Lync: Mac 2011 is an aging client, with two product replacements out for it already (Skype for Business, and the new Microsoft Teams). Plus, it’s the Mac client, so the install base is likely on the smaller side. With that being said, if they don’t want to fix it, Microsoft should stop recommending it and remove it from their downloads page. Lync for Mac 2011 (versions 14.0.5 - 14.0.7) crashes on startup for some users. This behavior is noted for existing users and is not fixed by re-installing Lync. Lync may work by logging in as a different user on the same machine. The steps to fix are simple and involve deleting a few files and keychain entries.
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Introduction
This article describes how to do a clean uninstallation of Microsoft Lync for Mac 2011.
Procedure
Microsoft Lync For Mac Not Working
To cleanly uninstall Lync for Mac 2011, follow these steps:
Note
You may be able to avoid uninstalling Lync for Mac 2011 if you create a new profile on the Mac. If you contact Microsoft technical support, you may be asked to create the new profile as a troubleshooting step. If the issue is resolved by creating the new profile, it will be determined that the issue was caused by a corrupted profile.
Log on to your computer by using administrative credentials.
Exit Lync if it's running.
Drag the Lync application to the Trash.
To remove your existing Lync preferences, delete the following files:
Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Lync.plist
Users/username/Library/Preferences/ByHost/MicrosoftLyncRegistrationDB.xxxx.plist
Users/username/Library/Logs/Microsoft-Lync-x.log
Note This file is present only if you turned on Lync Logging.
Users/username/Library/Logs/Microsoft-Lync.log
To remove all Lync files from your computer, delete the following folders in the Users/username/Documents/Microsoft User Data folder:
- Microsoft Lync Data
- Microsoft Lync History
Note
If you delete the Microsoft Lync History folder, you delete all conversations that are saved in the Conversation History.
In the Applications/Utilities folder, open Keychain Access.
- Delete any keychains on the left that resemble OC__KeyContainer__
.
- Delete any keychains on the left that resemble OC__KeyContainer__
See the following table for more information about the path locations that are used in Lync for Mac 2011.
| Folder path | Description |
|---|---|
| Users/Home Folder/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync Data | Contains information about the users who have logged into Lync for Mac 2011 on this user account. |
| Users/Home Folder/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync History | Contains conversation history for the user currently logged in. |
| Users/Home Folder/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Lync.plist | Contains application preferences for Lync. |
| Users/Home Folder/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Lync | Contains server names and endpoints from previous connections to Lync servers. |
More Information
To view the Lync for Mac 2011 deployment guide, go to the following Microsoft website: Lync for Mac 2011 Deployment Guide.
The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.
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