If your Mac has been lagging, freezing, or not performing as well as it should, you might need to perform a cleanup. Unused files and junk buildup on your computer can cause CPU performance issues.
CleanMyMac X claims to wipe your Mac of unnecessary files, speed up your computer, and protect you from malware. However, is it legit?
Is CleanMyMac X safe to install, and how good of a job does it do?
In this article, I will be reviewing CleanMyMac X. At the end of this article, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what CleanMyMac X does and whether it’s a legitimate product or not.
What Is CleanMyMac X?
CleanMyMac X is a computer cleaner for Mac devices. It was developed by MacPaw, and it has already gotten over 15 million downloads.
I’ll explore its features in greater depth soon, but let’s take a look at them in a nutshell:
- Remove unnecessary and old files
- Clean up cached files and junk
- Free up RAM and disk space
- Optimize CPU performance
- Protect your privacy
- Shield your computer from malware
- Manage and optimize apps
Why Use CleanMyMac X?
CleanMyMac X is useful for keeping your Mac up-to-date. As time goes on, old files will build up in your Mac and slow it down.
The less storage space you have, the slower your Mac will be. Whether they’re old movies you downloaded long ago or cached files you don’t really need, all that extra junk can cause apps to load slowly.
Another reason your Mac might not perform well is if you have a lot of apps working in the background. You’ll want to find out which apps are using up your Mac’s CPU and control their CPU consumption so that your more essential apps can work properly.
An app like CleanMyMac X is also essential for preventing malware. While many people believe that Mac computers can’t get viruses, that’s not true.
MacPaw, the developer of CleanMyMac X, maintains a list of common and dangerous malware threats to Mac users. macOS does have security flaws, and using a malware detection program like CleanMyMac X can help protect you.
Is CleanMyMac X Legit and Safe?
Yes. Apple has officially notarized CleanMyMac X, which means that it is free of malware and safe to use.
In 2019, Apple came out with new notarization requirements, requiring app developers to have their apps signed and notarized by Apple. It’s different from the App Review process and can be used to certify apps distributed off the app store as well.
The notary service involves scanning the code of the app for malicious content and checking for code-signing issues. If the app passes, Apple will generate a ticket that shows the app has been notarized.
When you download a notarized app, even from a third-party website, there will be a notification informing the user that Apple has checked the app for malicious content and found none.
Since CleanMyMac X has gone through this notary process, you can be sure it is safe for your computer and won’t secretly install a virus or malware.
Not only that, but MacPaw doesn’t bundle other unnecessary apps and software programs with the CleanMyMac X installation bundle. You won’t get any junk programs on your computer that operate in the background or do sketchy stuff like causing pop-up ads.
Another thing pointing to the safety of CleanMyMac is its reputation. It has received positive reviews and mentions from critics, including The Mac Observer.
According to CleanMyMac X, it cleans one million Mac computers every day in 185 countries, which means a lot of people trust it.
Will CleanMyMac X Remove Important Files?
We’ve established that CleanMyMac X doesn’t contain malware or viruses. However, will it protect important files?
Many users worry that when they run a program like CleanMyMac X, it will delete files important to them by mistake together with unimportant files. Fortunately, CleanMyMac X has taken measures to prevent such mishaps.
Over the 11 years of its existence, CleanMyMac X has been refining its file screening process to constantly get better at detecting which apps are indispensable and which are junk.
It has a very large Safety Database, which is open for the public to browse. This Safety Database contains all of its operational rules and exceptions, and when the cleaner is in operation, it uses these rules and exceptions to decide whether to delete a file or not.
Critical files – those that are essential for the smooth operation of your computer – are always kept intact. Those files are blacklisted in the database and never assigned for deletion.
It also allows you to review the files it has found before deleting them, so you can decide for yourself whether you’d like to keep certain files – just uncheck them and remove them from the deletion list.
Some files will be selected for review. The app will never delete them automatically; instead, it will display them and ask you whether you want to delete them manually.
If you don’t manually select them for deletion, the app will keep them on your computer.
Finally, you can always create custom rules and tell the software to ignore certain files and not delete them. You have full control.
CleanMyMac X Features
Now that we’ve established the safety of CleanMyMac X, let’s review its many features. What can the software do for you?
Computer Cleanup
File cleanup is the bread and butter of CleanMyMac X (it’s in the name, after all). It will look for various types of files you don’t need or want:
- Incomplete downloads
- Unused disk file images
- Old movies or documents you downloaded long ago and haven’t opened in years
- Other system junk and unused files
All of these files take up disk space and slow down your computer.
CleanMyMac X will run a complete scan, select some files for deletion, and select other files for manual review. As I mentioned, you have full control over which files you want deleted.
Furthermore, CleanMyMac X will give you a visual overview of your storage space. You’ll see which files are taking up the most space.
