Does OS X Have An Inbuilt “Self Cleaning” Feature? [closed]

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Does OS X have an inbuilt effective “self cleaning” feature/mechanism. If so does it need to be turned on by default, and how often does it take place, (or is this something that is determined by the user). Is it advisable to use apps such as CleanMyMac or CCleaner for example ? (or are they more harmful than good).

Is there a specific application you wish to remove? Are you filling up your Mac and needing to save space?

This could be closed as unsure what you’re asking, as there are three questions here. What self cleaning exists? Is a class of apps advisable? Do these specific apps (or some vague class of apps) cause more harm than good? If you want to narrow down the scope with an edit or put in some more research, this will hit the reopen queue and quite likely get reopened.

3 Answers 3

Applications such as CleanMyMac or CCleaner are unnecessary for your Mac. They can clear certain caches or preferences that can interfere with the proper functionality of your other applications – they’ll be recreated anyway the next time you use the software. Unless you’re in dire need of extra space on your hard drive, I wouldn’t suggest trying to erase caches using cleaner applications. If anything, invest in an external hard drive and move some of your larger files over.

Mac OS X does not have a self-cleaning feature. Such a feature is not needed on Mac OS X.

There is no reason to use cleaning applications. Such applications can do damage or perform tasks that leave your Mac or applications in an unusable state.

There are caches and other files on your Mac. These files are managed by the associated applications or the operating system. You can remove these files, but if you continue to use the associated application, that application will need to recreate the cache next time it launches.

Both Andrew and Graham answers are correct. One useful tip is to always uninstall apps using AppCleaner instead of only putting the application file in the trash. This app will make sure to also erase all the caches and preference files of the app you’re uninstalling.

If you need AppCleaner, then both Andrew and Graham’s answers are right in the sense that there isn’t built in cleanup, but wrong in the sense that you don’t need one.

Does Apple Recommend a Mac Cleaner?

The internet is filled with a plethora of Mac cleaner apps. Every single one of them claims to offer better features than the competition. However, Macs are renowned for their security and efficiency. So, the primary question that arises is, do you need a Mac cleaner app? Also, does Apple recommend you use a Mac Cleaner app? Read along to find the answer to these questions and if you should spend your hard-earned money on a Mac cleaner software.

What Is a Mac Cleaner App?

Numerous Mac cleaner apps offer a variety of services. While each of these software’s might offer something different than the rest, most of them share a common feature set. Some of these are, “Clear Storage Space,” “Speed up your Mac,” “Protect your Mac from Malware,” etc.

There are a few Mac cleaner apps that might be able to provide actual utility. However, most of them might be contributing to your Mac slowing down as they consume resources like storage, RAM, etc. So, what are the use cases where a Mac cleaner provides value?

When Is a Mac Cleaner App Useful?

Mac cleaner apps are useful for deleting temporary files, duplicate files, language files, unneeded files, and folders in the trash, cache files, uninstalled app files, etc. However, you can do a lot of it without the aid of these apps. You just need to know what you’re looking for and where it is located.

Since most of us are not well-versed with technology, it is challenging to locate temporary files, unnecessary files of uninstalled applications, etc. And, that is when a Mac Cleaner app comes in handy. It scans your Mac and lets you to delete all these duplicate files and hidden files that are unnecessarily occupying storage space on your Mac with the click of a button.

What you should keep in mind is that macOS has come a long way since its inception and has made enough software advancements that it can protect your device from malware and viruses. However, that doesn’t mean you browse fishy websites and click on random links or install pirated applications. The moment you do so, you are inviting trouble.

Does Apple Recommend a Mac Cleaner and Should You Use One?

Apple does not recommend any Mac Cleaner applications. It has tuned macOS to handle daily tasks efficiently and the software is capable enough to manage RAM and Storage of your device. Moreover, most people who are in tech will recommend you stay away from such software as they might do more harm than good. And, it is true in some cases.

