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should I buy clean my mac 2 or is there another app I should use?

Want to know if this app or another app is best to use to clean up my iMac and MacBook?

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 8, 2013 12:33 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 8, 2013 12:40 PM

The popular advice on here will be don't buy it, you don't need it. Some of the apps that claim to 'clean your mac' or 'speed up your mac' can actually do damage by removing essential system files.

Macs generally do a good job of taking care of their own housekeeping.

See what others may say, but I'd recommend you don't bother. If you're looking at these kind of apps the one to avoid at all costs, based on reports on here and elsewhere, is MacKeeper. It can bring an otherwise healthy Mac to its knees.

78 replies

Mar 3, 2014 3:27 AM in response to John Galt

Well, we do solve problems when they appear. This is also the reason of participating in this forum - to help our users who have questions, but forgot to contact support that solves the issues (not users, but problems) asap. 99% of the problems are resolved when the product is not hacked and the instructions are read 🙂


John, we have addressed a number of questions - if you are interested, the threads can easily be found.

Jun 13, 2014 10:28 AM in response to Dick the Bruiser

My advice, stay away from this. I used to use it on 10.6. I used it last night on Mavericks. Big BIG mistake, I now have a slew of Apps that are not working now. (Preview, Terminal, App Store, Message..) I'm trying to figure out the solution..if there is one besides reinstalling Mavericks.


Time Machine is not even working. Stupid move on my part! 😠

Aug 1, 2014 5:12 AM in response to Dick the Bruiser

I lost my photos after using CleanMyMac. They said the log shows they did not delete it. Fact still remains my photos are gone and I wasn't doing anything else to the machine. All this because I was just trying to get some more space.


If you mean by "clean" to add some space to your hard disk, rather get a hard drive to back up your stuff. Or get a file manager to see where the areas taking up space is and just delete manually, individually. And also backup online.


I wasted my money and then my (precious) time putting things right again.

Aug 13, 2014 12:06 PM in response to Dick the Bruiser

Just so everybody knows, I'm still using CleanMyMac2 and loving it and no I'm not a paid shill. I'm running Mac Mavericks on an Imac and thanks to CleanMyMac2, my mac is running better than ever.


I use the app every day without any issues, that's right, not one. I highly recommend CleanMyMac2, it's a fantastic app.


All the apple fanboys on here who think their macs don't need maintenance are living in a fantasy. All the problems in the links up top were user error most likely, not the app. I have had no problems and none of the issues some have claimed and apparently millions of happy users disagree with all the negative claims in this thread.


Some of the accusations in this thread are absurd to say the least, but then I would expect that from the uneducated.

Aug 13, 2014 1:30 PM in response to macapple_

Okay???..."UNPAID SHILL!!!"


Apps like MacKeeper or any other maintenance apps like CleanMyMac 1 or 2, TuneUpMyMac, MacCleanse or anything like these apps, installed on your Mac, while they appear to be helpful, can do too good a job of data "cleanup" causing the potential to do serious data corruption or data deletion and render a perfectly running OS completely dead and useless leaving you with a frozen, non-functional Mac.

Plus, these type of apps aren't really necessary OR needed. They really aren't.

There are manual methods to clear off unnecessary data off of your Mac that are safer and you have complete control over your Mac and not just leave a piece of auto cleaning software in charge of clearing off data off of your Mac.

These types of apps potential of causing OS X issues outweighs the implied good and benefits these types of hard drive or memory "cleaning" apps are written to do.

These types of system 'cleaning" apps are very poorly written and are really a scam to rob newbie and novice Mac users of their hard earned cash for a poorly written maintenance program that will do much more harm to a perfectly normal running OS X system than the good that the app developers purport these types of apps will do.

Plus, the software companies that write these apps make it hard to easily uninstall these apps if something DOES go wrong and these apps work in a way where you have no recovery or revert function to return your Mac back to its former, working state in the event something does go wrong.

It is best to never, EVER download and install these types of apps.

The risk to your system and important data is too great a risk!

Aug 13, 2014 1:27 PM in response to macapple_

Here is but one example of how to properly maintain your Mac


Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible


You should never, EVER let a conputer hard drive get completely full, EVER!

With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

If it does, it's time for some hard drive housecleaning.


Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.


Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

If you are an iMovie user, iMovie has its own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.


http://www.omnigroup.com/more


Download an app called OnyX for your version of OS X.

http://www.titanium.free.fr/downloadonyx.php


When you install and launch it, let it do its initial automatic tests, then go to the cleaning and maintenance tabs and run the maintenance tabs that let OnyX clean out all web browser cache files, web browser histories, system cache files, delete old error log files.

Typically, iTunes and iPhoto libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.


Moving iTunes library


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449

Moving iPhoto library


http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506


Moving iMovie projects folder


http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2289

Aug 13, 2014 1:53 PM in response to MichelPM

can do too good a job of data "cleanup"

Right, IF you actual went to their website and educated yourself on how the app does what it does, you would know there are safeguards and checks and balances, it's not some here today gone tomorrow app, it's been around and there's no such thing as too good a job. The developer has done a standup job of explaining how the app works. It's bullet-proof if you ask me. You really think this app would still be in business with millions of satisfied customers if it did junk to your mac, seriously? Anytime you ask mac fan boys about something, you need to take it with a grain of salt. They think their mac don't stink. Hey I love mac as much as the next person, but I'm a realist and I've tried and tested the app and it works wonderful. Where are all these so called problems on my mac from using the app? Sorry, but the apple fanboy snake oil doesn't hold a candle. It's a great app and I'm not just saying that. Maybe instead of grinding the developer, if more mac users used it and gave him feedback on how to make it better, it would benefit all mac users. Someone here said that it doesn't do a solid job at removing all the related app installation files, well that's funny because I have tested this and 100% of the files are removed every time and it's so simple too, click of a button.