CPU Optimization
Another useful feature is the performance optimization feature. If you have a lot of high-resource consumption apps, your system might become overwhelmed, and things might start lagging or not working as well as they should.
CleanMyMac X will find the apps using up your memory the most. It will disable them and turn off plugins that are working in the background and using up your resources.
In addition, you can run maintenance scripts to perform automatic maintenance.
If, at any time, your computer stalls, you can use the one-click button to instantly shut down processes and free up RAM.
App Optimization
Apps also use up your storage space. Unnecessary apps that you no longer use can put a strain on your system, so why not delete them?
CleanMyMac X will search for unnecessary apps, plugins, and extensions. You can delete all of them at once, with just a few clicks.
Furthermore, the software allows you to ensure all of your downloaded apps are updated.
You can also make sure macOS is updated as well.
Ensuring that all your software has been updated to the most recent versions will help protect you from security flaws and vulnerabilities present in previous versions.
Malware Detection and Removal
Finally, one of CleanMyMac X’s most important features is its malware detection and removal tool. It will scan your computer for adware, malware, viruses, ransomware, and other unwanted software that is harming your device and putting your privacy in danger.
CleanMyMac X maintains a large database of hundreds of known threats. When you run a scan, the app will search through your files.
If it finds any malware, it will remove it immediately and stop it in its tracks. It will also identify potential threats and security flaws that you should fix.
The database is updated constantly as new threats are found. Hackers are pretty sneaky, and they are always releasing new malware to get past anti-malware programs.
That’s why it’s important to constantly update the database.
Protect Your Privacy
Another useful feature is the ability to clear your cookies so advertisers can’t track you. You can scan for privacy issues and erase sensitive data like messenger chats.
You have full privacy over how far back you go. You can erase that day’s data or go back and erase a week’s or month’s worth of cookies.
Here are different types of sensitive data you can erase:
- Messages
- Message attachments
- Saved passwords
- Download History
- File transfers on Skype
- Skype call and conversation history
- Autofill values
- Old wifi connections
- And more
CleanMyMac X Pricing and Free Trial
CleanMyMac X has a trial version with limited features. Here’s what you can do when you download the trial version:
- Run an unlimited number of smart scans
- Remove up to 500 MB of junk automatically
- Manually delete as many files as you want
- Speed up your computer (for a maximum of two times)
- Scan for malware an unlimited number of times
- Scan for privacy issues an unlimited number of times
- Clear privacy history (such as saved passwords) once only, but not cookies
- Free up RAM only once
There are various other limitations. For example, you can use the updater to automatically update up to two applications.
You can also run one maintenance task.
The free version gives you a good chance to try out the different features, although some features you will only be able to use once or twice. You can continue using the free version for the features that are unlimited, such as the unlimited malware scans.
If you want to continue using the limited features, you will need to pay for the premium license. There are two options: Purchase an annual subscription or pay more for a lifetime license that you will never have to renew.
The lifetime pricing option usually costs between two and three years of the annual subscription, so it’s worth it if you plan on using CleanMyMac X for a long time. In addition, if you buy a license for two or five computers, you will receive a significant discount.
CleanMyMac X also runs special discounts and deals at times. Sometimes, you can save more than 50%, depending on the plan.
Check pricing on the MacPaw store for updated information and to see if there are any deals or discounts.
Is CleanMyMacX Worth It?
CleanMyMac X is legit, safe, and effective. However, is it worth it?
There are many free cleaner apps for Mac. CCleaner, for example, is a free app that allows you to clear unwanted clutter, manage startup items, delete duplicate files, and more.
However, while CCleaner has a free forever version, some features are not available on the free version. For example, you can’t delete your browser history, cookies, or saved passwords on the free plan.
Furthermore, CCleaner isn’t an antimalware software like CleanMyMac X. Therefore, you would have to install a separate antimalware program.
There are many free antivirus and antimalware programs for Macs. Avast and Malwarebytes are two of the most famous ones.
You could theoretically use CCleaner together with a free antivirus program like Avast.
However, it’s much more convenient to have everything in one place. If you’re trying to save space and speed up your computer, installing multiple apps isn’t ideal.
You would also have to manually go into your browser settings to clear your cookies and other browser history.
CleanMyMac X, on the other hand, is a lot more efficient. You can run smart scans, clean your computer, and check for malware all in one app.
Note that you need an Apple Mac OS X 10.11.x (El Capitan) or higher to install CleanMyMac X.
Also Read: Utility Software Examples
Conclusion: Is CleanMyMac X Legit?
Yes. I’ve found CleanMyMac X to be safe, legit, and extremely useful. It will optimize your Mac’s performance and prevent lagging and freezing.
While there are other free cleaner apps you can use, CleanMyMac X is incredibly convenient. It even has a free version that allows you to try it out before committing.
