This Anker Prime power bank that can charge your MacBook and iPhone is $55 off today
Macworld I think we can all agree that the most annoying thing in the world (besides slow internet) is seeing your phone’s battery dying out slowly. Thankfully, this Anker Prime Power Bank 27,650mAh is now available for its best price ever, which means you can get it for $125, down from $180.  What makes this power bank so special? Well, it can charge multiple devices at once. Featuring 250W multi-device fast charging, the Anker Prime Power Bank has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. It takes this power bank just under half an hour to get your MacBook Pro to 50 percent, while your iPhone will get to 100 percent in what will feel like no time. So, whether you’re traveling, enjoying a night out on the town, or working remotely, this power bank will solve a ton of your problems.  The Anker Prime Power Bank is not only powerful but also highly portable. Despite its substantial capacity of 27,650mAh, Anker managed to make this power bank compact enough not to be a nuisance. Measuring just 6.37 × 2.24 × 1.96 in and weighing 1.47lb, this 99.54Wh power bank even meets TSA requirements, and you can carry it in your carry-on badge.  We reviewed the Anker Prime power bank with a 12,000mAh capacity and loved how compact it was, how fast it charged devices, and how informative its display is. And with more than twice the capacity, this model is even better for road warriors. This special offer won’t last forever, so take advantage of the best price ever for the Anker Prime 27K Power Bank and charge all your gadgets on the go.  Save 31% on the Anker Prime 27K power bank Mobile Phone Chargers

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6 tricks to master Preview on the Mac
How do you use Preview on the Mac? I have three top tips for working with documents and three for editing pictures. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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New iOS & iPadOS update fixes reappearing photos bug
Apple has released a minor update for iOS and iPadOS, that fixes an issue in the Photos app that resurrected deleted images.A Portrait Photo shot in iOS 17One week after releasing iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 to the public, Apple has issued a minor update for both operating systems.The update to iOS 17.5.1 and iPadOS 17.5.1 replaces the respective 17.5 releases for each. The new builds are build number 21F90. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple releases iOS 17.5.1
Apple on Monday released iOS 17.5.1 which provides important bug fixes and addresses a rare issue where photos that experienced… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Notes on Post-Pandemic Business Travel
Adam Engst took his first business trip in four years and discovered that some things have changed. He took advantage of packing and flight tracking apps, got free Wi-Fi on several flights, discovered that USB Type-A to USB-C cables are essential, learned that TSA PreCheck is easier to get, and ran across his second App Clip ever. 

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Report: AirTag update coming next year but not much is changing
Macworld In the latest Power On Newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple will be upgrading the AirTag in the middle of 2025. The upgrade would be the first since the tracking device was released in April 2021. As for what the upgrade will include, Gurman states it will have “a better chip with improved location tracking.” The current AirTag has Apple’s U1 chip, which uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to give a device with the chip spatial awareness. With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple released a second-generation UWB chip with better precision. So, it appears that Apple will update the AirTag with the new chip. Gurman doesn’t mention any other features, but he does say his personal wish list includes a louder speaker, better battery life, and a size that fits well in a wallet. Whether his wish list is his way of implying that these are possible features is not clear. Gurman also states that Apple is already doing test production runs of the new AirTag. A new AirTag seems like a good product to make available during the holiday shopping season, so if Apple is already doing a test run, perhaps the release schedule could move up to the latter part of this year. However, the original AirTag was released in April so a similar timeframe seems equally possible., The AirTag is a disk-shaped Bluetooth device that is used as a tracker. It works with the Find My app that can be used to determine the approximate location of the items attached to the AirTag. To learn more, read our AirTag review and check out our AirTag superguide. Accessories, Mobile Phone Accessories