Aug 13, 2014 3:39 PM in response to macapple_

macapple_ wrote:


I'm running Mac Mavericks on an Imac and thanks to CleanMyMac2, my mac is running better than ever.


Can you provide the empirical data that shows that? I think not. You are reporting on a feeling that you have rather than a hard fact, and anyone familiar with rudimentary human psychology knows just how much a feeling can be influenced by marketing and what a person thinks is true.


If, by some chance, you actually do have a benefit on your system, that is a symptom of some other chronic problem that needs to be solved, rather than simply treating its symptoms with CleanMyMac.


All the apple fanboys on here who think their macs don't need maintenance are living in a fantasy.

I'm afraid not. The recommendations against CleanMyMac are no fantasies, they are simply facts based on an understanding of the system and the lack of benefit from removing the files that apps like CleanMyMac remove. If you wish to counter what has been said by numerous experts here, you will need to provide evidence to support your claims.


Some of the accusations in this thread are absurd to say the least, but then I would expect that from the uneducated.


Insulting those you don't agree with does not equate to a logical argument. On the contrary, it goes a long way towards nullifying anything you might have to say if that's the best you can do to argue for your point of view.

Aug 13, 2014 4:57 PM in response to macapple_

John Galt wrote:


Hi macapple_


Thank you for your comments. Would you mind helping a few of your fellow Mac users who used CleanMyMac2 to "clean" their formerly well-functioning and maintenance-free Macs?

I even provided links, yet you have not acted upon a single one of them.


Since this is primarily a user-to-user support site, your depth of knowledge in the proper care and use of CleanMyMac would be most welcome. MacPaw Support appears to have lost interest. As people continue to use what you clearly consider to be an essential, "bullet-proof" utility that "works wonderful", the need to educate them on "how the app does what it does" will demand your active participation.


macapple_ wrote:


... Someone here said that it doesn't do a solid job at removing all the related app installation files, well that's funny because I have tested this and 100% of the files are removed every time and it's so simple too, click of a button.


CleanMyMac can't even remove its own components.

Aug 15, 2014 8:02 PM in response to macapple_

macapple_ wrote:


can do too good a job of data "cleanup"

Right, IF you actual went to their website and educated yourself on how the app does what it does, you would know there are safeguards and checks and balances, it's not some here today gone tomorrow app, it's been around and there's no such thing as too good a job. The developer has done a standup job of explaining how the app works. It's bullet-proof if you ask me.



Below some issues and answers by CMM support.

CleanMyMac 1 deleted lots of my apps like photobooth, terminal, mac app store, preview, etc. I use Mac OS X Mavericks. What can I do?

Compatibility issue between CleanMyMac 2 and Mavericks was fixed in CleanMyMac 2.1.0. The user can contact Customer Support, so we can teach him know how to reindex Launchpad caches.

uninstall locklizard using cleanmymac, delete all my files and personal setting

That's the issue we've already located on our test labs. Locklizard app assigned user's home folder as its own default folder and while user was uninstalling that app, it marked user`s folder for uninstall, too. We've already fixed that issue and really sorry for that one.

I have used clean my mac and after that some of my icons from launch pad have disappeared, mail is opening but not displaying the emails, app store is not opening...what should i do? I request for urgent help ...please...??

It was a compatibility issue between CleanMyMac 2 and Mavericks. Fixed in CleanMyMac 2.1.0. The user can contact Customer Support, so we can teach him know how to reindex Launchpad caches.

CMM has deleted complete home directories, apps, it caused problems with email, app store and launch pad.

Sure these issues have been fixed but every time you install updates or do an upgrade you are at risk that CMM causes problems.


CMM is far far from bullet proof. Use at your own peril.

Oct 26, 2014 2:41 AM in response to John Galt

John Gait, "Automations Engineer" & proficiency in all things Mac is getting buggered by the "CleanMyMac.2.app.


The only thing, I could think of while perusing your comments was how did somebody like you: A) fall for the idea of a dirty mac or whatever; B) come to purchase a product so obviously suspect; C) Set about shredding your machine through its use?


@ the end of the day it leaves a novice such as myself, one w/not nearly so big a brain as yours nevertheless wondering how you found you allow your machine to become so compromised? Fascinating...


I have ran all versions of CleanMyMac since purchasing mine 3 yrs ago & the app has not caused a single problem.


There is something many of you ought to learn to do to be taken more legitimately... If citing supporting documentation you ought look for objective sources. Indeed, Apple may be correct in many cases, however, you or your source is much more convincing when it's not an Apple doc & further still shy away from "articles" & such rather leaning toward a "scientific journal", i.e. a hypothesis is formulated, then data is collected, noted & assists the researcher in being confident his/her original hypothesis was indeed an accurate one or was not & "facts" demonstrate a different scenario to be true. This is a simple definition of the Scientific Method.


What you've demonstrated is a tendency to be dogmatic, sarcastic & ultimately come off foolish & little else.


Level 8, impressive.


"You see, "Epidermis" means your hair." - Nelson Munz

should I buy clean my mac 2 or is there another app I should use?

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