How to Get CleanMyMac X on the App Store

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To get CleanMyMac from the Mac App Store, open the App Store on your Mac, search for CleanMyMac, click Get, then click Open. To start the free trial or buy it, click Unlock Full Version in the app and choose Try 7 Days Free or Buy Now. The App Store now lists the app as CleanMyMac, with MacPaw as the developer. CleanMyMac X is the name of the earlier version, so you will not find a separate listing with the X in it.

MacPaw, the company that makes the app, documents these steps in Install and activate CleanMyMac. The same page notes that the App Store edition has slightly different features from the copy sold on MacPaw’s own store, so it is worth reading the comparison below before you pay.

What You Need Before You Start

• A Mac running macOS Big Sur 11 or later. The App Store listing gives macOS 11.0 as the minimum, and CleanMyMac does not work with macOS Catalina 10.15 or earlier. To check your version, click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen and choose About This Mac.
• An Apple Account that is signed in to the App Store. This is the account formerly called an Apple ID. Downloads and in-app purchases are tied to it.
• A payment method on your Apple Account if you plan to start the trial or buy. The download itself is free.
• A little free storage. The App Store listing shows the app’s current download size, which was about 152 MB when this article was updated.

CleanMyMac on the Mac App Store is a Mac app only. MacPaw publishes separate apps for iPhone, so do not expect this listing to appear in the App Store on an iPhone or iPad.

How to Download CleanMyMac From the Mac App Store

1. Open the App Store app on your Mac. It is in the Dock by default, and you can also find it in the Applications folder.
2. Type CleanMyMac in the search field at the top-left of the App Store window and press Return.
3. Click CleanMyMac in the results to open its page. Check that the developer is MacPaw (shown as MacPaw Way Ltd) before you continue, because other cleaning apps use similar names.
4. Click Get. If the App Store asks, confirm with your Apple Account password or Touch ID.
5. Wait for the download to finish, then click Open.

Result: CleanMyMac is installed in your Applications folder and opens for the first time. Apple’s Get apps in the App Store on Mac guide covers the same search, Get and download steps for any app. If you would rather skip the search, go straight to CleanMyMac on the Mac App Store.

At this point you have not paid for anything. Until you start a trial or buy a plan, most features stay locked, which is why the next section matters.

How to Start the Free Trial or Activate the App Store Version

Before you click: a free trial bought through the App Store turns into a paid plan on its own. The App Store listing says that after the 7-day trial you are charged automatically for the plan you selected. If you only want to try the app, plan to cancel before the trial ends (the steps are further down).

1. In CleanMyMac, click Unlock Full Version in the upper-right corner of the app window. You can also choose CleanMyMac > Activate from the menu bar.
2. To try it first, click Try 7 Days Free. The trial unlocks all of the app’s features and tools. This option does not appear if you have already used your trial.
3. To pay right away instead, click Buy Now, pick a plan, and approve the purchase with your Apple Account.
4. If you already bought CleanMyMac on the App Store and the app did not detect it, click Restore Purchase in the upper-right corner of the dialog.

Result: CleanMyMac unlocks its features for the trial or your purchase. The App Store edition does not ask you to sign in with a MacPaw Account; that sign-in step belongs to the MacPaw Store edition. Your purchase is linked to your Apple Account instead.

The App Store listing describes Basic and Plus plans, each offered as a yearly subscription or a one-time purchase. Plan names and prices can change and differ by country, so rely on what the purchase dialog shows on your Mac. A subscription renews automatically and includes upgrades to future major versions. A one-time purchase has no expiration date, but it only covers updates to the current major version.

App Store vs. MacPaw Store vs. Setapp

CleanMyMac is sold in three places, and the copy you get is not identical in each. MacPaw’s Choose your marketplace page compares them. Here is a summary of what MacPaw documents:

Detail	App Store	MacPaw Store	Setapp
Billed by	Apple, through your Apple Account	MacPaw	Setapp subscription
One-time purchase	Yes	Yes	No
Free trial	7 days	7 days	7 days
Number of Macs	Macs associated with your Apple Account	Plans for 1, 2 or 5 Macs	Plans for 1 or 4 Macs
Features	Some features adjusted or left out	Full set	Full set

Prices depend on the plan, the number of devices and your country, so check the current price in the store you choose. Setapp is a subscription service, also from MacPaw, that bundles many Mac apps for one fee. If that sounds useful, read our review of the Setapp subscription service.

If you would rather have the MacPaw Store edition, you can also get CleanMyMac directly from MacPaw.