There are hundreds of Mac Cleaner software that are blatantly copying other apps. And most of them don’t deliver on what they promise. Rather, occupy useful storage space and contribute towards your Mac slowing down.

The next question is whether you should use a Mac cleaner. And, the popular opinion (with rightful justifications) is that you should stay away from such applications. However, I would suggest that you do not fall for the marketing of software that claims to improve the performance, optimize macOS (better than Apple?), remove viruses, etc.

Rather, a Mac cleaning software that claims to help free up storage would be a useful addition. They have one job of detecting and removing temporary files, junk files, duplicate files, unneeded files, cache files, etc., that occupy disk space. If they do this well, there’s nothing to worry about.

Also, you can manually clean up storage on your Mac. All you have to do is head to System Settings > General > About > Storage Settings. Here, you can click on any category and delete files and folders within it to clear storage space. And that is how you can easily manage the storage of your Mac.

Recommended Mac Cleaner: Intego Washing Machine

A Mac cleaner can save you time and help efficiently remove unnecessary files hogging up disk space on your Mac. If you’re looking to get a Mac cleaning software, our recommendation is the Intego Washing Machine. It searches your Mac for duplicates, old caches, logs, and temporary files and displays everything occupying storage space. You can easily delete all these files with one click to free up storage on your Mac. It is an excellent cleaner software and you check out the 14-day trial version of the Intego Washing Machine app on your Mac.

Other honorable mentions that are acclaimed everywhere are OnyX and Malwarebytes. OnyX is a cleaner software that helps clear storage space by deleting junk files, repairing permissions, rebuilding databases, and a lot more. MalwareBytes on the other hand, doesn’t put a lot of burden on the CPU and helps detect and remove malware on your Mac.

Conclusion

We hope this article helps you understand the shortcomings of apps that are marketed as Mac Cleaners. We suggest that you do not download and install any such apps from unreliable sources. Please read reviews of the app you’re about to install and verify the source from where you intend to download the app. Also, only pick a Mac Cleaning software and stay away from those that market several other features. If you have any other doubts, please let us know in the comments below.

3 thoughts on “ Does Apple Recommend a Mac Cleaner? ”

Wvewry Mac cleaner app does absolutely nothing to benefit your computer. Nothing. It’s disingenuous of this site to recommend any of them. I had a problem with my laptop and finally called Apple. “Are you using a Cleaner App (identified by name but I won’t say which one)?”, the tech asked. They told me to remove it. The problem went away and has not returned.

I think you meant to say “every Mac cleaner app,” so allow me to weigh in. What Apple’s tech support reps are told to say notwithstanding, cleaner apps can have some amazing benefits on many Macs. This is especially true as the Mac gets older, apps are installed and removed, and time marches on. Yes, Mac has great efficiency, but it doesn’t prune log files effectively enough for some users. Then there’s the problem of plist and other library files left behind when you remove a non-App Store app (or even many App Store apps) from your Mac. That’s when cleaners really shine, because they can identify these orphaned files and remove them, while also helping better clear your log files and caches.

Does Apple Have a Mac Cleaner

Is your Mac telling you it’s low on storage space? It’s likely overloaded with hidden junk and old applications, downloads, and other unnecessary data that you don’t need to hold onto. They all hog precious disk space and prevent you from installing new software, and they may even cause your Mac to become slow—which is why it’s important to remove them.

Fortunately, you can easily delete all this data with a Mac cleaner. Cleaner apps can not only wipe programs you don’t need, but they can also clear concealed files that are difficult to locate and remove manually. They’re a lot faster than cleaning a Mac yourself, and they’re designed to avoid deleting important data that your apps and the OS rely on to function properly.

1. Downloadand install MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. When MacKeeper starts, select the Safe Cleanup tool in the sidebar.
3. Click the Start Scan button to uncover all unnecessary data.
4. Select the files you want to remove, then click Clean Junk Files to delete them.

Built-in Mac cleaner

When your Mac starts to get low on storage space, you might wonder whether Apple has a cleaner app. Although there isn’t an all-in-one cleaning tool built in with macOS. However, there are some other system tools you can use to free up space on your machine.

