Clear system and app logs
Overview
This category contains privacy scripts for macOS.
These changes use Mac system commands to update your settings.
This category includes scripts that delete various operating system logs. These logs document system operations, user activities, application behavior, and errors. While essential for debugging and monitoring, these logs contain sensitive information and pose privacy risks.
Deleting these logs:
- Reduces unauthorized access risks to personal data and system configurations.
- Optimizes system performance by freeing up disk space.
Deleting these logs may hinder system troubleshooting and monitoring.
Be careful running these scripts. This category includes scripts with high impact:
- 🟡 Some recommended scripts only if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this this category.
- 🟢 Some safely recommended scripts. Safe-to use for any user.
Implementation Details
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Language: bash
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Scripts Count: 11 scripts
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Subcategories: 1
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Required Privileges: Administrative (sudo) access
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Compatibility: macOS only
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Reversibility: All changes can be reverted
Apply now
These scripts are written using Bash (Shell script) scripting language.
Choose one of two ways to apply:
- Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
- Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.
It allows selectively choose parts of this action to conduct. You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application. Additionally, you can apply only the recommended scripts, instead of applying all of the scripts.
privacy.sexy instructions
- Open or download the desktop application
- Search for the category name:
Clear system and app logs. - Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.
Alternative 2. Download
You can choose to apply only scripts with less impact or also those with higher impact:
Consider restarting your computer for all changes to take affect.
This action is completely reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.
Standard
This script includes only Standard recommendation level.
Standard scripts in this category is recommended for all users. They help to improve privacy without affecting stability.
Download only standard scripts by clicking on the button:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Strict
This script includes Standard and Strict recommendation levels.
This script is only recommended if you understand their implications of every single change. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.
Download Strict scripts:
Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:
Explore further
This category includes total of 11 scripts and 1 subcategories.
Explore its 9 subscripts and 1 subcategories:
Clear unified system and app logs
This category contains scripts for clearing unified logs on macOS. This system is referred to as the unified logging system, macOS Unified Logs, or Apple Unified Logging and Activity Tracing. It was introduced with macOS Sierra, version 10.12. This system centralizes all logs, providing a comprehensive and detailed record of both system and application activities. These logs are stored on both disk and in memory. They are used for debugging and offer insights into app behavior and system e...
Clear Apple System Logs (ASL)
This script deletes Apple System Log (ASL) files, enhancing your privacy and security. ASL files contain system information such as firewall activity, login details, application errors, and network data. The logs are located in the "/private/var/log/asl/" directory. You can also access them via "/var/log/asl/, since "/var" links to "/private/var". These files are in a binary format and have an ".asl" extension. They can be viewed using the "syslog` command. Originally, the ASL framework was inte...
Clear installation logs
This script deletes installation logs. These logs document software installations and updates, including dates and details. This data is valuable for troubleshooting and auditing. The logs are stored at "/private/var/log/install.log" on Mac OS X 10.3 and later. You can also access them via "/var/log/install.log", since "/var" links to "/private/var". Deleting these logs removes detailed records of installed software, enhancing your privacy and security. These logs are used in forensic analysis t...
Clear all system logs
This script deletes the main system logs from your computer. Deleting these logs enhances your privacy by eliminating records of your system usage. These logs are used in forensic analysis to study your behavior, posing a privacy risk. This action also frees up disk space by removing files that can grow significantly over time. These logs are essential for monitoring system events and identifying unauthorized access incidents. The system periodically recycles these logs; therefore, their deletio...
Clear system application logs
This script clears the system application logs. The logs are stored at "/Library/Logs/". They include various logs and diagnostic reports. These logs are used for system-wide event logging. Third-party applications usually can't access these logs due to restricted permissions. However, some system-wide apps (like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint) store logs in this directory. These logs contain troubleshooting details and may include personal data. These logs are used in forensic analysis to stud...
Clear user application logs
This script deletes user application logs from your system. The logs are stored at "$HOME/Library/Logs". This directory contains logs specific to different applications. These logs are referred as application logs, user logs or user application logs. They detail software behavior and interactions. The deletion of these logs is considered safe. These logs are used in forensic analysis to study your behavior, posing a privacy risk. Removing them enhances privacy by eradicating records that c...
Clear Mail app logs
This script deletes the log files of the Mail app. The logs are stored at "$HOME/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Logs/Mail". These logs may contain details of every connection made by the Mail app. These logs can grow significantly in size, particularly when connection activity logging is enabled. This growth can reduce system performance and Mail app responsiveness. Deleting these logs protects the privacy of your email interactions by removing records of connection details. Addi...
Clear user activity audit logs (login, logout, authentication, etc.)
This script deletes audit logs from your system, enhancing your privacy by erasing records of your activities. Audit logs document activities like file access, creation, and user authentication. These logs are used in forensic analysis to study your behavior, posing a privacy risk. The logs use the OpenBSM audit framework. The framework was initially developed by SUN Microsystems and now maintained under the BSD license by the Trusted BSD Project. The logs are stored at "/private/var/audit". You...
Clear system maintenance logs
This script deletes system maintenance logs, enhancing user privacy by removing traces of system activity. Derived from Mac OS X's UNIX heritage, these logs are produced by scheduled scripts that clean system logs, manage temporary files, and handle tasks such as log file rotation and system statistics reporting. The logs are stored at "/private/var/log/daily.out", "/private/var/log/weekly.out", and "/private/var/log/monthly.out". You can also access them via `/var/log/{daily|weekly|monthly}.out...
Clear app installation logs
This script deletes logs that record the history of installed applications and updates. The logs are stored at "/private/var/db/receipts" and "/Library/Receipts/InstallHistory.plist". You can also access them via "/var/db/receipts", since "/var" links to "/private/var". The logs contain details such as the name of the installed package, its version, and the installation date. These logs are used in forensic analysis to study your behavior, posing a privacy risk. Attackers can exploit this data t...
Explore Categories
This action belongs to Privacy cleanup category. This category configures macOS using 85 scripts. These scripts are organized in 12 categories. The category includes 6 subscripts and 6 subcategories that include more scripts and categories. Read more on category page ▶
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