Every app you've ever installed may have added a background service that starts automatically. Over years, these pile up and can make your Mac take minutes to become usable. CleanMachine shows them all and lets you disable the ones you don't need.
macOS 13+ · Apple Silicon & Intel · Scanning always free
macOS uses a system called launchd to manage background processes. Apps add configuration files (.plist files) to three directories:
macOS has two separate mechanisms for background startup. The newer "Login Items" system (visible in System Settings → General → Login Items) manages modern app extensions. The older Launch Agent / Launch Daemon system manages background services. CleanMachine covers both — the Startup view handles Launch Agents/Daemons, and the Login Items view handles the background task management system.
CleanMachine shows you the label (com.dropbox.dropbox.plist), the program path (/Applications/Dropbox.app/...), and whether the item is currently loaded. You can cross-reference by the app name in the label. If you don't use Dropbox, disable its launch agent and Dropbox won't auto-start anymore — but Dropbox still works when you open it manually.
Lists all Launch Agents (user and system) and Launch Daemons. Shows label, program path, and current state. Toggle enable/disable with one click.
Read-only view of all background items in the macOS Login Items system, with "currently loaded" status from launchctl. See everything that runs on login.
Launch Agents are a common malware persistence mechanism. The Malware Scanner cross-checks all startup entries against known suspicious patterns and bad bundle IDs.
The Performance score in Mac Report Card factors in your startup item count — giving you a concrete grade and motivation to clean up the list.
Download CleanMachine and open the Startup view — free. See every Launch Agent, Daemon, and Login Item. Only $19.99 once to unlock disabling and full management.
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CleanMachine disables by renaming (adding .disabled) — not deleting. You can re-enable any item instantly. The app associated with the startup item continues to work normally when you open it manually — it just won't auto-launch.
The System Settings Login Items page only shows a subset of what actually starts on boot. It doesn't show Launch Daemons (system services that start before login) or all Launch Agents. CleanMachine reads all three locations directly from the filesystem, giving you the complete picture.
Yes — Launch Agents are one of the most common macOS malware persistence mechanisms. CleanMachine's Malware Scanner specifically checks all startup entries for suspicious patterns: network callbacks, base64-encoded commands, executables in unusual locations, and known bad bundle identifiers.