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Mac is known for its feature of requiring very less maintenance for its cleaning. It stands tall on the expectation to a certain extent but beyond that, even a Mac needs a cleaning session which prevents the junk files from hiding the important files and folders. The junk files appear more and more on the Mac by the time you keep using. These junk files require an urgent cleaning as it may drag your Mac slowly.
Most of the system cleaning software now comes included in a full-suite Tune-up & Security Package, which contains different features: One-Click Fix = To quickly boost system speed & optimize overall performance.; System Cleaner = To remove unwanted clutter, junk files, log & other residues.; Memory Optimizer = To ensure a better allocation of system resources. A good Mac optimizer should be light on system resources and compatible with the latest and oldest version of the Mac operating system. I checked each cleaning app for Mac on the list and confirmed they perform as they say without comprising Mac performance. Easy to use – Software programs are designed for humans, not for robots.
Though most of the junk files show up on the Mac with the use of internet, because of the trouble caused by these junk files to the system, it becomes very important to clean out these junk files from Mac. We have few tips that may help an operating system like Mac OS X to clean junk files from the Mac system and to have a neat and clean Mac OS X environment.
1.Clean up Mac cache
Mac stores a lot of information in files called caches, allowing the fast access to the data and reducing the need to get it from the original source again. However, those files take up a lot of space on your Mac. If you want to give your system a boost, we suggest you clean the cache files from your Mac.
To clear your user cache, do the following:
1. Open a Finder window and select 'Go to Folder' in the Go menu.
2. Type in ~/Library/Caches and hit enter to proceed to this folder.
3. Optional step: You can highlight and copy everything to a different folder just in case something goes wrong.
4. Go into each of the folders and clean out everything.
Note: We recommend that you remove the insides of these folders, but not the folders themselves.
Now, repeat the same steps above, but substitute…
~/Library/Caches with… /Library/Caches
2. Uninstall apps you don't use
As you install more and more apps on your Mac, they are definitely taking up lots of your space. And they will get bigger size as you are using them. Because they will generate the cache, system logs files, update files, etc. Your Mac will start running slowly. So how do you clean up and uninstall these apps from Your MacBook? Just remove them from your Mac completely! However, some users choose to just drag them to the trash bin considering it has been uninstalled. No! They are not at all. By doing this, you can't remove the files they generated as mentioned above. If you are a not a geek, we don't suggest you try to remove the files by yourself as you may get your Mac messed up.
Cleaning System For Mac Os
3. Remove the unused language data from the apps
We know that many Mac apps come with a language database which offering different languages. And this database takes up a lot of space of your Mac disk. However, for most of the users, they usually use just one of the languages which is their mother tongue. By removing other language data, it will save lots of space. Here is how to do it manually:
1: Go to applications and find the app which you want to remove the language data, here we take the OmniGraffle as an example
2: Click to choose show package content
3: Under the Resource folder, any files ending up with '.lproj' are the language data. You may choose to delete the unwanted.
4. Empty your Mac trash bin
After you delete the files, they still reside in your Trash bin taking up a lot of storage on your Mac. Since they are useless, why don't you remove them from Mac completely instead of keeping them in your trash bin (technically speaking, they are in your hard disk)?
Here's how you can empty your trash to save more space:
a. Click and hold on the Trash bin icon in the Dock.
b. Select Empty Trash from a popup that appears.
5. Find and delete large and old files
If you want to know where your disk space went, then you probably need to clean up the large and old files on your Mac. You have to go each folder to find which the large and old files are and then decide to delete them or not. But after you delete them, it will definitely give your more hard disk space. You may visit this article to know more about How to Find and Clean Up Mac Large & Old Files.
6. Using a professional cleaning app
By doing those steps above manually, it takes lots of time and effort to do before you can have a total cleaned up Mac. And more importantly, it might not be easy for you to get the Mac cleaned up fully if you are not a computer geek. Why not use a Mac cleaning app to get all of those done? Published by IObit, world's top system utility and security software provider since 2004, MacBooster, as a one-stop Mac maintenance tool, is definitely your best choice. It is pretty easy to use and cleans up over 20 types of junk files on Mac with just one click. Here is how you can do it with MacBooster:
1: Download MacBooster and open it
2: Go to the System Junk module and start to scan
3: Choose to clean up the junk files after scanning
This module helps you take care of the unneeded items generated by your system and applications. After you choose System Junk on the left panel to scan, you will be presented with a visual result showing how much space is occupied by different file types. You can either click the Clean button to remove those files or click the Details button to check the details as below:
20 types of junk files generated by your Mac will take up most of your Mac space. You will suffer 'insufficient space' a lot especially if you are using smaller SSD hard disks. So let MacBooster to clean up all of the 20 types of junk files list below:
Application Junk Files - Some junk files are automatically generated while the application is being used. They can be removed without a second thought.
