CleanMyMac X and CleanMyMac are two different apps from the same product line. CleanMyMac X is the older version, released in 2018. In October 2024 MacPaw launched a redesigned app and dropped the X from the name, so the current one is simply called CleanMyMac. According to MacPaw, the new app was rebuilt rather than renamed. It needs macOS 11 or later, and MacPaw says macOS 26 Tahoe is the last macOS version CleanMyMac X officially supports. An old X license does not turn into the new app on its own. What you can do with it depends on where and how you bought it.
First, where we stand: Appicker is an authorized MacPaw reseller and sells codes for the current CleanMyMac, so we gain if you buy the new version. We have not run the two versions side by side. The version differences and the license rules below come from MacPaw's own documentation, with a link for each.
Are CleanMyMac and CleanMyMac X the same app?
No. 9to5Mac reported that CleanMyMac X launched in 2018, and that MacPaw released a new CleanMyMac in October 2024 with a new design and modules such as Smart Care and My Clutter, requiring macOS 11 or later. MacPaw's own comparison article is blunter: the new app was rebuilt from the ground up to work with how macOS behaves today, not renamed.
This is why many articles, tutorials and screenshots you find online describe X. The interface they show may not match the app you have now.
What changed in the new CleanMyMac?
According to MacPaw's comparison article, the main change is that tools that used to be separate are now grouped by task:
- One-click check: X has Smart Scan (junk, threats, speed). The new app has Smart Care, which runs five routines in one scan: junk, threats, performance, updates and duplicate downloads.
- Cleanup: system junk, mail attachments and the Trash were separate modules in X. The new app has one Cleanup tool.
- Security: malware removal and privacy were separate in X. The new app has one Protection tool, which also covers application permissions.
- Applications: the uninstaller and the updater were separate in X. They are combined in Applications, which can also remove leftover app installers.
- Large files: X has Large & Old Files and Space Lens. The new app has My Clutter (large files, duplicates, similar images, downloads), and Space Lens stays.
- New: Cloud Cleanup connects to services such as iCloud Drive, Google Drive and OneDrive to manage synced files.
- One item removed: MacPaw notes that there is no Free Up RAM option on Apple silicon Macs. You manage memory from the menu bar tool instead.
These are MacPaw's own descriptions, and we did not verify each item ourselves.
Does CleanMyMac X still work?
MacPaw says it has ended active development of CleanMyMac X for future macOS versions. Per MacPaw's comparison article (the vendor's own statement), macOS Tahoe 26 is the last macOS version CleanMyMac X officially supports. Existing X licenses keep working on supported systems, but the app gets no new features and no support for later macOS versions.
There is a practical trade-off here. The new app needs macOS 11 or later, while X was built for macOS 10.13 and up. If your Mac cannot run macOS 11, X is your only option. If you are already on macOS 11 or newer, there is no reason you have to stay on X.
I have a CleanMyMac X license. What now?
It depends on where you bought it. According to MacPaw's upgrade page (updated October 15, 2026):
- A subscription bought from the MacPaw Store: you can switch to a new CleanMyMac subscription at no extra cost. Your CleanMyMac X license is deactivated and you can use only the new app.
- A one-time purchase from the MacPaw Store: you can upgrade to the new app, as a subscription or a one-time purchase, at a discount. After that both licenses are active, so X keeps working. MacPaw lists the exact discount on its upgrade page, so we do not quote a figure here.
- CleanMyMac X inside a Setapp subscription: you get the latest CleanMyMac as a free upgrade.
- A subscription bought in the App Store: the app updates automatically and you get the new features right away.
- A one-time purchase from the App Store: you can use the new version, but some modules, for example My Clutter, Space Lens and Cloud Cleanup, may be unavailable until you buy them.
Two more things to know. MacPaw says the new app does not move your ignore lists over from X, so add them again after upgrading. And MacPaw's purchase options page explains that a one-time purchase includes only updates for your current major version. A one-time CleanMyMac X license does not include an upgrade to the latest CleanMyMac.
To upgrade, start from MacPaw's upgrade page. Sign in if you have a MacPaw account. If you do not, register with the email address you used when you bought X and verify it.
Which one should you use?
- Your Mac runs macOS 11 or later: use the new CleanMyMac. X will not follow new macOS releases.
- Your Mac cannot run macOS 11: keep using X.
- You own a one-time X license and are happy with it: you do not have to upgrade. X keeps working on supported systems. Upgrade if you want Smart Care and the other new tools.
- You are wondering whether the app is worth paying for at all: that question does not depend on the version. Read our CleanMyMac review.
Which one do we sell?
We sell the current CleanMyMac, not X. There are two options, a 1 Year code and a Life Time Access code. Each covers 1 Mac and needs macOS 11 or later. The 1 Year code has a fixed term and does not auto-renew. When it ends, most features lock until you renew. Life Time Access includes updates for the current major version only, not future major versions. The codes are redeemed on MacPaw's redeem page and activated with a MacPaw account, and you download the app from MacPaw.
Current options are on the CleanMyMac product page. For how the two license types differ, see How Much Does CleanMyMac Cost?
If you see a "CleanMyMac X lifetime license" sold somewhere else, check which version it covers first. A one-time X license does not upgrade to the new app.
Orders follow our refund policy. MacPaw's 30-day refund guarantee applies to purchases made on the MacPaw website, not to codes bought from us.
