Is Clean My Mac a recommended program?

CMM is malware, and SHOULD NEVER be installed on a Mac.

After using the uninstaller by using the link provided by Allan Jones, it is a code idea to verify all files relating to MacPac or CleanMyMac have been removed from the following locations. Go to Finder > Go > Go to Folder and copy and paste each link into the field there. You can also post the files at each of these 3 locations if you want us to verify that all malicious files have been removed.

~/Library/LaunchAgents

/Library/LaunchDaemons

/Library/LaunchAgents

After uninstalling according to the developer's instructions Yyou can check to see if you've removed all of the supporting files by downloading and running the shareware app Find Any File to search for any files with the application's or the developer's name in the file name.  For the CMM software you'd do the following search(es): 

1 - Name contains cleanmymac

2 - Name contains macpaw

Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop or Trash bin in the Dock for deletion.

FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.  

If you get warnings that the file can't be deleted because it is in use or used by another app boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and delete from there.

Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

You would be wise to find the developers uninstall instructions for CMM and follow them. Then restart in Safe Mode to clear caches and finally run an EtreCheck report and study it to see if any parts of CMM were left after the uninstall. If any parts were they you have more work to do to fully get rid of it.

I installed CleanMy Mac X on iMac 24” since mid December and had two issues - some letter keys do not work and documents popping up in Russian - when I saw others with the problem of language I uninstalled it and fixed docs back to English. However I don’t know how to get some of my letters to work. Any ideas? I am assuming this is a related issue to the “cleaner”.

Jean Kathleen wrote:

I installed CleanMy Mac X on iMac 24” since mid December and had two issues - some letter keys do not work and documents popping up in Russian - when I saw others with the problem of language I uninstalled it and fixed docs back to English. However I don’t know how to get some of my letters to work. Any ideas? I am assuming this is a related issue to the “cleaner”.

Post the EtreCheck report to show what files are still being launched on startup that is causing this conflict with the system. It is a free download developed by a fellow user here on these forums and does not contain any personal information.

Using EtreCheck - Apple Community

No. You don't need these third-party cleaning, speedup, and other faux wizardry applications. I put little faith in what I read on the Internet regarding quick fixes for Macs.

Clean my Mac X is a recommended platform by many users. It might help.

Do not install CleanMyMac. You will be back here after it causes more problems with your computer. In addition, you will be back needing help in how to delete it, as it will do its best to remain on your computer causing popups with fake problems so you will download another program for the supposed fix.

We are here to help with the current issue you are experiencing. You may want to include a screenshot of what you are seeing and any more information on when you are experiencing this behavior. Does it seem to happen after a set amount of inactivity when a screensaver should be starting?

Interestingly CleanMyMac is sold in the Apple App Store. I cannot say whether it is a good or bad thing to run but I have been using it for about seven years with no issue. One time it supposedly found a couple of infected files on email attachments that were in the Junk inbox. The comments here make me wonder if I should delete but since I have never had an issue it gives me pause.

I've been using CMM for almost 10 years. Please convenience me otherwise. Is "System Junk" a scam? How else will we clean out User Cache Files (sometimes over 5GB in size) taking up HD space. Does Apple remove this for us? If so, when? Also what about System Cache Files that keep accumulating overtime that can be gigs in size. Should we just let these extra files that clutter and accumulate? Is there a use for them?

Can the Apple OS find large files that you hardly ever use?

If I don't clear 112GB of purgable space on my HD, will it clear on it's own?

Please enlighten me.

Before I could find the best way to uninstall CleanMyMac (changing to Russian as language, some keys not working) it “ate” my password to open my Mac24” so I’m on my way to the Mac tech guy with fingers crossed.

As an It professional I can say on thing if was that harmful apple wouldn't let you buy it from the Apple Store. The issue here is that most of this stuff that's done by the software you can do your self, if you have knowledge or knowledge where to look. Now about it messing up you computer that issue you have most antivirus software is that can be to over bearing. I think the bigger issue people don't understand the software and what there doing it deleting wrong files not understanding the task that are being performed while other task are running at the same time. That's just my two cents on the matter.

I was shocked reading this thread. I had no idea I installed something that can be so malicious on my mac! I deleted it in a rush but before I read the entire thread - so I just moved it to the trash can. I haven't been a mac owner a long time, so I had no clue that wasn't the right way (this really should be though - for the average user).

Anyway, 2 things: I have always deleted apps that way. Is that a problem, is there a way to 'clean' up files left behind (without this CMM app - ha) in an easy way cause I wouldn't remember the names of all these apps to do it through Find Any File.

And the other thing: I also have Gemini II from MacPaw which helped me a lot in deleting duplicates from my SSD. As it is also from MacPaw like CMM, is it considered malware too? Should I delete this?

I am using FAF to find left over files from CMM but if I Gemini isn't considered bad, I'd like to keep the files related to that. Any way I can know this for the last 6 files on this screenshot?

You can check to see if you've removed all of the CMM supporting files by downloading and running the shareware app Find Any File to search for any files with the application's or the developer's name in the file name.  For CMM software you'd do the following search(es): 

1 - Name contains cleanmymac

2 - Name contains macpaw

Any files that are found can be dragged from the search results window to the Desktop or Trash bin in the Dock for deletion.

FAF can search areas that Spotlight can't like invisible folders, system folders and packages.  

If you get warnings that the file can't be deleted because it is in use or used by another app boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and delete from there.

Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.