We’re at the point where Java is pushing users to version 8 of the plugin, 8u25 currently, but many apps still require Java 7. I’ve encountered previous uninstall instructions for Java on Mac OS X that annoyingly consisted of deleting files from different locations. Fortunately, the process has now simplified. Whether you need to uninstall Java 8 and downgrade to a previous version or just wish to uninstall the plugin for security reasons and you no longer need it, you can now run a single command to accomplish the task.
To uninstall Java 7 from your Mac OS X computer, open terminal and run this command:
[bash]sudo rm -fr /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin[/bash]
When prompted, you will need to enter the password for your administrator-level account. A blank password will not work, so you’ll have to at least temporarily set a password for your account in order to run the command. If the command completes successfully, Terminal will return to a prompt and you will notice Java is no longer listed in System Preferences.
The command comes from Java’s Help Resources “How do I uninstall Java 7 and later versions on my Mac?“, which you might view for further details.
Until April 2015, you can download Java 7 for the different platforms from Java.com on their manual download page. After April 2015, Java 7 will no longer be publicly updated. It’s (past) time to start updating things for Java 8.