Mac Software Installer - The install packages of Mac apps will be of no use once installed. They can be removed to free up more space.
Language Files - Many applications on the Mac contains a large number of language files. To remove unused language files can free up more disk space.
System Log Files - The activity of the system applications and services is stored constantly, however numerous logs will drag your Mac down.
System Cache Files - System applications always generate a lot of cache files, which may slow down your Mac’s overall performance.
Broken Login Items - In some cases, after an application or a service is removed, a broken link may still exist among the Login items. Removing broken links will save more resources on your Mac.
Mail Attachments - Too many old mail attachments make your email system burdensome. Removing the downloaded attachments can free up more space.
Leftovers - Some remnants may still left on your Mac even after the related applications are deleted. They are good-for-nothing.
Trash Cleanup - It helps you empty Trash folders of Mac’s internal and external volumes for better performance.
iOS Photo Cache - After you sync photos by any iOS devices, there must be some photo caches left on your Mac, which just consume your space.
User Downloads - Some downloaded files may become useless. You can remove them if you confirm you don’t need them anymore.
iOS Software Updates - The updates may become useless after you complete the updates. You can remove them to regain space.
Xcode Derived Data - For developers, there may be tons of intermediate build information and project index generated by Xcode. Cleaning up them can help you to free up some space.
iTunes Backups - iTunes backups will become outdated as the data on your device is changing constantly. You can easily clean up iTunes backups if you confirm they are outdated.
iOS Applications - iTunes backups the downloaded apps on Mac. Removing the backup files from iTunes won’t affect your device.
iTunes Broken Downloads - For many reasons, your Mac may store some incomplete iTunes download data. Deleting these data won't cause any problems.
iTunes Cache - iTunes music album artworks may take up gigabytes of space, and your Mac may get stuck with a growing number of artwork cache files. Removing the artwork cache files can free up more space.
Application Old Updates - Updates of the third party apps will not be deleted automatically after updated. Removing the outdated application updates can free up space for your Mac.
Xcode iOS Log - If Xcode is used to develop iOS apps, a significant amount of log files will be generated in the development process. Those Xcode iOS Log files can be removed to speed up your project.
Mac Localization Files - Your Mac's operating system comes with dozens of language files, most of which you'll never use. Deleting unneeded language files can help to save valuable disk space on your Mac.
So here are all of the tips we shared to clean up Mac junk files. No matter you clean them manually or use MacBooster 7 to do your favor, keeping your Mac neat and clean is important as you are using it most of the time.
However, it's important to know that deleting junk files only once is usually not enough. This Mac machine needs to be 'lubricated' once in a while so it can work smoothly in a long run. MacBooster can always be a help and ready to go. What's more, it comes with other useful functions, like Virus & Malware Scan, Startup optimization, Duplicate finder, Photo sweeper, etc. You can always use it to get your Mac tide and safe. So there you have it, a complete Mac cleaning tool to keep your favorite Mac in perfect shape. Just try it now and give your Mac a total cleanup.
Check out more useful tips:
We clean our rooms and clothes so why not our Macs? But who can waste the entire day digging through folders and files? There are so many places like music, videos, apps and email downloads, and countless more locations on your Mac where junk and clutter accumulates. In 2020 cleaning your Mac is easier than ever. Which is why millions of people download free and low-cost Mac cleaning software.
To start off, we've made a quick comparison chart about best Mac cleaners for Mac.
Rating | Name | Features | Info |
---|---|---|---|
1 | CleanMyMac X | Best cleaning and antimalware functionality in one tool | Link |
2 | Disk Doctor | Quick scan and deep cleaning of all kinds of junk | Link |
3 | Gemini 2 | Finds duplicate and similar files everywhere on your Mac, including Photos, iTunes, and external drives. | Link |
A handy cleaner may prove that your Mac is still alive and can actually perform at its best. In this article we’ve brought together some of the best Mac cleaning solutions around to clean, optimize, and maintain Macs that are available in 2020.
