CleanMyMac 3 Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to poke around — we’ve got answers for common questions about activation, license, compatibility, upgrades, and more.

• How can I activate my copy of CleanMyMac on another Mac?

  Generally, your activation number can only be used on one Mac at a time unless you have a license for multiple Macs. To upgrade your single license version to multiple Mac license, please contact Customer Support. 

  To transfer your license to a different Mac, you need to deactivate CleanMyMac first:

  1. Launch CleanMyMac 3.
  2. Click CleanMyMac 3 in your menu bar and choose Activation Info.
  3. Then, click Deactivate License in the dialog that pops up. 

  If you've already removed the app or do not have access to the computer anymore, please refer to our License Retrieval system. Detailed instructions are here.

  After CleanMyMac has been deactivated, it can be installed and activated on the Mac of your choice with your original activation number.
  

  If you encounter problems while deactivating and reactivating your license, please contact our Customer Support for assistance.

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• What if I lost my activation number?

  If you lost your activation number and can’t find it in your inbox, take advantage of our License Retrieval feature. 

  If that doesn’t help, please contact us via this form.

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• What if my activation number doesn’t work?

  First, make sure that the activation number is entered correctly. For example, you could accidentally copy & paste it with spaces or other invisible symbols. However, if the app informs you that the activation code is already used, you can try our License Retrieval feature to get the number and reset earlier activations. Here are detailed instructions. 

  License Retrieval also comes in useful when you can't find your activation number.
  

  If none of these help, please contact our Support Team.

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• What macOS versions is CleanMyMac 3 compatible with?

  CleanMyMac 3 works on the Mac operating systems 10.9-10.14 and will not open on any other OS versions. Read more in this article.

  If you want to run CleanMyMac on the latest macOS versions, like Ventura, consider CleanMyMac X. You'll discover many cool brand-new features and a fantastic design!
  

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• How do I disable cleanup reminders from CleanMyMac 3?

  Open CleanMyMac 3 and choose CleanMyMac 3 menu > Preferences > Scheduler tab. Then, choose "Never" from the list of reminder options. 

  If you've already upgraded to macOS Catalina and can't launch CleanMyMac 3, choose the Apple menu > System Preferences, and then click Notifications. Find CleanMyMac 3 Scheduler in the list of applications and click on "Allow Notifications from CleanMyMac3 Scheduler" to disable reminders. 

  That's it, you won't get any cleanup reminders from CleanMyMac 3.

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• What are the system requirements for CleanMyMac 3?

  CleanMyMac 3 requires a Mac operating system 10.9-10.14, so the latest supported version is macOS 10.14 Mojave. If you want to run CleanMyMac on the latest macOS editions, consider CleanMyMac X — the latest version in the CleanMyMac family.

  To operate CleanMyMac 3, you'll need around 60 MB of free space on a hard drive and an Intel processor (M1 and M2 are not supported).

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• How do I download and install CleanMyMac 3?

  You can download CleanMyMac 3 on this page.

  You'll be prompted to save the download file. When your download is completed, you will be asked to drag the app into the applications folder. After you have done this, CleanMyMac 3 is ready for use.

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• Do I need CleanMyMac 3 if there's Storage Optimization available in macOS 10.12 Sierra?

  CleanMyMac 3 app perfectly complements Optimized Storage from Apple. When equipped with both, you get maximum free space and you can be sure every corner of your Mac is junk-free. While Apple's Optimized Storage works for system applications, CleanMyMac is doing more and optimizes the whole Mac.

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• How do I upgrade to a CleanMyMac 3 multiple computer license?

  As MacPaw no longer sells CleanMyMac 3 after April 19, 2023, upgrading your license is not available either. Read more about the cease of development for CleanMyMac 3.
  
  However, you can upgrade from CleanMyMac 3 to the newest CleanMyMac X at a 50% discount, and choose a plan or a subscription for 2 or 5 computers! Learn how to upgrade to CleanMyMac X in this article.

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• What are the limitations of the CleanMyMac 3 trial version?

  The trial version of CleanMyMac 3 scans your Mac entirely but only allows you to clean up to 500 MB of unnecessary files on your Mac. Also, it provides only basic utilities functionality and runs a limited number of scripts. However, you can use secure removal feature of the Shredder module, monitor your Mac's health via CleanMyMac 3 Menu, or clean up RAM without any limitations.

