Hey friends, hope you’re well!
CleanMyMac has been around for a long time, but does it actually deliver? Most importantly – is it worth downloading for the most recent Macs? Let’s look over the software’s performance and design with a CleanMyMac X review for 2023.
What exactly is CleanMyMac X?
CleanMyMac X is an app designed to clean, optimize and protect Macs. There are various modules across cleanup, protection, speed, application management and file management, with a Smart Scan feature that delivers personalized recommendations for your Mac. You can quickly visualize your largest files using the Space Lens tool, and update and delete applications easily from the one dashboard.
Perhaps the best-known feature of CleanMyMac X is that it can help to clear entire gigabytes of old and unused data. But another key feature is the ability to find and remove malware including keyloggers, adware, trojans and ransomware agents.
Where did CleanMyMac X come from?
The initial version of CleanMyMac harks back to 2008, when a Ukrainian student called Oleksandr Kosovan started writing code to keep his own Mac running smoothly. He quickly found there was a demand for his solution and founded the software company MacPaw, centered solely around useful applications for Macs. Today, MacPaw MacPaw has offices in Kyiv, Cyprus and the United States.
Major versions of CleanMyMac were released in 2013, 2015 and 2018, with each one adding extra functionality to clean and protect Macs. To demonstrate just how trusted this developer is, around every fifth Mac on Earth has a MacPaw app installed on it.
Is CleanMyMac X safe?
When it comes to some cleanup software and anti-viral software, you can never be sure if it’s managed by someone dubious in a dusty basement somewhere. That’s clearly not the case here.
CleanMyMac X is notarized by Apple as a malware-free application. The developer has a strong reputation, and there’s constant evidence that the team at MacPaw is attentive to CleanMyMac X. For example, the software is already prepared for the new macOS Sonoma update. In 2023 MacPaw has also announced Moonlock Engine, which is the new technology built into CleanMyMac X to find and annihilate malware. The Moonlock Engine tech is supported by a team of cybersecurity researchers and engineers whose task it is to stay responsive to emerging malware threats. So in terms of safety and reliability, CleanMyMac X has a solid foundation.
How to clean your Mac with CleanMyMac X
It’s impressively simple to declutter with CleanMyMac X. You can download the software for free to run a test scan first, if you’re curious about how much space it could free up on your Mac.
1. Download and open CleanMyMac X
Once you have the application open, go to the Smart Scan tab and hit the big button saying Scan.
2. Review results
Once the smart scan has completed you’ll see a number of recommendations that are grouped into unneeded junk, potential threats and speed recommendations. You can click on each of these to see more detail.
3. Clean as needed
You can select what you want to be removed or simply hit Clean to empty the trash bin, remove old mail attachments, clear system junk, run maintenance scripts, flush the DNS cache and free up RAM. If it’s recommended or if you want to, you can then run deeper scans and optimize your apps in further detail.
You can choose to keep the CleanMyMac X icon active in the menu bar (the upper-right corner of your Mac screen) to get ongoing recommendations and reminders for your Mac’s performance. These options can be customized, so you won’t have to be endlessly interrupted with notifications as you use your Mac.
How to check for malware on Mac
If your Mac suddenly starts running slower, if you’re seeing strange pop-ups or if you just hate adware, you might want to run a dedicated malware scan. Knowing how to check for viruses on Mac along with other malware is as simple as opening the CleanMyMac X app, navigating to Malware Removal in the sidebar and clicking Scan. The app can run a deep Mac virus scan and guide you to review and delete any threats.
CleanMyMac X won’t stop you from visiting malicious websites, but if you happen to pick up any nasty trackers or spyware it can alert you quickly so you can neutralize the threat.
The verdict? You don’t need to overthink it
The best aspects about CleanMyMac X are that it’s developed by a reputable company, easy to use and frequently updated to account for new Mac updates and risks. This makes it ideal for both new and busy Mac owners who don’t have hours to spend digging into files and folders or checking if deleting a file will cause issues. It simply works.
The software is intuitive and might I say, actually fun to use. The design feels and functions almost like an extension of macOS, with sleek styling and drag-and-drop functionality. Because the modules are displayed in a sidebar, navigating the software is really straightforward. Time will tell how Moonlock Engine keeps up to date with emerging malware threats, but the tech has been independently verified by AV-TEST and so far has been really effective at picking up adware and other issues on my own systems.
CleanMyMac X ultimately makes life with a Mac simpler and smoother, and in my opinion this cleanup utility is a really solid choice.
CleanMyMac X pricing – and a 20% discount
CleanMyMac X has plans for single and multiple Macs. You can choose from annual licensing which includes updates and major upgrades, or a one-off purchase that includes minor updates but requires a further fee for major upgrades. Either way, it works out to be pretty reasonable pricing given how much work goes into keeping these cleanup and protection tools up to date.
I’ve also managed to score a 20% discount for you with this link for CleanMyMac X.
There’s really nothing to lose – except maybe a few GB of junk from your Mac!