Top 10 best cleaners for Mac: Free and premium versions
1. CleanMyMac X
CleanMyMac X takes the first place with good reason — this cleaner combines features of both cleaning software and antimalware tool. Its Smart Scan promises a “nice and thorough scan of your Mac.” It does what it says, detecting junk like user cache files and system logs, checking your Mac for malicious software, and speeding up your MacBook. Looks like, there is a threat in my system, that I need to get rid of:
Frankly speaking, CleanMyMac X is Tesla Roadster among other Mac cleaners. And it does a great job revealing your junk and other clutter, uninstalling unneeded apps and their leftovers, and keeping your Mac’s system clean and optimized. Another pro is that CleanMyMac X is Apple-notarized, which means it’s safe for your Mac. You can download its free version right here.
Price: $39.95
Free version: Available here
Free version: Available here
2. Disk Doctor
Disk Doctor is developed in the UK and was awarded the 'Mac Gem’ award by MacWorld in 2013. CNET and other tech journalists also praise functionality. As of 2020, it still looks like a useful tool for Mac cleaning that removes junk slowing down and reducing the computing power of your Mac.
Price: $2.99
Free version: N/A
Free version: N/A
3. Gemini 2
Gemini 2 is the duplicate finder that allows you to free up gigabytes of storage and organize your files. In just a few minutes.
It quickly scans every corner of your Mac and weeds out useless copies. No matter what type of file it is: a photo, music track, or a doc… Gemini will definitely find it. And once the scan is done, you can remove the duplicates in a click. Or review results to make sure nothing important gets deleted.
If you remove something by accident, it takes just a click to put it back. And to make sure things like that never happen again, you can exclude specific files and folders from scan. Try out the free version right here.
Price: $19.96
Free version: Available here
Best Mac System Cleaner
4. Onyx
OnyX is a french Mac cleaning solution developed by Titanium software. It weighs only 5 MB but that doesn’t mean its capabilities are limited. OnyX is a tool that programmers will have a lot of fun with. With it, you can peek under the hood of your macOS and automate a whole list of jobs, like disk cleanup and cache removal. You can even tweak the color of folders on your Mac, and even make them invisible. Deservedly, it's among the best free Mac cleaners.
OnyX is one of the best Mac cleaners because it cleans many specific under-the-surface files, like inner databases and logs. If you know what is XPC cache is, you’ll probably like this app. But for us, ordinary Mac users who came here for the design and glossy buttons, OnyX will require some learning time.
Those who use OnyX say it is stable and reliable. There is no dedicated customer service (because OnyX is free software), but you shouldn’t be worried. The only likely damage is you accidentally deleting files by yourself.
Price: Free cleaner
Those who use OnyX say it is stable and reliable. There is no dedicated customer service (because OnyX is free software), but you shouldn’t be worried. The only likely damage is you accidentally deleting files by yourself.
Price: Free cleaner
5. DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk gives you a visual representation of your Mac folders, making it easy to see what is taking up space and delete the folders you don't need. All you need to do is select a drive, DaisyDisk will scan it, then you can delete everything that is wasting valuable space. It comes with a free and premium version.
Price:$9.99
Free version: Trial version available
Free version: Trial version available
6. AppCleaner & Uninstaller
If you only need to uninstall apps on Mac, AppCleaner is a good pick. AppCleaner only removes applications, plugins, and widgets, which are again, small apps. AppCleaner works in a familiar drag & drop mode. Its interface is also clean and easy to understand for a newbie.
After feeding the apps to AppCleaner, you should visit the Leftovers section of the app to erase their remains. Why we place AppCleaner & Uninstaller among free Mac cleaner tools? Because it is 100% free. Whether you will fully clean your Mac using it, is a different question.
AppCleaner & Uninstaller is created by FreeMacSoft, also the makers of LiteIcon, an icon customizer for Mac.
Price: Voluntary donation
AppCleaner & Uninstaller is created by FreeMacSoft, also the makers of LiteIcon, an icon customizer for Mac.
Price: Voluntary donation
7. Smart Mac Care
If you launch Smart Mac Care, it will look hauntingly familiar to other free Mac cleaner apps. Not only features will be called the same, everything up to the fonts, will be identical to some other app you’ve just used. That’s not a minus, though. You can still free up a lot of space with Smart Mac Care.
