You have a Mac, or maybe you're responsible for taking care of them at your business. You need an toolkit of apps that help you get out of trouble when your Mac's not working right. Maybe a hard drive needs rebuilding or recovery, the memory needs testing, you're desperate to un-delete files, you need to access to deeper system maintenance, or you simply want to better clean out the debris from old apps, there are several tools you can go to. These are my pick for the best Mac apps, and most indispensable tools, you can have.
Apple Repair. We're here to help. Apple-certified repairs are performed by trusted experts who use genuine Apple parts. And only Apple-certified repairs are backed by Apple. Start your repair request now or scroll to learn more about Apple repair options. To get service for your Mac, you can make a reservation at an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Make sure you know your Apple ID and password before your appointment. Or, if you have a Mac notebook, contact us and we'll send you a box you can use to ship it to an Apple Repair Center. Nov 17, 2017 Apple has reportedly extended its free repair program for 2013-2015 MacBook Pro units with anti-reflective coating issues. A leaked internal document reveals the company has now authorized free. If your USB drive is seriously broken by hitting, dropping, shaking, etc., there is no USB repair tool or USB flash recovery software for Mac can help you. How to fix/repair the unreadable/corrupted USB flash drive on Mac? Solution 1: Check the USB port or cable. Check that USB port on your Mac.
When it comes to rebuilding and recovering a hard drive that's not working right, Alsoft's DiskWarrior is peerless in the Mac realm. I don't know a single Mac IT professional worth their salt who doesn't swear by DiskWarrior, because it just works.
DiskWarrior excels at rebuilding the directory structure of your Mac's hard drive, and it does so by building a replacement directory instead of trying to patch the existing one. It's a data scavenger, and it's really excellent at its job. Sometimes I've even had success getting data off of physically failing hard drives using DiskWarrior.
- $99.95 - Download now
Techtool Pro 7
Micromat's Techtool Pro 7 isn't just about recovering files off your hard drive, though it can do that. It can also do a thorough test on your Mac's memory modules to see if there are any RAM hardware failures (they do happen), along with things like Techtool Protection, which can more easily recover files that have been thrown in the trash, and eDrive, which lets you create an extra startup partition on your Mac's hard drive (handy for diagnostic maintenance work). Volume cloning, file and disk optimization (defragmenting), network monitoring and more.
It took until the 7.0.2 update before Techtool Pro 7 started support Macs with Fusion drives installed, but now that it does I feel a bit more comfortable about recommending it as a good option for Mac mavens looking for Mac diagnosis and drive repair software.
- $99.99 - Download now
Data Rescue 3
Prosoft's Data Rescue 3 is another disk recovery tool. I've had good luck with it recovering deleted files from my Mac's internal hard drive and external volumes. It doesn't write to the hard drive; it requires an external drive to restore files to. The FileIQ feature is particularly handy if there's an obscure file type you want to recover. Provide Data Rescue 3 with an intact sample of the data you're looking to recover, and it'll sniff it out like a bloodhound.
I've had particular luck in the past with Data Rescue 3 getting back deleted or damaged files from camera cards, especially.
- $99.99 - Download now
OnyX
Because OS X is a Unix-based operating system, you can do a lot more under the hood when you're accessing the operating system from a command line using the Terminal program. But unless you know what you're doing it's really easy to get frustrated. That's where Titanium Software's OnyX comes into play. This free utility gives you access to a huge variety of system maintenance, performance optimization and customization features by adding a graphical user interface to commands that you'd otherwise need to know Unix to be able to do anything with.
OnyX comes in handy when it comes to the deletion of Internet cache files that can screw things up, like DNS and browser caches, or individual system cache files, OnyX is a godsend. You can automate the rebuilding of your Mail mailboxes, Spotlight index and more. You have control over a wide variety of parameters for QuickTime, Safari, iTunes, your login window and more. Just be warned that with great power comes great responsibility: You can really screw things up if you don't know what you're doing. So be careful.
- Free - Download now
AppCleaner
This simple (and free) utility isn't exactly a repair utility but I'll include it anyway, because it comes in handy when it comes time to uninstall an application. Sure, the Mac makes it a lot easier to get rid of unwanted software than Windows, but don't be deceived — even if you've dragged a Mac application icon into the Trash, that doesn't delete the Mac app's entire footprint. Often times the app will leave behind configuration files, cache folders and other remnants that occupy disk space.
