Getting a Mac can feel like an achievement. They’re not exactly budget-priced devices, but they are powerful computers that offer a ton of unique advantages for owners and users. Apple spares no effort in providing an easy, robust, useful experience for all Mac owners.
Despite all of that, Macs sometimes run into trouble. There are more than a few things that can harm a Mac, and not all of them include drops from high places.
The truth is that there are different types of software that can really mess with you as a Mac user. On top of that, there are physical risks that you may have never considered.
Not to worry, this is a nice crash course in Mac care. You’re about to see the most common risks for Mac users and how to deal with them. By the time you’re done reading, you can move forward with confidence and really get the most from your Mac. Learn more in detail about Things You Didn’t Know Could Plague Your Mac.
Adware
Macs have pretty good innate protection against viruses, but there are other types of malicious softwares that can get right to your Mac pretty reliably.
Most of this software comes in various forms of adware. Adware is any type of software that spams your system with ads you didn’t ask to see.
Some adware is minimal and won’t ruin your experience. Other adware is aggressive and makes using the Mac pretty much impossible.
If you do run into adware, you can manually remove it. Apple support provides step-by-step instructions for this. You can also use adware removal tools if you like. It’s all about preference.
Tracking Software
Tracking software is a bit of a different animal. In many cases, things that track how you use your computer aren’t actually malicious. Many of these things offer to track your location, cookies, or other data as a service.
It sounds strange, but that’s the modern tech world for you.
Still, if you don’t like how much you are tracked, then you can take actions against these tools. You can use tools that help you stop tracking or remove other software that specializes in tracking. You can also consistently deny apps and services the right to track you when they ask.
MacKeeper
MacKeeper is infamous in the Mac world. The software is advertised as an antivirus or cleanup tool, but it hardly lives up to those claims.
It wouldn’t be technically correct to call MacKeeper malicious because it’s not self-installing software. You’ll only find it on your computer if you give it permission to install, and in most cases, you had to follow an ad or a link to get to that point.
But, once it is installed, it doesn’t play well with the computer. You’ll see weird effects, glitches, and all kinds of problems.
Fortunately, you can just uninstall the software. But, MacKeeper is probably the most famous and prolific annoying software out there that is just for Macs.
Broken Software
A Mac will install and uninstall many things over the course of its life, and sometimes, uninstalling software leaves little broken pieces behind. It’s not super common, but it’s common enough.
When you have broken software, it can cause all kinds of problems. It can lead to memory leaks that slow down your computer. It can eat up space on your storage drive. It can interfere with other software.
If you want a clean Mac, then the easiest thing you can do is run a disk cleanup tool. You can also do these things manually, but it might take a long time.
Actual Dirt
It’s easy to overlook, but Macs (especially MacBooks) can get dirty. When any kind of dirt gets into the system, it’s bad.
Dirt and dust can mess with the cooling mechanisms and cause the computer to overheat. They can also create wear and tear on fans or other moving parts.
In worst-case scenarios, dust can include conductive particles that actually short the system.
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to keep your Mac clean.
You
Everything above is important to understand, but the truth is that the most likely source of trouble for your Mac is you. Most bad software can only be installed with your permission. Dirt doesn’t get into a computer randomly. Drops and other physical problems are also user-driven.
This doesn’t mean that you are already a plague to your computer. Instead, it’s a suggestion that learning more about your device and how to care for it is worth your time and effort. Mac computers are investments, so when you understand them and proper care, you get more out of that investment.
Of course, all of this is only the beginning. There’s always more to learn about computers and their care. So never stop searching for the next lesson, and you’ll surely be the best thing that ever happened to your Mac.
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