5 Simple Steps to Keep Your Mac Free of Junk Files

MacBooks are faster than Windows as they do not keep a lot of clutter. MacOS is also secure to use as it has a lot of inbuilt security features. While using your Mac regularly, you may end up cluttering your MacBook with a lot of junk files, temp files, cache, cookies, and other clutter. Unlike every device, MacBook also requires regular maintenance and cleanup.

There are a few inbuilt utilities that can help you declutter your MacBook. You can free up junk files, and clean your Mac by following a few simple steps however you may not attain 100% accuracy in removing unwanted data. You will need to use one of the Best CleanMyMac Alternatives to remove all the junk files and optimize your Mac to give its best. Let’s explore the manual steps first!

1. Uninstall Unused Applications

Unused applications may take up a lot of space on your Mac. You can quickly check all the installed applications and uninstall the ones you no longer use.

Step 1. Click on the Finder app and select the Applications option.

Step 2. Identify apps that you no longer use.

Step 3. Right-click on the App icon and click on the ‘Move to Trash’ option.

Step 4. Confirm the selection and enter the login credentials if prompted.

Step 5. Follow the same for all other apps you wish to remove from your Mac.

2. Delete Cache and Junk Files

Just by uninstalling unwanted applications, you won’t be able to declutter your Mac as the redundant app clutter and other junk will still be available on your Mac. You will need to explore different folders to clear the junk files manually.

Step 1. Click on the ‘Go to Folder’ option in the Go menu right on the Finder bar.

Step 2. Type ~/Library/Caches address on the Go to Folder bar and hit the Enter key.

Step 3. Go to the app folder from where you wish to delete the Cache files.

Step 4. Select the files that need to be deleted and hit the Delete key. This will remove all the cache files from the selected folder. Do this with all the app folders that you have uninstalled. Don’t forget to remove the cache files permanently from the Trash Bin.

Step 5. Access the same Go to Folder Window again and declutter temp files and junk files from other folders on your Mac. You can access the folder locations to declutter space on your Mac.

~/Library/Logs

~/Library/Caches

~/Library/Preferences

~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/

~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/

~/Library/Saved Application State/

~/Library/Application Support                             

~/Library/Containers

~/Library/Cookies

3. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

As you browse any website, it saves the cache files to reopen the page quickly. You can clear your browser cache and cookies with the below steps to clean your Mac space. This is one of the best tips to clean Mac space and declutter junk files.

Step 1. Open the Safari app to access its preferences and settings on your Mac.

Step 2. Click on the Safari menu on the Apple bar and select Preferences.

Step 3. Click on the Advanced tab on the Settings window on the top.

Step 4. Put a check on the checkbox that says ‘Show Develop menu in the menu bar’ at the bottom.

Step 5. You will be able to find the Developer menu on the Apple bar. Click on the ‘Empty Cache’ option and all the cache files, cookies, and junk files will be removed from your Mac.

4. Clear Trash Bin and Restart Your Mac

Now that you have cleared a lot of clutter, these files are still residing in your Trash Bin. You will need to empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete these files and regain storage space on your Mac. This will free up junk files and clean your Mac to make room for upcoming files.

Step 1. Double-click on the Trash icon on the desktop or click on the Trash icon on the Dock.

Step 2. Press the Control key and click on the file you wish to delete.

Step 3. Click on the Empty button on the top ribbon of the Trash window. You can also go to the Finder icon, click on the Finder menu and select Empty Trash.

Step 4. Click on Empty Trash again to confirm the selection and clean your Mac from Trash files. Restart your Mac to implement changes and give it a fresh start.

5. Use the Best Mac Cleaner

The best Mac cleaner can automate the process to clean your Mac and free up junk files. There are dozens of Mac cleaner utilities available over the web. We have tried, tested, compared, and reviewed the best utilities and listed Best Mac Cleaners for your Mac. CleanMyMac X is one of our best Mac cleaners, however you can also look for the Best CleanMyMac Alternatives for Your Mac.

The Best Mac Cleaner comes with multiple built-in utilities to perform overall optimization on your Mac. This is one of the best tips to clean Mac storage space automatically. You can clear system junk, temp files, cache, cookies, Trash Bin, email attachments, and more. It can automatically optimize your Mac and perform maintenance. It helps you uninstall or update applications while deleting large files, old files, and confidential files using the shredder app.

Final Words

This article on 5 simple steps to keep your Mac free of Junk Files has the best tweaks to clean your Mac space and free up junk files. These are the best tips to clean Mac junk and regain storage space on Mac. The best Mac cleaner is CleanMyMac X however you can always look for CleanMyMac alternatives. Free up junk files and keep your Mac as good as new!