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Apple releases iOS 17.5.1 with fix for ‘rare’ bug that caused deleted photos to return
Apple has released iOS 17.5.1 for iPhone. The software update specifically addresses the issue with deleted photos reportedly returning to after updating to iOS 17.5. more…

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iPhone 15 Pro Incase Woolenex and Vegan Leather ICON MagSafe case hands-on
Incase has been a favorite Apple accessory brand for me since before my time at 9to5Mac started in 2013. Seriously, their steel-colored Bird’s Nest Snap iPhone 4 case was the perfect blend of chaos and expression for me in 2011. Fast-forward to 2024 and Incase has brought back another crowd pleaser with their ICON case line. The Incase ICON case design is much more mature than the Bird’s Nest Snap case line that I favored back in the day. The ICON case line for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max is more like —just without the drama. more…

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How Apple has steadily been dropping the 'i' from its devices for over a decade
From the first iMac in the 1990s to today, the prefix "i" has symbolized Apple — but Apple has been working to get rid of it since the original iPad in 2010.Steve Jobs launching the iPad in 2010 — the last Apple device to be named with an "i"There is still of course the iPhone and the iPad — but there's no iWatch or iTV, and certainly no iVision Pro. Across hardware, software, and services, Apple named around 30 products with an i following the success of the iMac in 1998.It's just a letter, but it's so strongly associated with Apple that to this day there are people who call the Apple Watch an iWatch. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Here are the new AI features coming to your iPhone with iOS 18
Macworld It isn’t news that Apple is focusing on AI at the moment. Despite its early start with Siri, the company has fallen behind in the AI arms race (whether or not you regard that as a bad thing) and has made no visible progress at all with the latest generative AI trend. All of this is expected to be remedied by software announcements at WWDC next month. What is news is the apparent revelation this past weekend of some actual, juicy details. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg leaker-analyst Mark Gurman claims Apple is about to make some “bold changes” to the iPhone’s iOS operating system, and reveals both broad strategic changes of direction for the company and specific features he predicts will be coming to the iPhone this year. On the strategic front, Gurman identifies two of Apple’s longstanding focuses–to largely refrain from collecting user data, and to run a large proportion of Siri’s processing on the device–as the cause of some of the difficulties in this area. The lack of data, while motivated by a wish to safeguard user privacy, means a lack of training fuel for large language models. Similarly, on-device processing is in theory a better way to protect user data security, since information about requests doesn’t have to pass through server farms or be accessible to (likely outsourced) company employees, but this makes it more difficult to consistently deliver strong performance. It would be a major reversal of company culture for data mining to become a priority, but as an acknowledgment that it needs to change, Gurman says it will transition to more of a cloud-based model for its data processing. Data centers will be upgraded with powerful Mac chips in order to handle the additional strain. “The move shows that Apple recognizes the need to evolve,” Gurman writes. “As part of the changes, the company will improve Siri’s voice capabilities, giving it a more conversational feel, and add features that help users with their day-to-day lives.” On the features front, meanwhile, Gurman says we can expect “services like auto-summarizing notifications from your iPhone, giving a quick synopsis of news articles and transcribing voice memos.” He also predicts that existing auto-populating features for Calendar and suggested apps will be improved, and that AI-based editing will appear in Photos, with the caveat that this won’t be as impressive as similar features already available on Adobe apps. As intriguing as all of this sounds, it fails to address two of the most noteworthy elements of an AI strategy: chatbots and search. Sadly for Apple fans, it appears the company is well behind in both of these areas. Cupertino’s own generative AI tech isn’t strong enough to power a workable chatbot, so it’s instead planning to outsource OpenAI’s ChatGPT for this purpose–for the short term, at least. In the long run, Gurman says Apple will need to make a chatbot of its own. It’s not dissimilar to maps, which began as a partnership with Google before Apple developed its own solution. “For now,” Gurman says, “[Apple] believes the combination of its homegrown AI features (both on devices and in the cloud) and the OpenAI deal will be enough to get the job done.” Much the same applies to AI-powered search; Apple’s own search project never really got anywhere and it’s in no position to launch its own search engine. All of which adds up to an upcoming WWDC keynote that will feature plenty of small fireworks, but is likely to leave users with the feeling that Apple is still a long way from catching up in the AI race. For all the latest news, rumors, and information about Apple’s June announcements, check our WWDC superguide. iOS, iPhone

