IMyMac Cleaner - How to remove

iMyMac is a potentially unwanted but not malicious application that claims to improve macOS performance and privacy. It tries to achieve this by deleting files. Security vendors consider iMyMac to be just another potentially unwanted app that people should stay away from. And although iMyMac is not dangerous, it does not provide the value that would justify its price.

In short about iMyMac:

Classification	PUP (potentially unwanted program).
Problems with iMyMac	Detected by anti-malware scanners, is associated with known junkware, offers features that are already available on macOS.
How PUPs get installed	Promoted in forums, linked in their own blog posts and guides, bundled with other software.
Removing iMyMac	Uninstall iMyMac, check your Mac with anti-malware apps (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, etc.) to look for suspicious apps.

Problems with iMyMac

Detected by anti-malware scanners

The first issue with iMyMac and the reason it jumps out as suspicious is that it’s associated with PowerMyMac. PowerMyMac can be downloaded from Imymac.com – the same site that iMyMac is on. And with PowerMyMac being undoubtedly a potentially unwanted app, iMyMac should be scrutinized, also.

And that’s what anti-malware scanners did. Some versions of iMyMac are only flagged by a few antivirus apps (Virustotal.com), some have way worse results (Virustotal.com). The one that I downloaded last was the less flagged one, with only 2 detections, though that rose to four in a couple of days.

But why? What did iMyMac do wrong?

Unnecessary cleaning app

At first glance, iMyMac is just another cleaner. It offers to speed up your Mac by deleting files and uninstalling apps. It takes what macOS already does for free (Support.apple.com) and charges money for it (either an annual subscription or a lifetime license).

It claims that it can help speed up a Mac. It is true that if your Mac has very little free space, its performance may suffer. But this being a point in marketing seems dishonest. All that iMyMac is doing is deleting files and uninstalling apps.

The same applies to Imymac.com claiming that it can help you protect your privacy. Yeah, it can delete browser cookies. So can anyone with just a few mouse clicks right now.

If you want to improve the performance of your Mac:

• Move files from your startup disk to another one.
• Manage startup items (System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items) and remove unnecessary ones.
• Quit apps that you aren’t using.
• Make sure there’s no malware on your device.
• In the worst case, upgrade your hardware.

Some of this advice can be found on Imymac.com. Imymac.com has a lot of blog posts about how you can improve the performance of your Mac. It’s how some people find iMyMac: it is promoted in blog posts on Imymac.com.

By the way, Imymac.com uses its review of Malwarebytes to push the PowerMyMac junkware. The review has some nonsense in it, like claims that Malwarebytes scans the registry, which is not even a thing on macOS.

So, overall, iMyMac is not very malicious. It’s just an app that makes money by offering entirely redundant features to Mac users. It’s not advised to use and it is good that anti-malware apps warn people about it. But it is not necessarily malicious.

How to remove iMyMac

Imymac.com does not provide a link to instructions for uninstalling iMyMac. Those who want to uninstall iMyMac can turn to Support.apple.com.

To permanently remove iMyMac, it should be enough to just go into Finder, grab iMyMac, and then drag it to Trash. If this doesn’t work, quit iMyMac firsts or reboot your Mac in safe mode. Start or restart your Mac and then immediately hold the Shift button until you see the words “Safe boot” on the screen. Then you can be sure that iMyMac won’t be running and you can remove it.

You could also use an anti-malware app (such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, or another reputable app) to scan your computer. Is iMyMac the only PUP on your device? One of the reasons for apps being classified as PUPs is that they bundle other applications. I didn’t see iMyMac bundle anything, however, people’s experiences might be different.

If you do remove iMyMac, remember that uninstalling it does not sever your subscription, if you have one; you need to refuse it yourself.

As for refunds, the situation for iMyMac is the same as for FonePaw’s Mac Master: there are a bunch of restrictions for getting one. If you buy iMyMac mistakenly, run into technical issues, or simply change your mind, Imymac.com doesn’t want to give you a refund.

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