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• Why do I get the “Could not connect” or “Internal service error” message when I try to activate CleanMyMac 3?

  This message is usually displayed when CleanMyMac 3 is unable to connect to the server for activation. The point is, it needs to connect to the server to verify the activation key. However, sometimes CleanMyMac 3 can be blocked from connecting by a firewall or other Internet security solutions. 

  If you have received this error, please make sure CleanMyMac 3 is not being blocked by any security solutions. If you are sure it's not, please try connecting to a different network for activation. Sometimes network security settings can block the connection.

  If you are still experiencing problems, please contact MacPaw Customer Support via this link.

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• Can I upgrade to CleanMyMac 3 from previous CleanMyMac versions?

  Unfortunately, no. Since April, 19, 2023, MacPaw no longer sells, updates, or develops CleanMyMac 3. Any upgrades are also suspended.

  However, we recommend upgrading to the latest version in the CleanMyMac family — CleanMyMac X. If you have a license for any earlier CleanMyMac version, you can upgrade at a 50% discount. See more details in the article about upgrading.

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• Is CleanMyMac 3 safe to use?

  CleanMyMac 3 differs from other cleaners because of its simplicity and safety. In particular, CleanMyMac 3 has the Safety Database that has been regularly updated during the past 5 years. If you would like to read more about what makes CleanMyMac 3 safe, click here.

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• How exactly does Photo Junk work?

  The Photo Junk module scans your Photos library (or iPhoto, if you haven’t upgraded to Photos yet) to remove useless junk only. In Photos, it’s iCloud local copies, Faces cache, and other app-related cache. In iPhoto, it’s invisible original versions of files that were automatically or manually modified. For instance, if you imported a photo from your camera and then rotated and cropped it, iPhoto will keep an unrotated, uncropped copy of it as a backup. You can remove these unnecessary files to decrease the size of your photo library significantly.

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• What is CleanMyMac 3 Menu?

  The Menu gives you quick access to useful features of CleanMyMac 3 and lets you monitor your Mac’s health. For example, you can launch CleanMyMac 3, free up RAM, get hardware alerts, and empty Trash. Read more about the CleanMyMac 3 Menu here.

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• Are there any educational discounts available?

  Since April 19, 2023, MacPaw no longer sells, updates, or develops CleanMyMac 3. The educational or any other discount are no longer applicable. Learn more about the cease of development in this article.

  But if you decide to purchase CleanMyMac X, the latest version in the CleanMyMac family, a 30% student discount is available. You can read more and apply for a discount here.

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• I want to buy another copy of CleanMyMac 3. What can I do?

  As MacPaw no longer sells CleanMyMac 3 after April 19, 2023, additional licenses are not sold either.

  However, you can upgrade from CleanMyMac 3 to the newest CleanMyMac X at a 50% discount, and choose a plan or a subscription for 2 or 5 computers! Learn how to upgrade to CleanMyMac X in this article.

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• What is MacPaw's Upgrade Policy for existing customers?

  We would love to give out free upgrades to everyone, however, we cannot afford doing so. We put a lot of time, effort, and resources into each and every update, so by purchasing them, you support us in improving our products. In short, unfortunately, we can’t offer you a free upgrade, but we’re happy to offer it at 50% off, as a thank-you from all of us here at MacPaw.

  Learn how to upgrade to CleanMyMac X in this article.

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• Can I return my CleanMyMac 3 license and get my money back?

  Yes, you can. For more details, please refer to our Refund Policy. 

  We will be grateful if you let us know why you've decided not to use the application further before you uninstall it. This will help us improve CleanMyMac for you and other users. To leave your comment, you can also reach our Customer Support.

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• Where can I download CleanMyMac 2?

  You may have noticed CleanMyMac 2 can no longer be found on our site. That’s because we have replaced it with CleanMyMac 3. We truly loved the CleanMyMac 2 app, but we believe that CleanMyMac 3 is so much better.

  For all users who would like to continue using CleanMyMac 2, FAQ and Knowledge Base sections remain available on the MacPaw website. We also continue to provide support to users who have decided to keep using CleanMyMac 2.

  You can download the last version of CleanMyMac 2 on this page. However, in order to keep improving the services and products we provide to the Mac community, only CleanMyMac X is available for sale now.

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