MacPaw has updated its CleanMyMac X software to version 4.8.0.

The updated version now natively supports the new ARM architecture of Apple's M1 Macs. Previous versions of CleanMyMac X used Rosetta 2, Apple’s native x86-64 translation software for Apple Silicon. This update eliminates the need for Rosetta 2 and adds Silver Sparrow detection for both free and paid users of the popular macOS optimization tool.

Silver Sparrow is the latest malware threat specifically targeting Apple Silicon Macs. About 30,000 Mac devices have been infected with the strange malware. Many experts are baffled by the malware's purpose due to its dormancy.

Red Canary researchers first reported this new cluster of malware on Saturday. While Silver Sparrow has not yet been shown to carry a malicious payload, Apple has already taken steps to mitigate potential damage. Unfortunately, both M1 and Intel Mac users may still be infected without their knowledge.

Malware removal screen MacPaw
Image Courtesy Of: MacPaw

Until recently, most macOS users were not concerned with malware or other harmful viruses. However, this second case of reported malware designed to specifically exploit M1 macs is concerning. The first case, discovered in December of 2020, demonstrated that Apple's new M1 systems were vulnerable to attack.

Earlier this month, news outlets reported that this first native M1 malware variant, "GoSearch22," was hijacking browser search results and potentially stealing data. With CleanMyMac X 4.8.0, MacPaw hopes to provide both free and paid users with another line of defense against this new string of M1 malware misfits.

Uninstaller CleanMyMacX
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These new security features of CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 arrive alongside a cache of other improvements to the software. These improvements include better overall performance, faster malware scan times, and speedier malware detection.

CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 also sports a completely redesigned user interface. This simplified UI design takes advantage of glass-like icons, 3D parallax animations, and interactive hover effects. MacPaw claims these features offer a more elegant overall user experience.

The redesigned interface looks very clean, and the 3D parallax animations provide just enough icon movement to show the app’s functions without being distracting.

Additionally, MacPaw has included a feature called “Universal Binaries” in the System Junk module. Universal Binaries help to dispose of unnecessary code shared by M1 and Intel macs. Because Big Sur is designed to run on both M1 and Intel chips, binaries for each chip architecture are included with every install.

Unfortunately, that means unneeded code in these binaries is taking up valuable hard drive space. CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 now seeks out these unnecessary binaries and removes unnecessary code to reclaim this additional space.

Testing CleanMyMac X 4.8.0

Optimization screen CleanMyMac X
Image Courtesy Of: MacPaw

Under-hood improvements also include optimization specific to the M1 chip. CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 performed a full system scan of our 8GB/512GB Mac Mini M1 in a scant 25.76 seconds. A full maintenance scan was completed in 23.14 seconds. Space Lens, a utility made to provide a bird’s eye view of system storage, completed a full system index in 6.24 seconds.

We also tested a few familiar features in the interface like App Updater, which reduced updating all of our apps to two clicks, Mail Attachments, which removed local mail attachments that were duplicated on the cloud, and Large & Old Files, which allowed the removal of several forgotten product review MOV files. The Privacy tool also allowed the removal of all browsing history including tracking.

Overall, the new CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 is a smooth and streamlined product. Its best feature is its ease of use. Every system optimization utility fits seamlessly into a single interface. And, with only a few clicks, you can optimize your system, remove malware, and reclaim hard drive space. With the addition of the new M1 malware detection, MacPaw has added another reason to consider trying out CleanMyMac X.

If you’d like to purchase CleanMyMac X 4.8.0, MacPaw offers either a subscription model or a one-time purchase model. A free trial version is also available for those who’d like to test-drive the software before making a commitment. Like many trial versions, the freeware version of CleanMyMac X 4.8.0 has limited functionality.