Best Free Mac Cleaner; Optimization Software (Reviews 2022)
Apple makes some of the best devices we use right now. These devices now come with new solid-state drives (SSD) for file storage. The only downside is that such drives are mostly 128GB or 256GB. As much as SSD drives are fast, they offer limited space to store all your files. So, your Mac might quickly get low on storage space. Whenever this happens, you need the best Mac cleaner software to remove all the unnecessary files.
When it comes to cleaning your Mac to remove junk files, there are several types of software to use. For this guide, we want to focus on a few quality Mac cleaner software options for you to consider using. All of them will provide you with the best features to clean your device effectively.
7 Best Mac Cleaner: Clean & Protect Your Mac Today
1. CleanMyMac X
CleanMyMac X is one of the top options for cleaning your Mac faster and efficiently. The software is effective for doing the following;
- Removing system junk files
- Improving the overall system performance
- Cleaning your mail attachments
- Cleaning photos and iTunes
- Emptying the trash bin
- Scanning system for malware
It is easy to see how it is a comprehensive tool for cleaning and optimizing your Mac.
To use it for cleaning your Mac, simply select the Smart Scan option from the software window. Once selected, click on Scan.
The tool will scan through the whole system looking for unnecessary files.
When the tool is done with the scan, it will give you the option of removing the unnecessary files from your Mac.
Click on Run to start the cleaning process. Depending on the number of files to be removed, it might take a few minutes to complete the process.
Below is what you will see when the cleanup process is over. If you check your device storage, there should be more space to store new files. Also, the overall performance of your Mac will be better.
CleanMyMac X has been updated over the last 10 years with the aim of providing you with a reliable tool for cleaning your device. It is also easy to use. For anyone who has not used it before, you will still find it easy to go through the menus and clean your device.
2. Gemini 2
For some reason, we always end up with duplicate files in our systems. These duplicate files take up unnecessary storage space. The worst is when they are large files. Going through the whole system trying to find these files is not easy. The Gemini 2 software is what you need to clean your Mac.
Gemini 2 is ideal for locating and removing duplicate files from your Mac. If does not matter where they are located as this tool will find them. It scans through the whole disk at a fast speed to find all the duplicates.
How does it work? Here are the steps to follow to use Gemini 2 to find the duplicate files.
- From the home screen of the app, click on Scan for Duplicates. The scan time will vary depending on the number of files on your device.
- Once the scan is complete, click on Smart Cleanupto remove the unnecessary duplicate files.
- If you want to decide which files to remove, click on Review Results. Go through the list, selecting the files you want to remove then delete them.
3. CCleaner
CCleaner is another popular software to use for cleaning your Mac device. The software is ideal for removing junk files from the device to make it run faster. The tool will also reduce clutter from your device. The clutter on your device, includes the files in Trash, temporary files and folders, and unused apps.
Other than cleaning your Mac, the software is still good for providing a safer browsing experience. Considering that advertisers and websites track your online behavior through cookies, the tool will also clean them. With the cookies removed, you can browse comfortably and stay confidential.
This tool allows the users to customize it so that they have a personal experience depending on their needs. You would simply select what you need to be cleaned before deleting. Sometimes as much as we might not use some files, they are still important.
When you first open the software, it will request full permission to access your disk. Grant access from System Preferences. Follow the steps below to clean your device;
- Launch the tool and click on Analyzeto find the junk files
- Once the analysis is complete, click on Run Cleanerto delete all the junk files
- For customization options, click on Optionsto make the necessary settings
All the tools mentioned above are the best at what they do. However, we still have honorable mentions that will still get the job done. Let us check them out below.
4. MacBooster 8
MacBooster 8 is a top tool for deep system cleanup. It is ideal for removing all types of junk files that might be hiding in your system. With the removal of these files, you should have more space on your Mac.
To clean up your Mac, the software looks for large & old files, uninstall unused apps completely, find duplicates, and sweep photos. The best part is that you still have the option of choosing what you want to keep or delete. The last thing you would want is to delete important files even if they are duplicates.
That is not the only thing that the tool does as it is good for boosting the performance of your Mac. It does this by optimizing the Mac’s hard drive. The software will offer additional protection from potential threats such as malware, adware, virus and spyware.
To use MacBooster 8, simply launch it and follow the onscreen instructions. With the software launched, click Scan to look for junk files.
For a larger hard drive, it might take more time to go through it all. Nevertheless, let it go through every corner of the hard drive to find the files.
After the scan is complete, it will give you a report about the system status. Click Fix to start the system cleanup process.
5. Parallels Toolbox
You might have heard of the Parallels Desktop software before. This software is used for running Windows OS on Mac devices. The same company also makes the Parallels Toolbox. The tool is for scanning through your system to find duplicates, junk files, and much more. You should now have more space on your hard drive once the tool scans and removes these files.
Other than cleaning your system, there is much more you can do with it. Some of the other functions of the software include;
- Record videos
- Take screenshots
- Archive files
- Make presentations
- Free up system memory
- Convert videos, etc.
After installing the software, you should see a panel such as the one shown below.
To clean your Mac, select Clean Drive. The Tool will Scan the whole disk to find any junk files. Make sure to give it access to various parts of the disk through System Preferences.
Simply click Clean Up to remove these files
Do the same if you want to find duplicates, free memory, or uninstall apps as a way of cleaning your Mac.
The software is intuitive. You should find it being easy to use and get the job done.
6. DaisyDisk
DaisyDisk will give you a great overview of the various disks connected to your Mac, network storage, flash, and much more. The data is important so that you know which drives need cleaning. Once you delete some of the files, then you should have more space on your Mac.
The interface on overall looks good in comparison to some other tools. It gives you a visual interpretation of the various files on your drive.
If you want to use it, simply scan the disk, preview the content, and delete if you no longer need the content.
7. Smart Mac Care
This software offers you 3 unique cleaning features to help boost the performance of your Mac. These features include malware scan, junk scan, and privacy scan.
Do not let the viruses and malware on your system to drag your Mac’s performance when this tool can remove them. The same goes for junk files. Privacy scan is for scanning through your device history to find the cookies and application cache. When they are removed, your privacy online remains intact.
To use it, download Smart Mac Care, install it, then Scan and Clean your Mac.
8. AppCleaner
Unused Apps on your mac take up a lot of unnecessary space. The worst is when the apps take up gigabytes of space and you hardly use them. You might not notice just how far these apps slow down your Mac until they are removed. If you need to uninstall such apps, then the AppCleaner tool should help here.
AppCleaner is a small software important for thoroughly uninstalling unwanted apps. The software works by looking for all the files related to the app that you need to uninstall. Once these files are located, they are deleted safely.
To use AppCleaner, drop the application icon onto the software window. It will look for any related files and request that you delete them. After deleting these files, the unwanted app will be fully uninstalled.
In Summary
From the various options mentioned above, you should now have an idea of what you should use for cleaning your Mac. All the tools we have reviewed above are easy to use. Even if you have not used one before, it should be easy to jump right in and get it all done. Always consider using CleanMyMac X tool if you are not sure which to install.
Cleaning your Mac should be a continuous process to keep the device working great. Run your preferred software after every few weeks to remove all those unnecessary junk files.