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Will you buy an ultra-thin iPhone 17 if battery life is reduced? [Poll]
We learned new details about what Apple may ship as the new high-end iPhone in 2025 with a redesigned ultra-thin form factor. But with that change, we could see shorter battery life, particularly compared to the Pro Max model. Would an ultra-thin design be worth it to you at the expense of a smaller battery? more…

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Best USB-C and Thunderbolt displays for Mac [May]
USB-C/Thunderbolt display options have really expanded over the last couple of years. While Apple’s Pro Display XDR isn’t the best fit for most Mac users at $5,000+, it also offers the more affordable Studio Display. But there are also lots of solid choices from LG, Samsung, BenQ, and more. Here are the best USB-C/Thunderbolt displays with many available in the $400-$1,600 range. Update 5/20/24: Samsung is running a limited-time promo with as well as 34% off the 32″ Smart Monitor and 47% off the 27″ Smart Monitor. more…

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M3/M4 Mac Studio: Everything you need to know
Macworld The M2 Max and Ultra Mac Studio were released at WWDC23 last June, and the M3 era of Apple’s System on a Chip started last November. So, with WWDC24 creeping up on us, it’s time to start looking forward to the next Mac Studio. The rumors will start to increase as June 2024 approaches, and whatever is reported now can change (and likely will) before the new Mac Studio is released. We’ll keep track of what’s being said in this article.  Update 5/20/24: Apple does not have the Mac Studio scheduled for release in 2024, which could mean Apple will skip the M3 series and deliver an M4-series Mac Studio in 2025.. M3/M4 Mac Studio: Release date We’ve had two generations of Mac Studio. The first gen (M1 Max and Ultra) was released in March of 2022. The second-gen (M2 Max and Ultra) was revealed at WWDC23 in June 2023. Apple will likely continue with a March or June timeframe for the next Mac Studio. In April, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in the paid version of his Power On newsletter that the next Mac Studio could launch in the second half of 2024, which likely means a WWDC release. ICsmart reports that the new Mac Studio could arrive in the middle of this year as well. Since Apple doesn’t traditionally hold standalone events during the summer months, WWDC is a safe bet. In May, Mark Gurman reported that the Mac Studio is not on the schedule of Apple releases for 2024. IT doesn’t appear until mid 2025. IF that’s the case, then Apple will likely skip the M3 series chips and release the 2025 Mac Studio with an M4 Max and M4 Ultra. The M3 Max and Ultra Mac Studio could be released by June 2024. The M3 Max and Ultra Mac Studio could be released by June 2024.Roman Loyola/IDG The M3 Max and Ultra Mac Studio could be released by June 2024.Roman Loyola/IDG Roman Loyola/IDG M3/M4 Mac Studio: Price No reports on the price for the M3/M4 Mac Studio have been made. Here are the standard configuration prices of the current M2 Mac Studio lineup, for reference. $1,999/£2,099: M2 Max with a 12-Core CPU, 30-Core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 32GB unified memory, 512GB SSD $3,999/ £4,199: M2 Ultra with a 24-Core CPU, 60-Core GPU, 32-Core Neural Engine, 64GB unified memory, 1TB SSD While the price of the Mac Studio has already increased outside of the U.S. (it was originally £1,999 in the U.K.), prices did not change in the U.S. when Apple upgraded from the M1 to the M2 chips, and prices could stay the same with an M3/M4 upgrade. But when Apple released the M3 Pro and Max MacBook Pros, the price for the standard configuration M3 Max model increased by $100, so there’s a good possibility that the Mac Studio prices go up. M3/M4 Mac Studio: Design No reports about design changes to the Mac Studio have been made. The current design works well and is going on its third year, so Apple likely isn’t going to change it. The only possible exception is a new space black color option to match the MacBook Pro. M3/M4 Mac Studio: Specs and features The main (and likely