Smart Mac Care operates by a logic of “scans.” There is a Junk Scan, Malware Scan, Privacy Scan, etc. Just like Mac Booster, Smart Mac Care removes duplicates scattered in various locations on your Mac. There’s also a Memory Optimizer feature that promises to free up RAM on your Mac. In a word, Smart Mac Care resembles every other generic product whose only difference is in packaging. This is supported by the fact that we couldn’t find any credible third-party reviews for this app.
Cleaning System For Mac Windows 10
On another skeptical note: to uninstall Smart Mac Care you have to enter your admin password. This is not the case with other Mac cleaners we’ve used.
Price: $56.62 per year
Free version: Demo available
Price: $56.62 per year
Free version: Demo available
8. Drive Genius
Drive Genius is labeled a “Mac monitoring software.” It’s a whole suite of tools that provide powerful disk diagnostics. It’s hard to list a thing that this software doesn’t do. You can scan for malware, secure-erase files, customize icons — it’s dozens of apps in one body. What makes Drive Genius unique is, probably, its search for corrupted files and inconsistencies on your drive. If your Mac is an old one, keeping it in good health will be easier with Drive Genius.
In a free version, you can use just a fraction of tools, notably a DiskPulse utility. This is an automatic Mac health checker that notifies you before your hard drive fails. Unlike Mac cleaners that merely scan, it is able to repair damage on your disks, which makes it a real deal. Be prepared that hard drive scan may take some time, but the results are worth it. Also note that Drive Genius is not available for macOS Catalina (as of the beginning of 2020).
Price: $299 for Professional edition
Free version: Limited Lite edition is available
Free version: Limited Lite edition is available
9. CCleaner
Originally created in 2004 by Piriform, CCleaner comes with a free and professional version, focusing on businesses and business customers. CCleaner is a cross-platform tool, for PCs, Macs, Android, and it has a Cloud, Network and Technician tool, depending on what you need and the platform/software you use.
The premium version comes with a lot more features, including real-time alerts, free updates, and dedicated support. Although created for PCs in the early days, CCleaner does well to identify unwanted files on a Mac, so that users can select and delete the files and folders they don't need to free up space. As a cleaner for Mac, customers are pretty happy with the results of CCleaner.
Price: $19.95
Free version: Available
Price: $19.95
Free version: Available
10. Sensei
Mac System Cleaner Free
The Sensei app is a relatively new app on the market, but it can be another useful tool for your Mac. The Sensei software developers call the app “Pro Mac Cleaner” on their website. I would call it a performance controlling tool.
Sensei presents a detailed picture of how your Mac performs. In the Dashboard, you can find out information about your MacBook, check your CPU’s current temperature, and see how much of your RAM is used. Cooling gives you exact information on your Mac’s fans' speed.
Its Clean option helps to get rid of user cache, logs, large files, etc. The Uninstaller feature allows you to delete apps from your Mac and remove their traces. It doesn’t list pre-installed apps from Apple, such as Safari or Calendar, but it shows every app you have installed on your Mac.
Surely, you can clean up your Mac manually, but using dedicated software will save you tons of time.
Price: $29 per year
Free version: Available
Free version: Available
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t my Mac clean itself?
Your macOS also has a built-in Mac cleaner, which Apple called Optimized Storage. Though its capabilities are limited, it gives you basic directions on where to start the cleanup. But for a thorough system cleanup and removing malware, you’ll need a dedicated Mac cleaner app.
Can Mac cleaner apps delete my important files?
Typically, best Mac cleaner apps have a protection built-in. They will usually select only those files that are safe for deletion.
Will Mac cleaners slow down my Mac?
Some cleaners try to get into your Login items, thus creating an extra burden on processor. On a flip side, the reliable Mac cleaner apps might even speed up your Mac. They remove all the outdated junk files giving your Mac an extra boost.
Mac cleaning apps you should avoid
Mac System Clean Up
Above we've touched the trusted Mac cleanup solutions but there are many that work on the dark side. Malwarebytes lists Advanced Mac Cleaner Pro and similar tools as unwanted applications. Here are some signs that should warn you against using scam Mac cleaners.
Signs of Mac cleaner scam:
Signs of Mac cleaner scam:
- 'Your Mac is infected' intrusive message
- An app is installed as part of different app
- An app finds 2323 (the number is an example) threats on your Mac
- Mac cleaner redirects your search page
Cleaning System For Mac Catalina
Be safe and happy cleaning.