How to completely uninstall MATLAB?

Question

Recently, I installed MATLAB from the Ubuntu Software and uninstalled afterwards. However, when I do a software update via Software Updater, it shows me the following and disallow me to continue the update process. How can I completely remove the MATLAB software?

I have tried the following command but now workable.

When I execute sudo dpkg --configure -a, the following is shown.

Did you actually install Matlab from Mathworks (not from Ubuntu Software) ? If not you could create a bogus directory like /opt/matlab and enter that when asked for. — Harris, May 11 '16 at 17:57

score 20 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 07 '16 at 15:21

There is no uninstaller for MATLAB on UNIX or Linux. To remove MATLAB you simply need to delete the MATLAB installation following the instructions below:

If you are running a license manager for MATLAB, shut down the license manager using the lmdown script located in MATLAB's etc directory. If this folder does not exist, you are not running the FlexNet license manager. For example:
```
[root@localhost ~] /usr/local/MATLAB/R2010b/etc/lmdown
```
You should also remove any license manager files in the /var/tmp directory. These files should begin with lm_TMW, e. g.:
```
[root@localhost ~] rm /var/tmp/lm_TMW*
```
Remove the entire root MATLAB directory using the rm -rf command, e. g.:
```
[root@localhost ~] rm -rf /usr/local/MATLAB/R2010b
```

Remove any symlinks to MATLAB binaries on the path, e. g.:

[root@localhost ~] rm /usr/local/bin/matlab /usr/local/bin/mcc /usr/local/bin/mex /usr/local/bin/mbuild

Source

At least as of MATLAB 2019a, you'll also want to rm /usr/local/bin/deploytool. — johnthagen, Aug 20 '19 at 13:37

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 02 '19 at 18:07

2

Try:

sudo apt-get remove matlab-support

I got the same problem, and it seemed to have happened because I've installed a MATLAB support tool before I installed MATLAB itself.

edited Dec 02 '19 at 18:07

Eliah Kagan

119,820

answered Dec 02 '19 at 17:41

anonymous guest

21

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 01 '20 at 15:19

For me the recommendation of

sudo apt-get remove matlab-support

with and additional command line

sudo dpkg --configure -a

worked.

I explain: First:

sudo apt-get remove matlab-support

after this command line the terminal show you a error message and suggest you to use

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Second:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

by typing this command line will show you a screen like the second one shown in this post, click on "cancel" and wait.

Third: well nothing, the system in the previous step had to remove the package.

How to completely uninstall MATLAB?

3 Answers3