AppCleaner does a serviceable job of locating all the files associated with the app, and provides an index so you know just how much space they're taking up. Once you've got them all accounted for, click the Delete button and banish them forever.
- Free - Download now
Your list?
Those are my picks. I'm sure you have a few of your own. Let me know what they are in the comments!
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So many portsPlugable's UD-6950Z Dock may be built for Windows but it saved my Mac
I had to jump through hoops to uninstall the macOS developer beta and reinstall Catalina and the Plugable docking station made it all possible.
Learn how to get your Mac desktop or Mac notebook fixed and how much it will cost.
How do I get my Mac fixed?
To get service for your Mac, you can make a reservation at an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Make sure you know your Apple ID and password before your appointment. Or, if you have a Mac notebook, contact us and we'll send you a box you can use to ship it to an Apple Repair Center. We'll return your repaired product to you as quickly as possible. Depending on where you get service, you might be able to check the status of your repair online.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126290951/815665859.png)
How much will it cost?
There's no charge if the issue is covered under warranty, AppleCare+, or consumer law. If your issue isn't covered, the price depends on the type of repair. Ask your service representative for an estimate.
Battery service
If you're experiencing an issue with your battery, your Mac notebook might not require a repair. These tips show you how to maximize your battery performance. If you can't turn on your Mac or if the screen turns black, follow these steps to resolve the issue.
Your Mac notebook battery service might be covered by warranty, consumer law, or AppleCare+. These prices are for out-of-warranty service. We might need to test your product to determine the final service fee.
MacBook Pro | Out of Warranty |
---|---|
16-inch MacBook Pro | $199 |
15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display | $199 |
13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display | $199 |
15-inch MacBook Pro | $129 |
13-inch MacBook Pro | $129 |
17-inch MacBook Pro (Vintage) | $179 |
MacBook Air | Out of Warranty |
---|---|
13-inch MacBook Air | $129 |
11-inch MacBook Air | $129 |
Pricing and terms might vary at other service providers. All prices are in U.S. dollars ($) and are subject to tax.
Accessories
Apple-branded accessories are covered under the Apple One Year Limited Warranty. Our warranty doesn't cover batteries that wear down from normal use. If your accessory's battery is depleted and your warranty has expired, you can replace the accessory’s battery for a fee.
Product | Accessory battery service |
---|---|
Magic Keyboard | $29 |
Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad | $29 |
Magic Mouse 2 | $29 |
Magic Trackpad 2 | $29 |
Pricing and terms might vary at other service providers. All prices are in U.S. dollars ($) and are subject to tax. If shipping is required, we'll add an additional $6.95 shipping fee.
AppleCare+
AppleCare+ for Mac extends your technical support and hardware coverage up to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date. It also includes up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage. Each incident has a service fee, as shown. If you didn't buy AppleCare+ with your Mac, you can buy it within 60 days of your Mac purchase if your product isn't damaged.
Best Mac Repair Software
The following prices are for Apple repairs with AppleCare+ accidental damage coverage.
Model | Screen or external enclosure only (with AppleCare+) | Other damage (with AppleCare+) |
---|---|---|
All Mac desktops and Mac notebooks with AppleCare+ | $99 | $299 |
These fees apply in the United States. All prices are in U.S. dollars ($) and are subject to tax.
Apple Limited Warranty and AppleCare+ benefits are in addition to your rights under consumer law.
AppleCare+ does not cover excessive physical damage, including catastrophic damage due to liquid contact or submersion, or damage caused by the presence of hazardous materials. Devices modified by unauthorized service providers are not eligible for AppleCare+ accidental damage coverage unless all original parts are returned to Apple.
See the AppleCare+ Terms and Conditions for complete details.
Get ready for service
Before you return your Mac to us, be sure to enable FileVault and back up your data. You may need the backup if your Mac needs to be reformatted during the repair process. Apple isn't responsible for lost data.
The Apple Limited Warranty
The Apple Limited Warranty covers your Mac and the accessories that come with it against manufacturing defects for one year from the date you bought your Mac. You may also have consumer law rights.
Our warranty doesn't cover damage caused by accidents or unauthorized modifications. You can check your coverage status online and update your proof-of-purchase information if there's an error in our records.
If your repair isn't covered by our warranty, you'll pay out-of-warranty fees.
Our guarantee after service
We guarantee our service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty or AppleCare plan coverage, whichever is longer. We offer this whenever you get service from us or from an Apple Authorized Service Provider. This is in addition to rights provided by consumer law.