Fast, transparent, and native macOS system cleaner and app uninstaller.
Built with Swift 6 and SwiftUI. Moves files to Trash by default โ never silently destroys your data.
Scans 54 categories across 1,770 rule definitions for 251 apps and 66 developer toolchains using parallel actor-based disk traversal:
- Caches & Containers โ Browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc), messengers, system/WebKit caches, and dynamic Electron discovery.
- Developer Workspaces โ Xcode DerivedData & Simulators, Android SDK/Studio, JetBrains, VS Code, Cursor, Docker, and build artifacts (Rust
target, Gopkg, Python.venv, Nodenode_modules, Flutter/Dart). - System Maintenance โ APFS purgeable space, Time Machine local snapshots, Mail downloads, crash reports, QuickLook thumbnails, and DNS cache flushing.
- Leftovers & Junk โ Orphaned remnants,
.DS_Store,__MACOSX, broken symlinks, old DMGs/PKGs, large archives, and unused apps. - Local AI Models โ Detects cache/model directories from Ollama, Hugging Face, LM Studio, Jan, MLX, PyTorch, and Whisper.
Complete application removal with deep residual detection:
- 30 Evidence Types โ Correlates Bundle ID, Team ID, Spotlight metadata, Launch Services, and filesystem heuristics to find associated preferences, helpers, and caches.
- Privileged Uninstallation โ Removes root-owned apps from
/Applicationswith a single administrative authorization prompt. - Transparency ("Why this file?") โ Explains the exact forensic evidence behind every suggested residue file.
- Rollback Snapshots โ Stores pre-removal states to verify complete uninstallation and assist recovery.
Fast, zero-dependency duplicate scanner using a 3-stage validation pipeline:
- File size grouping
- 4 KB header checksum
- Full SHA-256 hash comparison with smart original selection
Visual directory explorer with breakdown by file types (Videos, Audio, Photos, Documents, Archives). Reveals items in Finder or moves them directly to Trash.
- Process Manager โ Live CPU, Memory, and Thread monitoring. One-click termination and force-quit with automatic protection for critical system daemons (
kernel_task,launchd,WindowServer). - Startup Services โ Manages user and system LaunchAgents/LaunchDaemons with vendor filtering, permission escalation, and safety locks.
- ๐ง Apple Intelligence (macOS 26+) โ On-device explanations powered by
FoundationModels. Operates completely offline to explain what specific caches, files, or processes do before you remove them. - ๐๏ธ Siri & App Intents โ Native Shortcuts support. Automate cleanup routines, check available disk space, or clean developer caches via voice or scheduled workflows.
- โจ Liquid Glass Interface โ Designed specifically for macOS 27 with native materials, activity rings, and full keyboard navigation (
โ,,โC,โF,โR). - ๐ 10 Languages โ Fully localized (English, Deutsch, ๆฅๆฌ่ช, Franรงais, ็ฎไฝไธญๆ, Italiano, Portuguรชs-BR, Espaรฑol, ะ ัััะบะธะน, ะฃะบัะฐัะฝััะบะฐ).
- 100% Offline & Private โ No telemetry, analytics, tracking, or remote logging.
- Trash First โ Files are moved to Trash via macOS
trashItem(at:)rather than permanently destroyed. - Fail-Closed System Boundaries โ Strict path filters protect
/System,/Library,/usr,/bin,~/.ssh, and SIP locations. - Symlink Protection โ Resolves and re-verifies destination paths before any file operation to prevent directory traversal or loop traps.
- Safe Network Footprint โ Only reaches the network for optional, user-initiated update checks against GitHub Releases API.
- Language: Swift 6 (Strict concurrency, actors, structured
TaskGroup) - UI: SwiftUI (
@Observable,NavigationSplitView, Charts, Liquid Glass) - Frameworks:
AppIntents,FoundationModels,CryptoKit,OSLog - Build System: XcodeGen (declarative
project.yml, zero.pbxprojmerge conflicts)
Prerequisites: macOS 26.0+, Xcode 18+, XcodeGen
# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/AlexTkDev/MacOSCleaner.git
cd MacOSCleaner/MacOSCleaner
# Generate Xcode project
xcodegen
# Open project
open MacOSCleaner.xcodeprojPress โR to build and run, or โU to execute tests.
App reported damaged / Gatekeeper warning:
sudo xattr -r -c /Applications/MacOSCleaner.appNote: This command removes extended security attributes (such as the Gatekeeper quarantine flag) set by macOS for unsigned or locally built applications. It is completely safe: it does not alter system files, grant persistent permissions, or modify the app's contents.
Viewing Application Logs:
Filter logs in Console.app using subsystem input.MacOSCleaner.
- ๐ฌ Discussions & Feature Requests: GitHub Discussions
- ๐ Issue Tracker: GitHub Issues
- ๐ Documentation: MacOSCleaner Wiki
Note: Contributions are subject to the project's Contributor License Agreement (CLA).
Building a native, privacy-first cleaner takes continuous maintenance and testing. If MacOS Cleaner helped you reclaim disk space, giving it a โญ๏ธ star on GitHub helps more Mac users discover a transparent, open-source alternative:
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Aleksandr (AlexTkDev) โ Indie macOS & iOS Developer
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Academic or research reference:
CITATION.cff
Dual-licensed under:
- GNU GPLv3 + Commons Clause v1.0 (Non-Commercial) for open-source use, personal study, and community distribution. Commercial resale or re-licensing is prohibited.
- Commercial License for enterprise or proprietary distribution. Contact the author for licensing inquiries.
Trademark Notice: The license does not grant permission to use the project name ("MacOSCleaner"), logos, or branding in derivative works.