6 min read Performance
Mac Optimizer Apps: What They Can and Cannot Do
A Mac optimizer can clear disk space and show what is running. It cannot make memory or the processor work better than macOS does. What is worth paying for.
Author
Alina Mah
Guides Editor, MacPrune
Alina Mah manages and edits the MacPrune guides.
She follows each guide's steps on a Mac and checks what it says MacPrune does against the current version of the app.
Guides by Alina
23 guides
5 min read Comparison
MacCleaner Pro Alternative: MacPrune Compared
MacCleaner Pro is a bundle of cleanup tools sold by subscription or one payment. MacPrune is a free disk cleaner with a one-time Pro. Which suits which Mac.
5 min read AI
Where AI Models Take Disk Space on a Mac
Local AI models sit in ~/.ollama/models, the LM Studio models folder and ~/.cache/huggingface. How to find each one, see its size and remove models safely.
8 min read Mac Tips
How to Speed Up My Mac: Find What Slows It Down
To speed up a Mac, find the cause first: a busy app, full memory, a nearly full disk, login items or heat. How to check each with the tools in macOS.
3 min read Safari
How to Clear Cache in Safari on Mac: 3 Ways
To clear the Safari cache on a Mac and keep history and logins, turn on the Develop menu and choose Empty Caches. Or clear one site, or everything at once.
4 min read Chrome
How to Clear Cache in Chrome on Mac, Step by Step
To clear the Chrome cache on a Mac, press Cmd + Shift + Delete, tick only Cached images and files and confirm. History and passwords stay. Full steps here.
4 min read Macbook Air
How to Speed Up a Slow MacBook Air (M1, M2, M3)
A slow M1, M2 or M3 MacBook Air is almost always short of memory, short of free disk space or running hot. How to check each one and what to change.
4 min read Comparison
CleanMyMac vs MacPrune: Which Mac Cleaner to Pick
CleanMyMac or MacPrune? It depends on what your Mac needs. We make MacPrune, so here is what it does and what to check on the CleanMyMac site before you buy.
3 min read Mac Tips
How to Completely Uninstall Apps on Mac (Without Leaving Junk)
Dragging an app to the Trash leaves support files in your Library folder. Here is where they are, how to remove them by hand, and what MacPrune does.
5 min read Privacy
Is MacPrune Safe? What It Deletes and What It Sends
We built MacPrune, so here is a plain account of what it can delete, what it sends over the internet and how to check any Mac cleaner yourself.
6 min read Mac Tips
How to Free Up Storage on Your Mac in 2026
Free up storage on a Mac by hand: check Storage in System Settings, then clear Downloads, the Trash, unused apps, old backups and caches, in that order.
4 min read Comparison
MacPrune vs DaisyDisk: Which One Fits Your Mac?
DaisyDisk is a disk space visualiser. MacPrune has a disk map and also groups cleanable files. Here is who each suits, and how to look by hand.
5 min read Developer
Why Xcode Takes So Much Storage (And How to Clear It)
Xcode fills a disk with build data, simulators, archives and device support files. Here is where each one lives and how to clear it safely by hand.
4 min read Productivity
5 Mac Productivity Apps Worth Using in 2026
The five kinds of Mac app that help most with work: a launcher, a window manager, a screenshot tool, Focus and a disk tool, each with the free macOS option.
5 min read Storage
How to Clear "System Data" Storage on Your Mac
System Data is the catch-all in Mac storage: caches, logs, snapshots, backups and developer files. Here is how to find what is in it and clear it.
4 min read Hardware
Why Your Mac Fan is So Loud (And How to Fix It)
A loud Mac fan nearly always means one app is working the processor hard or the vents are blocked. Here is how to find the cause and quiet it.
4 min read Comparison
OnyX for Mac: What It Does and How It Compares
OnyX is a free macOS maintenance and settings utility, not a disk space tool. What it does, which version to run, and when MacPrune suits you better.
4 min read Storage
How to Find and Delete Duplicate Files on Mac
macOS has no single duplicate finder, but Finder, Photos, Music and one Terminal command cover most cases. Here is how to use each one safely.
4 min read Guide
How to Buy, Install and Set Up MacPrune
Download MacPrune from macprune.com, drag it to Applications, grant Full Disk Access and run a scan. Pro is activated later with a licence key.
4 min read Hardware
Is Your Mac Overheating? Here's How to Cool It Down
A hot Mac is usually one busy app or blocked airflow. Find the cause in Activity Monitor, give the Mac air, and know when it is time to ask Apple.
6 min read Review
Free Mac Cleaners in 2026: What to Look For
What macOS already gives you for free, the questions to ask of any free Mac cleaner, and exactly what the free version of MacPrune does and does not do.
5 min read Review
MacPrune v3.0: What It Does, From the People Who Built It
We built MacPrune, so this is not an independent review. It is a plain account of what v3.0 does, what it leaves alone, and what is free.
4 min read Gaming
Optimize a Mac for Video Editing and Gaming
To get a Mac ready for editing or games, keep disk space free, clear render files, quit background apps and know what Game Mode does. Each step explained.