A lot of people give their homes a "spring clean" every year, to make their homes more livable. Far fewer people consider doing the same for their digital "homes": their computers.
Do you have a Mac that's not running as well as it should be? It happens a lot, but fortunately, there are many ways to fix this problem. Some of these solutions are easier than others, but many of these cost more money. Wouldn't you rather find a happy medium - a program that cleans out the useless files on your Mac without removing anything important to you (or your system)?
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What Slows Macs Down?
"My computer is almost brand new, why is it running so slowly?" This is one of the most common questions we hear regularly. The fact is, even relatively new computers can get bogged down with unnecessary files.
There are many reasons that your Mac is running slower than usual, but here are a few of the most common culprits that take up space and make your computer run slower than it should:
Your Mail Application
Your mail takes up a surprising amount of space. Consider this: every attachment you send, including digital signatures, photos, and PDFs, get saved to your Mac's Mail application.
Program Files, Caches, and Recycle Bin
Most people think that merely permanently deleting the items in their Mac's Recycle Bin is the best they can do to remove unnecessary files. Much like your home, your computer has more than one place that it collects trash. Many apps, for example, have their own "trash piles" that need to be permanently removed to free up space on your computer.
Language Files
Macs come pre-loaded with options for users worldwide; let's be honest though, are you ever going to open any of your apps in French? What about Hindi? We didn't think so. Language files are just one example of bulk data that is clogging up your computer.
iTunes
Although iTunes is a great program, it also stores gigabytes of data that it doesn't have to. This includes old and outdated backups for your various devices, as well as previous versions of the software itself. A quick scan of your iTunes will likely reveal lots of data that you can free up to make your Mac run like new again.
Common Concerns About Computer Cleaning
Computer cleaning programs are a mixed bag, especially for Macs. Thankfully, in the last few years, they've gotten much better. We still get many questions about the safety and efficacy of different cleaning programs--here are a few of the most common:
Will I lose my pictures or files?
You won't lose any of your files or pictures if you use the right cleaning software. Realistically, these personal files probably only take up a small percentage of your computer's memory anyhow. The bulk of unnecessary files is buried deep within your computer's various programs and folders.
Will I lose essential program files?
If you use the right cleaning software, you shouldn't have any issues with program performance. This means finding a cleaning program that only deletes files that are 100% safe to remove. If you're concerned about this, you need to find a cleaner with a smart algorithm that can recognize what files are extraneous.
CleanMyMacX: A Solution for Slow Macs Everywhere
Most people who invest in Macs do so because they think they'll be easy to use. To optimize your Mac, you deserve a cleaning program that's easy to use, too. It seems like there are almost countless Mac cleaning programs available, but we want to recommend one that we think stands head and shoulders above the rest: CleanMyMacX.
Simply put, CleanMyMacX is the best software application for removing old files and speeding up a Mac computer. It allows you to optimize your Mac, so it performs just like it did when it was new.
CleanMyMacX is simple to use. With just one click, you can scan your entire system, every inch of it! This will allow you to remove gigabytes worth of unused (and often unusable) files with only two clicks. Many users have found and freed up over 100GB worth of space on their Macs.
Even industry publications have taken notice of this remarkable program: The Next Web, iCreate, TekRevue, and more have talked about the benefits that CleanMyMac 3 can provide. See what all the fuss is about--try CleanMyMac 3 for free, and we're sure that your search for a smarter cleaner is over!
Sounds like a neat piece of software! A couple questions about it though: How often do you recommend running it? On Windows, I would run Ccleaner weekly. Secondly, is it recommended to purchase a license or just use the free version? I don’t mind paying as long as it’s worth it.
I’ve had my MacBook for about 6 months now and it still feels very snappy. Still, it’s probably a good idea to routinely run cleaner software like this. I’m sure there’s probably a good amount of unwanted junk on my machine so I’ll give CleanMyMac a trial run to see how it does.
My MacBook is years old now and, unsurprisingly, had a lot of junk of it. I probably would have never knew if it weren’t for this software. It’s super easy to use, just a couple of clicks and a few minutes later, I’ve reclaimed almost 50% of my hard drive. I don’t think it deleted anything I needed either so a great job all-round.