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When making the big move to a new OS, it always takes time to settle in and learn the ropes. Switching from Windows to macOS is not an exception. While these operating systems obviously don’t share interface similarities, they branch even more under the hood. In other words, it’s not just lack of Start Screen and Menu and touchpad scrolling in reverse. When opening Command Prompt in Windows, you enter DOS commands to get around, on macOS, however, it’s Unix commands that you need to use. Such distinct changes affect the way you interact with your computer and the way you approach its maintenance.
Windows vs macOS: How to Clean Registry on Mac
On PC, registry is where the information about your settings and preferences is stored. This refers to all settings for third party programs as well as Windows operating system itself. Often, numerous installations and uninstallations lead to registry entries becoming broken or outdated. The broken registry then results in error messages popping up in specific programs. Windows even features built-in tools to help fix such errors. The tools can be used through Command Prompt (Admin) by typing specific commands.
On the other hand, macOS has and needs no registry. It is based on Unix and manages third-party parameters and settings by keeping them in Mac Preference Files, which come in .plist format. Some of the preference files can be found within application’s contents. To access the file, go to Finder>Applications and Right Click the app of your choice, choose Show Package Contents.
Despite the differences in format and name, Mac preference files are also subject to corruption. To fix the corrupted .plist file you will have to delete it from your Mac. This allows the application to rebuild the default file and lets you set new preferences from scratch. The app needs to be relaunched in order to re-create the file.
Note: If you are tinkering with system preferences, you will need to fully restart your Mac so it can rebuild the missing preference files.
Access Preferences by opening Finder window and pressing Shift+⌘+G. In the popped up Go to the folder window paste ~/Library/Preferences and hit Go. This is where all user specific Preference files are stored.
Note: Follow the same steps to the directory /Library/Preferences (without the tilde ~) to get to the preferences set for all local users.
To make finding the correct file easier, set Show Items to “in a list” and use Search to sort out unneeded files. Applications’ .plist files normally follow the same naming pattern — com.company.application.plist, where company is the vendor and application shares the name of the program. Use that to you advantage to speed up the process of locating the right preference file even further, beware of the exceptions though.
Most applications will have the exact name of the app within the name of a .plist file. Make sure to eliminate the spaces. Once you have found the files you need — drag them to Trash and launch the corresponding application to rebuilt the default preference file. Don’t forget to make a backup copy and keep it until you are sure that the application works as intended and .plist files are rebuilt.
Preferences/Registry Cleaner for Mac
While we have already established, that Apple computers don’t have a registry, and, therefore, don’t need a cleaner, it’s important to stay away from any freeware apps (or paid ones for that matter) that claim to do the job. Applications that promise to provide registry cleanup for MacBook will do you no good and should be avoided.
Moreover, take Preferences cleaning utilities with a grain of salt as well. Preferences should not be removed on regular basis, but rather only when you start experiencing specific issues with an app. In such cases, it’s best to look up information online regarding the preference files that need to be reset. Alternatively, you can locate the needed preference file yourself by following the tips above. Make sure to create backup copies to prevent potential consequences of the trial and error method.
The short answer is no.
The long answer is that Macs don’t have a registry since macOS is based on FreeBSD, an operating system that is very different from Windows OSs. Hence why most Mac cleaners focus on deleting cache files, unused programs, hoarded junk data, logs and many more.
However, there are plenty of other features that can be found in both PC and Mac optimization software, such as file shredder, deep (and scheduled) scans, a program uninstaller, add-on manager and a startup optimizer that turns off as many programs as you want to speed up the startup process. Some solutions are also capable of optimizing your computer’s memory and grant safer web browsing by wiping your internet history and cookies clean, and even provide antivirus and antimalware features.
More advanced software will take care of the automatic updates of other programs, restore files that were once deemed deleted, create backups for you, and can even monitor your computer for junk files in real-time so you are able to take countermeasures when necessary. Sometimes there is even the option to use a remote desktop function, whereby a trained technician takes control of your device (under your supervision, of course) to deal with the cleanup for you – which is a huge asset for less tech-savvy users.
ShredderStartup OptimizerMemory OptimizationRemote Assistance
Optimizing Startup Items in CCleaner
Remote Assistance in MacKeeper
Unfortunately, there are very few companies that actually develop the same (or at least similar) optimization products for PCs and Macs. In fact, Mac products are usually inferior compared to PC registry cleaners due to the fact that they include fewer features. Not to mention the fact that the overall better reliability of Macs and a greater versatility of built-in junk removal options means there is less demand for software to deal with this problem. While the Mac userbase is growing and Apple is eating away market share from Windows, the number of Mac users is still far below that of the PC, which makes it more tempting for software developers to create software for the Windows ecosystem.
Out of the many Mac optimizers we have tested there is one case where the Mac version is better than its PC counterpart: MacPaw’s CleanMyMac. While the PC version CleanMyPC is almost equally good, the Mac software is the most complete solution MacPaw has in store. Piriform on the other hand first came out with the PC version of their CCleaner software, and later on Mac users got to enjoy the software for their operating system of choice as well. While CCleaner is a well-rounded solution, it’s not on par with the PC version just yet.