only) change that will happen with the upcoming Mac Studio is with its SoC. The Mac Studio should continue to have the Max and Ultra versions of its M-series chips, so the new chips we will see are the M3/M4 Max and M3/M4 Ultra. The current M3 Max MacBook Pro is available with a 14-core CPU/30-core GPU or a 16-core CPU/38-core GPU, so if Apple does go with an M3 Max for the Mac Studio, it may have similar specs. The ports on the Mac Studio will likely remain unchanged. The ports on the Mac Studio will likely remain unchanged.Roman Loyola/IDG The ports on the Mac Studio will likely remain unchanged.Roman Loyola/IDG Roman Loyola/IDG Apple’s Ultra chips have doubled the CPU and GPU cores of the Max. In January 2024 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in the paid version of his Power On newsletter that this should continue, with the M3 Ultra featuring up to 32 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores. Also in January, a report by The Elect stated that the M3 Ultra will be manufactured using an enhanced 3nm process. In April 2024, Mark Gurman reported that “Apple is testing versions with both a still-unreleased M3-era chip and a variation of the M4 Brava processor.” As for the “M4 Brava,” Gurman states that Apple is working on AI-enhanced M4 chips that could find their way into the Mac Studio in 2025. However, in May Mark Gurman reported that the Mac Studio won’t be updated until 2025, probably at WWDC25. If that’s the case, then the Mac Studio will have M4-series chips, and the specs for the M4 Max and Ultra will be very different from the M2 Max and Ultra and what was projected with the M3 Max and Ultra. The other features of the Mac Studio should remain the same. That means no changes to the ports, connectivity, speaker, SSD sizes, or display support. Mac

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Apple is just weeks away from unveiling its big AI marketing effort
Apple is preparing to make its big artificial-intelligence announcement via a canned video presentation at the opening of WWDC… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Gaming emulator apps are best played with one of these iOS-supported game controllers
Game emulator apps are having a moment on the iPhone and iPad. Thanks to a recent App Store rule change, Apple is now permitting retro gaming emulators on its devices, and developers have wasted no time meeting the pent-up market demand. Retro gaming was never meant to happen on touch displays, though. These games were designed with a physical controller in mind. Here are some of the best iOS-compatible game controllers to elevate your gaming experience. more…

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OtterBox ‘Cactus Leather’ iPhone case looks good and makes you feel good [Review]
A plant-based alternative to traditional cow leather, the first OtterBox Cactus Leather iPhone case is a great, renewable choice. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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MacBook Air M3 16GB 13-inch down at $1,350, M2 Mac mini, early Memorial Day Apple deals, more
Your Monday collection of the best Apple gear deals is now ready to go. Alongside a host of big-time early Memorial Day offers in our roundup and ongoing discounts on the new M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air, today’s deals are headlined by Apple’s maxed-out 13-inch M3 MacBook Air. Loaded with a 512GB SSD and 16GB of memory, you can score this one down at $1,350 alongside the return of $100 price drops on the latest M2/Pro Mac mini models. You’ll also find an exclusive all-time low for 9to5 readers on the gorgeous new Burton Goods leather iPad cases for Apple’s latest and plenty more in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.  more…

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Don’t expect the Mac Studio and Mac Pro to be updated at WWDC–or in 2024
Macworld With the release of the iPad Pro, Apple has ushered in a new chip generation with the M4. The introduction of that chip disrupted Apple’s usual chip release cycle, however–the M3 was first released only six months ago in the MacBook Pro and iMac. The last device to get an M3 was the MacBook Air in January. What about the rest of the Mac lineup? In the recent edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the Mac Studio and Mac Pro aren’t on Apple’s release schedule until mid-2025. In April, Gurman reported that Apple was testing a Mac Studio with “a still-unreleased M3-era chip” as well as a M4-series chip, which left its status for release in 2024 unclear. But now it appears that Apple has decided to skip the M3-based Mac Studio, which likely also means it’ll skip the M3-based Mac Pro, too. So, the current M2 Max/Ultra Mac Studio and M2 Ultra Mac Pro will remain in Apple’s lineup for another year. That also means that