge base describes uninstalling on a Mac like this:

1. Quit TeamViewer.
2. In Finder, open Applications and drag TeamViewer to the Trash.
3. Optionally tick Also delete configuration files.
4. Click Uninstall, then OK.

That uninstaller is what removes the helper pieces in /Library. If the app was deleted some other way, as happened on the Mac used here, the preferences and the privileged helper stay behind: a root-owned program that no longer serves any purpose. Installing TeamViewer again and then removing it with the steps above is the clean way to clear it, rather than deleting root-owned files from Finder. Keep this for when you are sure you no longer use TeamViewer.

TeamViewer QuickSupport is different: TeamViewer says it installs no background components on a Mac, so dragging it to the Trash is all it needs.

Backing up or moving to a new Mac

There is nothing to back up for logs. For settings, your TeamViewer account carries your computers list and contacts, so signing in on a new Mac restores them. The preference files above belong to one installation, and copying them to a new Mac is not a supported way to move your setup. Install fresh, sign in, and set up unattended access again if you used it.

Why Spotlight cannot find the logs

Everything above sits in ~/Library or /Library, in files with names like TeamViewer15_Logfile.log. Spotlight and Finder searches leave those folders out of normal results, so typing "teamviewer" finds only the app, if it is still installed.

Finding the pieces next time

Everywhere searches file names in ~/Library and the system /Library folders that Spotlight leaves out, and every location in this guide is covered without extra permissions. Typing teamviewer lists the log folder, the preference files, the helper and any leftover caches together, and Logfile narrows it to the logs. It matches names only, not what is inside. ⌘↵ reveals a result in Finder.

Common questions

Where is the TeamViewer log file on a Mac?

In ~/Library/Logs/TeamViewer, in a file named TeamViewerXX_Logfile.log, where XX is your version. In the app, Extras > Open Log Files opens the folder.

Where does TeamViewer store its settings on macOS?

In preference files in ~/Library/Preferences whose names start with com.teamviewer, and on some installs also in /Library/Preferences. Change settings in the app rather than editing them.

Is it safe to share TeamViewer log files?

Send them only to TeamViewer support or your IT team. They record connection attempts and can show partner IDs and network details. Never share the preference files.

Why is there a TeamViewer helper after I deleted the app?

Its privileged helper lives in /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools and /Library/LaunchDaemons, and TeamViewer's uninstaller is what removes it. If the app was deleted another way, reinstall TeamViewer and uninstall it with the Uninstall prompt.