PureMac 2.0 was recently released. As a free system cleaning tool specially built for macOS, it takes "completely offline operation" and "open source code auditability" as its core selling points, and focuses on the system maintenance concept of transparency and privacy priority. The project is open source and anyone can view the code, thereby strengthening the foundation of trust in user privacy protection and avoiding the hidden worries of common cleaning software collecting data or uploading information in the background.
Similar to traditional system cleaning tools, PureMac provides cache and log cleaning functions, and further supports complete application uninstallation and residual file removal. It attempts to replace commercial products such as CleanMyMac in a simple and practical way, while completely canceling the subscription mode and background networking behavior. The official positioning of this tool is as a "pure macOS cleaner", emphasizing the completion of daily maintenance without sacrificing privacy and performance.
In terms of functions, PureMac integrates "smart scanning", which allows users to conduct comprehensive scans of various cleaning projects with one click. System garbage cleaning covers system cache, logs and temporary files; on the user side, it includes application cache and browser data to facilitate the release of occupied space. At the same time, it also supports cleaning downloaded email attachments, emptying files in multiple trash cans, and scanning "large and old files" that exceed 100 MB or have been stored for more than a year, providing users with a more intuitive space management method.
For macOS features, PureMac supports the release of APFS purgeable space (including Time Machine snapshots), helping to reclaim disk space occupied by system mechanisms but no longer necessary for users. For developer users, the tool adds an Xcode junk cleaning option, which can delete derived data, archive files, and simulator caches. It also supports Homebrew download cache cleaning, and provides a special solution for long-term accumulation problems in the development environment.
To facilitate the automation of routine maintenance, PureMac offers a scheduled cleanup feature that allows users to schedule automatic scans at custom intervals. With "Automatic clearing of purgeable space", the system can regularly clear unnecessary files in the background according to set rules, achieving continuous maintenance without frequent manual intervention. Before performing the actual deletion operation, users can use the "click to view" function to accurately review the files and directories to be removed, ensuring that the cleaning process is visible and controllable.
The developer stresses that the tool is "100% free," with no trial, paid premium, or subscription tiers, and promises to be "100% private," with no built-in analytics, telemetry, or any network requests. PureMac is developed natively using SwiftUI without Electron or web shells, striving to maintain a native experience in interface and performance. It is open sourced under the MIT license, and users are encouraged to audit the code and perform secondary development on their own.
In terms of security, PureMac has been signed and notarized by Apple Developer ID, and normal operation will not trigger warning prompts from macOS Gatekeeper. The latest version is released as a universal binary and supports both Intel processors and Apple Silicon chips, providing a unified installation package for Mac devices of different generations.
This updated version 2.0 is a major feature iteration. The new "Application Uninstaller" works through heuristic file matching and supports multi-level matching to identify application-related configuration, cache and residual files, thereby achieving a more thorough uninstallation effect. At the same time, the "orphan file search" function can scan the files and directories left in the system due to incomplete uninstallation, helping users clean up the "tail" caused by historical uninstallation.
In addition to the graphical interface, PureMac also adds command line tools that support the execution of commands such as puremac scan, puremac list, and puremac disk-info through the terminal, so that users who are accustomed to the command line can incorporate them into scripts or automated processes. When running for the first time, the software provides a guided process to guide the user to complete the "Full Disk Access" permission setting to ensure the integrity of subsequent scanning and cleaning ranges. The interface fully adopts native SwiftUI, follows the system's light and dark modes, does not use custom gradients or complex visual effects, and adapts to the overall look and feel of macOS in a simple style.
In terms of security design, developers mentioned that PureMac has added a protection mechanism against symbolic link attacks and added a confirmation dialog box before key operations to reduce the risk of accidental deletion or exploitation by malicious paths. The software is preset with more than 120 search paths, 25 matching rules for specific applications, and provides 3 sensitivity levels, allowing users to choose between "cleaning intensity" and "safety margin" based on risk preferences.
PureMac is currently available for download as free software for macOS users. The installation package is only 824 KB in size and is maintained by developer Moamen Basel. For Mac users who have higher requirements for privacy and transparency and want to replace the commercial cleaning software subscription model, a new lightweight, open source and zero-cost option is provided.
Download address:
https://github.com/momenbasel/PureMac/releases/tag/v2.0.0