WWDC24 likely won’t have any new Mac announcements; Gurman reported in April that the M4 Mac rollout would start in the later part of 2024 with M4-based MacBook Pros and an iMac, which would be about a year after those Macs were released with the M3. The other Mac that still uses M2-series chips is the Mac mini. Gurman reports that the Mac mini won’t be updated until later 2024 or earlier 2025. That leaves four Macs—the low-end MacBook Air, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro—with M2 chips and three Macs—the newer MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac—with M3 chips. The decision to skip the M3-based Mac Studio and Mac Pro isn’t surprising. The M3 was the first chip made with the 3nm fabrication process, but the M4 uses a new enhanced 3nm process. As our own Jason Snell has pointed out, the two processes are incompatible, so Apple needed to make the switch to M4 to accommodate production. With no new Mac hardware expected at WWDC24, the Mac spotlight turns to macOS 15 and any other apps, such as Xcode. WWDC24 is expected to have an AI focus, with several AI-based features being revealed. Those features will probably be iPhone- and iOS 18-centric and brought over to the Mac where applicable. Read our Mac Studio superguide to learn more about Apple’s high-end desktop Mac. And get more information about WWDC24 and the upcoming macOS 15. Mac, Mac Pro

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Today in Apple history: AppleLink Personal Edition is the precursor to AOL
On May 20, 1988, Apple launched AppleLink Personal Edition, an online service that let customers connect using a Mac-style user interface. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Best Mac Cleaner software: Boost performance and disk space with a Mac cleaner app
Macworld If your Mac is slowing down, frequently freezing, regularly running out of RAM or just not behaving like it used to. Are you short of space on your Mac? Have you spotted the immense amount of room taken up by System Data and are now looking for a safe way to delete some of that data. What you need is a Mac cleaner app that will delete the clutter and digital debris from your system and free your RAM from memory hogs. Thankfully, there are a wealth of tools available to rectify that can clean up your Mac and get it working properly again. We’ve picked some of the best Mac cleaning software below so you can find one that suites you. The apps included in the list below all offer free trial versions. Some of these trials will merely show you how much space you can free up, but several are essentially free Mac Cleaners that will allow you to clean your Mac for free, albeit for a limited period. These include the trials for CleanMyMac, DaisyDisk, Parallels ToolBox and MacCleaner Pro featured below.  Updated: May 2024 with refreshed reviews of MacCleaner Pro and CleanMyMac X. PROMOTIONCleanMyMac X | Do more on a faster Mac Use CleanMyMac X to find hidden junk and free up unseen cache files. Locate large old folders, background apps, and heavy memory consumers. Tune your Mac for maximum speed, and keep it malware-free and secure. Make sure you use the Smart Scan weekly to help your computer stay productive all year round. Download Free Edition For more information about why a Mac cleaner app could be useful read: Why your Mac needs a cleaner app. We also discuss Tips for cleaning up your Mac. For more ways to squeeze the most out of your system read our How to speed up a slow Mac guide and How to delete Other on a Mac. We also look at How to delete System storage and How to clear cache on a Mac. Best Mac Cleaner 1. MacCleaner Pro Pros Impressive set of tools Good tutorial system Good level of configuration with the application’s modules Cons Occasionally awkward user interface Price When Reviewed: $74.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase); or $29.95/a year for 1 Mac (usually $14.95 a month) Best Prices Today: Free at Nektony (free 2 day trial)$74.95 at Nektony (one time purchase) MacCleaner Pro from Nektony (version 3.3 at the time of our latest review) is divided into a core app and several module apps, namely App Cleaner & Uninstaller, Disk Space Analyzer, Duplicate File Finder, Memory Cleaner, and Funter. The core app can perform an overall disk cleaning and help free up storage space by eliminating extraneous files.  The App Cleaner & Uninstaller module works well, and allows you to see the app you’re removing as well as its support files. This module has been improved compared to version 3, and now offers you easier access to startup programs and extension files, allowing you to enable, disable, or remove them. A Remaining Files feature allows you to chase down loose files, while an Open With feature lets you assign applications to open certain file types. With Duplicate File Finder it’s easy to specify file types to look for, such as audio and photo files, with an impressive level of precise control. Memory Cleaner module offers an easy interface to show which applications and processes are consuming the most RAM. Funter module finds hidden files within your operating system.  