Macs are just as prone to viruses and malware as Windows machines. In fact, there are viruses and malware that specifically target Macs with some attacking their new groovy new chips. If your machine does any of the following, you may have a virus and need to read on for how to clean up your Mac.
- Opens and closes apps and browsing tabs randomly.
- Your device freezes and crashes constantly. This obviously makes using your device impossible.
- Extensions or apps appear that you don’t remember installing.
- Slow performance. It starts to run like a Windows computer.
- It switches off when you don’t want it to.
Any of these could be a sign that your Mac has a virus or malware. To get rid of it, the easiest way is to install a dedicated virus and malware remover app. But how do you know the best ones when you find them?
This post will help.
How To Clean Up Your Mac
What to Consider When Choosing a Virus Mac Cleaner
There are several key elements to consider before choosing a Mac cleaner. The right choice will be easy to use and effective. A poor choice will be none of these things and possibly resource hungry too.
Take into account the following when choosing your product.
Real-Time Protection for Your Mac
The better Mac cleaners work in real-time providing constant protection for your Mac. Ones that don’t operate in real-time are vulnerable to hacking themselves, as malware and viruses deploy nefarious code to make them stop working. Your best bet is to use a cleaner that works in real-time.
Is the User Interface (UI) any Good?
If your cleaner of choice has poor UI you will find it bind rather than a joy to use. Navigation to the features you want should be simple and you should be able to get it to do what you want with a few clicks.
As well as being easy to use it should look presentable. The results, and what it is doing in the moment should be clear and easy to understand.
Optimises Performance
As well as a suite of antivirus and malware tools the better apps also provide comprehensive tools for keeping your Mac running smoothly. This can include cache removal tools which are always handy as outmoded cache files tend to wear your Mac down.
Free Trial
If you can find one that has a free trial so much the better. You can put the app through its paces to tell if it is the best Mac cleaner you can find.
It is worth noting that free virus and malware scanners are generally not as effective as their paid counterparts.
Fast Scan Time
When it comes to good virus and malware cleaners, the best ones scan your files pretty quickly. It may not be instant, but you don’t want your virus scanner running for half a day when it can be done and dusted in a fraction of the time.
When your Mac utilises these tools they take resources, so the sooner they have done what you want them to do the better.
Take these into account when choosing a good antivirus and malware tool.
For more information, contact Apple Support.
Keen tech writer outside of my day job in I.T. and spending time with my family.