One of the most effective for many Mac users is a feature called Optimize Mac Storage, which you can use to store photos, mail, files, and other content that takes up a lot of disk space. It can make a big difference when you’re low on storage.

To use Optimize Mac Storage on your machine, follow these steps:

1. Open the System Settings app on your Mac.
2. Click your name in the top-left corner to open the Apple ID menu.
3. Select iCloud.
4. Ensure Optimize Mac Storageis enabled, then click the Show All button.
5. Enable iCloud for other apps—such as Photos, Mail, and Notes—then click Done.

Besides, there are other methods you can use to clear storage space on your Mac for free, such as ensuring you regularly empty your trash and erasing temporary cache files in the web browser you use. To do this, go into your browser’s settings menu and look for the option to clear website data. Also, you can improve your Mac’s performance by reducing the number of apps that can run automatically when it starts up like this:

1. Open System Settings on your Mac.
2. Click General then select Login Items.
3. Disable any apps that you don’t want to run at startup.

Third-party Mac cleaner

When you have a Mac running slow, there are a number of features built into macOS that you can see to free up storage space. If you’ve already enabled iCloud backup, and you still don’t have enough free space, it’s time to turn to third-party cleaners. Of course, there are pros and cons to this approach.

Pros of using a dedicated cleaner app

Cons of using a dedicated cleaner app

• Quickly clears junk files to free up space
• Uninstalls unwanted apps without leaving any files behind
• Removes hidden junk that’s difficult to locate yourself

• You have to pay for most cleaners
• You have to install another app

Most importantly, dedicated cleaning tools can remove unnecessary data that is difficult to clear manually, including the following:

• Junk files
• Unused language packs
• Old mail attachments
• System logs
• Temporary cache files

They can do all this without removing important files that your Mac and other apps need to work properly.

Is MacKeeper approved by Apple?

MacKeeper is notarized by Apple and certified by AppEsteem, so you can be confident that it’s safe to use. It’s also rated “excellent” on Trustpilot, with a 4.5-star rating.

Is MacKeeper better than the built-in Mac cleaner?

It’s important to note, for those trying to figure out if Macs have a built-in cleaner, that there’s no all-in-one solution available as standard in macOS. Although you can free up space and remove unwanted data manually, or with certain tools that are included as standard, it takes a bit of effort.

Here’s how macOS itself compares to MacKeeper when it comes to clearing storage space:

macOS in-built tools

Here’s a peek at MacKeeper’s many cleaning features in action:

Safe Cleanup clears unnecessary logs, language packs, and more Smart Uninstaller clears unwanted apps and all associated files Duplicates Finder quickly finds and removes all duplicates Adware Cleaner wipes dangerous adware from your Mac Memory Cleaner clears RAM for better performance

You might be asking, which Mac cleaner does Apple recommend. Well, the company doesn’t officially recommend any third-party solutions for optimizing your Mac—apart from those that are sometimes featured in the App Store, which change all the time. However, MacKeeper is highly rated and considered one of the best Mac cleaner solutions.

MacKeeper makes up for Mac’s lack of cleaning tools

When you’re looking at how to clean up MacBook or desktop Mac computers, you have plenty of options. While your first question may be if Apple has a Mac cleaner?,” the answer is no, but you can use features like iCloud to send certain data to the cloud. Alternatively, you can make cleaning your Mac quicker, easier, and more effective with a dedicated cleaner app.

The best of which is MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup, which is the safest way to clear clutter on Mac. In addition to clearing your machine’s trash can, it can remove hidden junk that’s difficult to find, including unused language packs, temporary logs and caches, and mail attachments.

Download Protection & Cleaning App *You can download the app for free and try its functionality yourself before making a purchase.

Killian is a freelance writer who is obsessed with the latest technology. His writing guides will help you make the most of your gadgets.

Killian is a freelance writer who is obsessed with the latest technology. His writing guides will help you make the most of your gadgets.