The Fast Cleanup option was able to clear up 11.4GB of drive space, most of these being application cache files, while the Deep Cleanup feature helped reclaim 65.4GB of drive space.  We did have some peculiar instances in which a reminder poped up advising us to clear disk space for a macOS Sonoma (which was already installed). On another occasion when we paused scanning after half an hour we saw a request for full access to the hard drive.  MacCleaner Pro is easy to install, runs well and has a good feature base. The software is priced decently at $29.95.95/£29.78 a year for a 1 Mac license (usually $14.95/£14.87 a month), or a one-time purchase fee of $74.95/£74.54 for a 1 Mac license. The free trial version will actually perform some of the tasks you need to do, rather than ask you to buy the full version. You can get MacCleaner Pro here. Read our full MacCleaner Pro review 2. MacPaw CleanMyMac X Pros Excellent cleaning tools for Mac storage Large toolset Easy to use Cons Updater feature missed some app updates Malware Removal is still producing mixed results Price When Reviewed: $89.95 for 1 Mac (one time purchase); or $34.95/a year for 1 Mac (usually £39.95 a year) Best Prices Today: Free at Mac Paw (free 7 day trial)$34.95 at MacPaw (one time purchase) CleanMyMac X is a catch-all utility designed to identify and clean out gigabytes upon gigabytes of unused system garbage. It grants you easy access to several handy utilities to clear up disk space, protect user privacy, optimize performance, update applications, uninstall software, and help prevent malware and adware. The modules include Smart Scan, System Junk, Mail Attachments, Trash Bins, Malware Removal, Privacy, Optimization, Maintenance, Uninstaller, Updater, Extensions, Space Lens, Large & Old Files, and Shredder. Among these you will find tools for file cleanup, malware removal, privacy cleanup, easy access to system extensions, the app uninstaller, and the ability to down multi-GB files you forgot to delete and a quick means of deleting them. Smart Scan is the overarching umbrella feature, hunting down extraneous files that can be deleted to clear drive space, performing a quick malware scan, and executing a speed test to look into optimization functions, such as freeing up RAM or quickly clearing system caches. The Disk Lens and Uninstaller offered a clear view as to which folders were consuming the most drive space and a quick means of removing applications.  I was able to recover more than 30GB of drive space as the program found unused files and disk images galore.  Our main criticism is that the developer overextends themselves by trying to be everything to everyone. Unfortunately, some features aren’t as good as others – particularly the Malware removal module and the Updater function, neither of which work as well as we hoped, even with the antivirus being updated to take advantage of the Moonlock Engine.  CleanMyMac X is easy to download and install, and features a bright, friendly user interface and it’s exceptionally easy to see what’s gobbling up the most space on your Mac’s hard drive. The features are well-integrated. The software costs $34.95/£29.95 a year for a 1 Mac license (usually $34.95/£34.95), or a one-time purchase fee of $89.95/£76.95 for a 1 Mac license. There’s a free version available to download There is a free trial version available on the Mac App Store and from MacPaw’s website, but it restricts the app to only remove files up to a maximum of 500MB – and in the middle of deleting files it will demand you pay the license fee for the app. You can download that limited version and scan your Mac to see just now much space you can save before committing to buying the app. MacPaw is currently running a 30% discount for students – submit your university email address and receive a download code here.  You can get CleanMyMac X here. Read our full CleanMyMac X review 3. Daisy Disk Pros Quickly scans storage and finds large files Graphical representation of storage File name previews Can check cloud storage Cons Some user-interface quirks Price When Reviewed: $9.99 Best Prices Today: $9.99 at Software Ambience (One time purchase) No one ever said tracking down and eliminating all the stuff that was devouring space on your Mac would be pleasant, but DaisyDisk succeeds in making it pretty simple. DaisyDisk is focused on file management, presenting what’s taking up invaluable disk space, and allowing you to work with it. If all you need is to make some space on your Mac (perhaps because you are trying to update the macOS and it needs more space than you