Even if you’re not juggling the tools of a pro app developer, website wizard, Picasso in the making, UI/UX maestro, music composer, or video editing virtuoso, it doesn’t mean your Mac won’t become a hoarder of digital junk. This clutter isn’t just a memory muncher; it’s also the slowpoke responsible for putting the brakes on your beloved Mac’s performance over time.
Think this doesn’t concern you if you’re all about browsers, messengers, and email? Let me debunk that myth in the simplest way. The real question is, what are you going to do with all that digital mess? It doesn’t magically disappear, and, in fact, it tends to grow. We’re not just talking about app cache; there are also leftover files that linger even after you’ve sent an app packing from your Mac. Ever thought that dragging an app icon to the trash takes care of all its related files? Let me show you with the example of the universally known Xcode—every iOS developer’s trusty sidekick.
Here’s how much space the Xcode app takes on your Mac:
And now, behold the app with all its digital baggage:
If you simply chuck Xcode’s icon into the trash, you’re bidding farewell to only about 6 GB, while the rest continues its residency in the Developer folder. Sure, you can manually evict that folder and hunt down other file squatters, but there’s a chance you might accidentally evict the wrong file, leading to major Mac malfunctions. BuhoCleaner however, swoops in like a digital superhero, automatically solving these problems within a few seconds.
Let’s conduct a little experiment. I’ll kick one of my apps to the curb using the traditional method—dragging it to the trash. First, let’s check its size in System Settings: 3.3 MB.
Now, in BuhoCleaner, we’ll see its size along with all its digital entourage: 15.2 MB. That’s more than three times the app itself.
Now, drag it to the trash.
Next, we’ll open BuhoCleaner and scan for apps. Hold on a second. BuhoCleaner can’t spot the remaining files… Well, I’ve already reported this to their developer squad, and they promised a fix soon.
Anyway, imagine the myriad of digital junk that sticks around on your Mac after every conventional delete. It starts with megabytes, then gigabytes. No wonder over time, many Macs start to move at a snail’s pace or throw errors. All thanks to these pointless files.
Complete app eviction is just the tip of the iceberg for BuhoCleaner. As a developer and designer, I need a front-row seat to the latest version of my developing site. Saved history and cookie files can easily sabotage this. Sure, you could manually hit delete on everything, but what if you’re juggling multiple browsers like I am?
Speaking of iOS app development, Apple has undoubtedly pimped out Xcode in the last 3 years. However, issues arise when outdated Derived Data and archives pile up, requiring a digital spring cleaning. Plus, why hang on to those gigabytes of cache and old archives? If you prefer the hands-on approach, welcome to System Settings > General > Storage > Developer.
Every app generates cache and temporary files; some just have more digital dust bunnies than others. While you can manually tidy up part of Xcode’s mess using the aforementioned method, other apps won’t let you do the same. Enter BuhoCleaner, the ultimate digital decluttering guru.
Let’s run a quick diagnostic and see how much mess various apps have created after three days of usage in my digital playground.
Impressive, huh? I even haven’t included Purgeable Space.
With this amount of clutter, you’d need an eternity to clear even a fraction of it.
I’ve listed the main BuhoCleaner features I personally wield. Don’t forget about all the other goodies. For instance, this app conveniently includes a search for big files. There’s a duplicate detective, plus the ability to manage Startup Items.
The ToolKit, in general, is a treasure trove of capabilities. For example, you can survey the entire disk. Once, a massive video file got stuck in my memory—I was screen recording and forgot to hit save. Hence, it lingered in memory, but MacBook Pro’s default tools couldn’t spot it. Enter Disk Space Analyzer in ToolKit, a true hero in this digital tale.
ToolKit also boasts Shredder, which permanently disposes of files, ensuring no one can ever resurrect them. A useful tool if you’re keen on keeping your files private even after deletion. It’s also handy for dealing with files that refuse to leave the scene through conventional means.
Free Up RAM does exactly what it says on the tin—it liberates RAM, releasing processes that are no longer needed by the system. Use it if you’re facing performance issues, text input delays, or applications and web pages taking an eternity to load.
Reindex Spotlight—here, I think explanations are redundant. Use this function if your Mac’s search yields nada or if Spotlight seems to be acting strangely.
Flush DNS Cache—only use it when necessary, like when websites won’t load or you’re having internet connection woes. In all other cases, it’s best left untouched.
By the way, BuhoCleaner can add an icon to your toolbar, saving you the trouble of opening the app to clear RAM. In the toolbar, you’ll also have real-time information about your Mac—keeping you in the know without lifting a digital finger.
