OnyX

OnyX — Free Download. Maintenance and Configuration Utility for macOS
OnyX is a maintenance, optimization, and customization utility for macOS systems. It allows users to verify the file system structure, perform cleaning tasks, and configure hidden parameters in the operating system and Apple applications. It includes operations for deleting caches, rebuilding indexes and databases, and adjusting numerous system preferences. Each major version of macOS requires a specific version of OnyX to function correctly.
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Download OnyX (Official links)
File size: 8.3 MB
The latest version of OnyX is: 4.9.4
Operating system: MacOS
Languages: English
Price: $0.00 USD

  • File System Verification. This function performs a check of the APFS or HFS+ file system structure using the 'diskutil' command-line utility. It detects inconsistencies in the file system, permission issues, and errors in symbolic links. The verification runs in read-only mode, without making changes, providing a detailed report on the status of the boot volume and other connected disks.
  • System and User Cache Cleaning. Removes cache files accumulated by the operating system, applications, and Safari browser components. Caches include font data, images, translation files, previews, and application temporary data. Removal frees up disk space and can resolve behavioral issues in applications that use corrupted or outdated cached data.
  • System Database Rebuilding. Rebuilds critical macOS indexes and databases. This includes the Spotlight index for searches, the Launch Services database for file associations, and the Dock and mail databases. Rebuilding restores the correct functioning of these features when they exhibit errors, slowdowns, or return incomplete results.
  • Log File Deletion. Clears system and application log files located in the /private/var/log and ~/Library/Logs directories. These files record system events, crash diagnostics, and application activity. Deleting them does not affect system operation and reclaims space, especially useful when log files have grown excessively.
  • Configuration of Hidden Parameters (Tweaks). Provides a graphical interface to modify hundreds of system and application preferences not available in the System Preferences panel. Includes settings for the Dock, Finder, Safari, Mission Control, and general user interface behavior. Changes are applied using 'defaults write' commands and often require restarting the application or system.
  • Application Uninstaller Tool. Locates and removes all components associated with an installed application. It searches for executable files, preferences, caches, support files, and remnants in system and user libraries. It offers greater thoroughness than the drag-to-Trash method, ensuring complete removal of application data.
  • APFS Snapshot Cleaning. Identifies and deletes APFS file system snapshots created by Time Machine and other utilities. Snapshots can consume a significant amount of space on the startup disk. This function allows managing them, freeing up space while retaining snapshots essential for system operation or backups.
  • Checksum Verification and Calculation. Calculates cryptographic hashes (MD5, SHA1, SHA256, SHA512, SM3) for files and folders. It allows verifying file integrity, detecting changes or corruption, and comparing files. The SM3 algorithm provides an additional checksum method to comply with specific cryptographic standards.
  • Login Window Background Image Modification. Changes the background image that appears on the login and user switching screen. The utility manages the necessary permissions and replaces the system image file, allowing customization of this screen's appearance without manual intervention in system directories.
  • Optimization of Finder Performance Parameters. Adjusts specific Finder settings, such as icon spacing in views, column size in list view, and animation effects (like the slow-motion effect). These modifications can make file navigation more efficient or better suit the user's visual preferences.
  • Management of File and Folder Visibility. Controls the visibility of system items, files, and folders normally hidden in the Finder. It can show or hide files whose names begin with a dot, user library items, volumes mounted on the desktop, and connected servers. This function is for advanced administration tasks.
  • System Task Scheduler. Configures automated actions like shutdown, restart, sleep, or hibernation of the computer at a specific date and time. It also allows scheduling the execution of shell scripts or launching applications. It uses the 'launchd' system task scheduler to set these events.
  • Detailed System Information. Displays an extensive report with hardware, network, and software data of the Mac. Includes information about the processor model, RAM, disks, graphics cards, network connections, and operating system and firmware versions. The information is gathered from system APIs and diagnostic commands.
  • Cleaning of Unused Language Translations. Removes localization resource files (.lproj files) for languages the user does not need in applications. This reduces the size of universal binaries (or apps containing multiple languages), freeing up disk space, especially significant on systems with limited storage.
  • Repair of Disk and Volume Permissions. Resets file and folder permissions on the startup disk and selected volumes to the default values defined by installation packages (.pkg). Although macOS has reduced the need for this operation in recent versions, it remains a tool for troubleshooting access issues to system files or applications.

OnyX was developed by the French company Titanium Software. Its development began in 2002, initially as a complementary tool to other utilities from the developer. The program is written primarily in the Objective-C programming language, using Apple's Cocoa frameworks, which guarantees native integration with the macOS operating system. The creators, Joachim Fornallaz and later a small development team, have continuously maintained and updated the application for each new major version of macOS, adapting its functions to changes in the system architecture, such as the transition to APFS and Apple Silicon processors.


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