have) then you could go for a tool that simply finds and deletes unnecessary files for you. If this sounds like you then DaisyDisk ($9.99/£9.99 on the Mac App Store) is an excellent tool for seeing the contents of your drive in a colorful and interactive graph. The files are sorted into various groups such as Large files, Documents, Music, and Downloads, each of which are allocated their own colors and spokes that show how much space that area is taking up. It’s a good at-a-glance method for understanding where all your space has gone. Each section can be clicked to bring up another circular breakdown of its contents, with each sector representing a file. These can be previewed to see whether you want them or not, and if it’s a case of the latter then you simply drag them to the bottom of the screen where all your junk files are stored. The point of DaisyDisk is that it will delete the files you don’t need for you – rather than you trying to locate them. A job that could take hours takes minutes and there is no danger of deleting something important. If you visit the DaisyDisk site then you’ll be able to download a trial version that shows you how the app works. This is useful, but as the delete feature has been disabled you won’t be able to clear out any files. Instead, go for the full-blown version which costs $9.99/£9.99 – at least that’s not a yearly subscription. You can get Daisy Disk here. Read our full Daisy Disk review 4. Parallels Toolbox Pros Full suite of Mac tools Fully featured free trial Cons May be more than you require Price When Reviewed: $24.99 per year Best Prices Today: Free at Parallels Toolbox Free 14-day Trial $24.99 at Parallels (annually) Parallels Toolbox is a bunch of tools that can be used to perform various actions on your Mac – such as Download Video, Record Audio, Hide Desktop Files, Resize Image, Clipboard History, Find Duplicates, Free Memory, and even the ability to set alarms. Among all these tools is one that can be used to clean your Mac. Mac cleaning tools provided in Parallels Toolbox that could also be useful when cleaning a Mac include Clean Drive, Uninstall Apps, Find Duplicates, and Free Memory. The Clean Drive tool scans your drive and then lets you choose what to delete. You can delete applications by dragging them to the trash, but this doesn’t always completely delete them. Often files and folders can be left scattered around your system that were related to that now gone app. Parallels’s Uninstall Apps tool will remove apps and their associated files from your Mac. Similarly, you can run Find Duplicates to dig out any identical files – even ones that have different file names. Parallel’s Toolbox costs $24.99/£20.99 a year, but the excellent news is that the free 14-day trial will actually delete your files, free memory and do all those other useful things without you buying the app! You can get an overview of Toolbox’s various features, and download the seven-day trial, from the company’s website. You can get Parallels Toolbox here. Read our full Parallels Toolbox review 5. App Cleaner & Uninstaller Pros Simple user interface Free (with Pro upgrade) Cons Not as full-featured as alternatives Price When Reviewed: $14.95 a year for 1 Mac (usually $7.95 a month) Best Prices Today: Free at Nektony (free 3 day trial)$14.95 at Nektony (annually) Also from Nektony, is the simple and easy to use App Cleaner & Installer. This lightweight app is actually bundled with MacCleaner Pro (above), but this version focuses on clearing out the broken links, files, and other gubbins that get left behind when apps are uninstalled. It also, as the name suggests, allows you to uninstall apps cleanly from the get-go, and set which ones launch at start up.   There is a free version that does most of these tasks, but if you pay $9.99/£9.99 for the Pro upgrade you’ll also be able to remove system extensions, executable parts of files, and uninstall apps, plus the ads that adorn the free version disappear. Easy to recommend due to both its price and quality. You can get App Cleaner & Uninstaller here. 6. MacBooster Pros Adds virus and malware scans as well as optimization No yearly subscription Cons Could be overkill for beginners Price When Reviewed: $39.95 a year for 1 Mac (usually $49.95) Best Prices Today: $39.95 at MacBooster (annually) MacBooster is a powerful app that not only offers the standard disk clean-up features like removing duplicates, scanning for large files, claiming back memory, and general performance enhancing duties, but also includes Virus and Malware scans to keep your Mac free from malicious software. As you can see, it has a similar interface to CleanMyMac X (above), and a similar collection of tools. The benefit here is that there’s one price to pay, rather than a yearly subscription. We also found that MacBooster identified a few more files for deletion than