What the App Store Edition Leaves Out

Apple’s review rules limit the system privileges an App Store app can have. MacPaw explains that it had to adjust, change or restrict some features for that reason, and adds that this does not mean those features are unsafe. Its feature availability page lists every difference. Examples it marks as unavailable in the App Store edition include:

• Some System Junk groups: system cache files, system log files, language files, iOS device backups and universal binaries. User cache files, user log files, mail attachments and Trash cleanup are still included.
• Most maintenance tasks in the Performance section, such as flushing the DNS cache, freeing up RAM, reindexing Spotlight and thinning Time Machine snapshots.
• Updates for App Store apps and macOS in the Updater. Use the App Store app and System Settings for those.
• Some privacy items, including Safari data, the Wi-Fi networks list and application permissions.
• The Protection Monitor and malware detection alerts in the menu bar tool. The Malware Removal scan itself is available in every edition.

The uninstaller, large and old file finder, duplicate finder, Space Lens and Cloud Cleanup are listed as available in all three editions. If one of the missing features is the reason you want the app, the MacPaw Store or Setapp edition is the better fit. If you mainly want simple Apple billing and one purchase that covers your own Macs, the App Store edition does that.

How to Cancel the Trial or Subscription

MacPaw’s Cancel subscription page gives these steps for App Store purchases:

1. Open the App Store app.
2. Click your name in the lower-left corner, then click Account Settings.
3. Scroll to the Manage section and click Manage next to Subscriptions.
4. Click the CleanMyMac subscription.
5. Click Cancel Subscription and confirm.

Result: the subscription will not renew. The app stays fully functional until the end of the current paid period, and then most features lock until you subscribe again. Apple’s Cancel a subscription from Apple article recommends canceling a trial at least 24 hours before it ends if you do not want it to renew.

Two things to remember. Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription; Apple states this plainly in its uninstall instructions. And you cancel App Store purchases with Apple, not in a MacPaw Account, because Apple is the one billing you.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find CleanMyMac X in the App Store

Search for CleanMyMac without the X. The listing was renamed when MacPaw released the new version, and people who bought CleanMyMac X from the App Store receive the new app as an automatic update. Also make sure you are searching the App Store on a Mac, not on an iPhone or iPad.

The Get button is missing or the app won’t download

If you see a download (cloud) button or Open instead of Get, the app was downloaded with your Apple Account before or is already installed. If the listing says the app is not compatible, check your macOS version: it must be macOS 11 or later. If nothing happens when you click Get, click Sign In at the bottom of the App Store sidebar and sign in to your Apple Account.

Try 7 Days Free does not appear

The trial option is hidden once you have used your trial. You can still click Buy Now.

My purchase isn’t recognized

Click Unlock Full Version, then Restore Purchase. Make sure the App Store is signed in to the same Apple Account that made the purchase. A license bought from the MacPaw Store is a separate purchase; it activates the MacPaw Store edition through a MacPaw Account sign-in, and the App Store activation dialog has no option for it.

A feature I read about is missing

That is most likely one of the App Store edition differences described above. If your copy lacks features mentioned on its website, it is probably because you have the App Store edition.

CleanMyMac asks for access to folders or the disk

Cleaning tools need permission from macOS before they can scan protected locations, and CleanMyMac will prompt you when it needs it. MacPaw’s help pages explain the Full Disk Access permission and how to turn it on in System Settings > Privacy & Security. You can turn that permission off again in the same place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CleanMyMac free on the App Store?

The download is free, and the App Store lists in-app purchases. The free 7-day trial unlocks the features, then a paid plan starts automatically unless you cancel. Without a trial or plan, most features are locked.

Is CleanMyMac the same as CleanMyMac X?

No. CleanMyMac X is the earlier version. The App Store listing is now called CleanMyMac, and MacPaw’s current support pages use that name. A one-time CleanMyMac X purchase from the App Store can use the new app, but some newer features, such as My Clutter, Space Lens or Cloud Cleanup, may need a separate purchase.

Can I use the App Store version on more than one Mac?

Yes. The App Store edition can be installed and used on all Mac computers associated with your Apple Account. On another Mac, sign in to the App Store with the same account, download CleanMyMac, and use Restore Purchase if the app does not unlock by itself.

How do I uninstall CleanMyMac if I change my mind?

Cancel any subscription first. Then quit the app, open the Applications folder in the Finder, and drag CleanMyMac to the Trash, as Apple describes in Delete or uninstall apps on Mac. You can download it again later from the App Store with the same Apple Account.

Do I need CleanMyMac to free up space on my Mac?

No. macOS has its own storage tools, and whether to add a third-party cleaner is your choice. See how to delete junk files on a MacBook Air for the built-in options. You can also password-protect a folder on your Mac if you are tidying up private files.

Next Step

Install the app from the App Store, start the 7-day trial, and set a reminder for day five or six. That leaves time to decide whether to keep the plan or cancel it in Account Settings before Apple charges you.