CleanMyMac did. While it’s certainly a comprehensive suite, the power under-the-hood could prove a little too much for beginners. We’d also recommend, as with any app in this roundup, that you make a complete backup of your system before you begin deleting files. A trial of MacBooster 8 is available, but if you want to delete anything you will have to buy the app – it costs $39.95/£37.57 for single Mac lifetime license. You can get MacBooster here. 7. Onyx Pros Powerful toolset Versions for older Mac systems readily available Cons UI needs some time to learn Price When Reviewed: Free Best Prices Today: Free at Titanium Software (Donationware) There’s a reason Onyx from Titanium Software has been among the tools of choice for Mac techies for such a long time. It offers a great set of tools and an incredible level of customization. It’s also freeware, so you don’t have to pay a penny, although the developer Titanium Software appreciates donations. Onyx also combines a unique, bare-bones approach to its user interface while offering an incredible level of customization as to what files are affected during a repair. Onyx can repair permissions, rebuild databases, reorganize file structures, check hard disk structures, and restore indexes. It can even repaire Unix-level functions that would otherwise only be accessed through Terminal. The main downside is that it’s not all that simple to use and it’s easy to make errors. Luckily there are handy FAQ links on the Titanium Software website for common issues. There are versions of Onyx for each version of the macOS. You can get Onyx here. Read our full Onyx review 8. CCleaner Pros Impressive customization tools Excellent control over storage Cons User interface is a little clunky Price When Reviewed: $29.95 a year Best Prices Today: $29.95 at Piriform Software (annually) CCleaner from Piriform (acquired by Avast, which has subsequently merged with Norton) achieves what it sets out to do: help clean up gigabytes of cache files, internet history files, and locate and purge large files on your Mac, all with an impressive level of control. It’s easy to both analyze a hard drive to determine how much space certain files might be taking up. Options include Uninstall, Startup, Erase Free Space, Large File Finder, and Duplicate File Finder. You can customize which cookies you want to save or purge and chose between Normal file deletion,” which is faster or “Secure file deletion,” which takes longer. Our only nitpick is that the user interface makes it feel very much like a Windows port. In fact, CCleaner has had a similar look and feel for the better part of 20 years. It’s freeware, but there’s an option to pay for a professional version for $29.95/£25.95 a year. In 2017 CCleaner was used to distribute malware. Hackers had inserted malicious code in the legitimate program. This has been rectified. You can get CCleaner here. Read our full CCleaner review 9. MacKeeper Pros Convenience of having multiple tools in one product Free version lets you access most of the features Cons Paid subscription is expensive Burdened with a bad reputation Price When Reviewed: $62.01 a year for 1 Mac (usually $95.40 a year) Best Prices Today: $62.01 at Clario (annually) We have to start by addressing the fact that MacKeeper doesn’t have the best reputation, although in recent years the company’s new owner – Clario – has tried very hard to rectify that. MacKeeper’s poor reputation wasn’t helped by the fact that it was difficult to uninstall an used scareware tactics to encourage people to upgrade to a paid version. Those issues should now be in the past. The software has received a good grade from AV-Test and has notarization from Apple, among other things, that should give users confidence. In terms of what it can do, MacKeeper offers 11 tools including an antivirus scanner, adware remover, a cleanup feature, a duplicate file finder, and a smart uninstaller. There’s also a memory cleaner, a software update tracker, and a startup item locator. You’ll also find a ID theft guard, a VPN, and an online ad blocker. There’s a free version, that gives you access to most of the tools, as well as a $5 a month for a year subscription. A subscription includes 24-7 tech support through which you can email, chat with, or talk to support staff. You can probably find individual products—and in some cases, more robust products—for each of the features in MacKeeper. But having all these tools under one roof makes for ease and convenience.  You can get MacKeeper here. Read our full MacKeeper review You may also like to consider: Cleanup Premium for Mac. $29.88/£24.99 a year.Disk Doctor, $2.99/£2.99 a year.Gemini 2, $19.95/£15.95 a year.Cleaner One Pro,$19.99 a year.Tuneup for Mac, $65.99/£54.99 a year. Cleaning and Data Recovery Software, Personal Software

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