Drive Genius for Mac

Used Drive Genius for Mac?

Drive Genius Analysis

AI Assisted Content · June 11, 2026

Not written by CNET Staff.

Drive Genius is a powerful utility designed for Mac users to optimize and manage their drives effectively. This full version software offers a range of features including drive monitoring, repair, and data recovery, making it an essential tool for maintaining system health. Users can benefit from real-time monitoring of drive status, allowing for proactive management and prevention of potential issues.

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Trial version

In addition to its monitoring capabilities, Drive Genius provides tools for defragmentation, drive cloning, and secure erasure of data. The interface is user-friendly, facilitating easy navigation through its various functionalities. With support for both mechanical and solid-state drives, Drive Genius caters to a wide array of storage needs, ensuring that users can maintain optimal performance across their devices.

Drive Genius for Mac

Used Drive Genius for Mac?

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: August 3, 2020

Latest update: June 11, 2026

Version: 6.1.2

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Mac

Operating System: Mac OS X

Additional Requirements

macOS Catalina
macOS Mojave
macOS High Sierra
macOS Sierra
OS X El Capitan
OS X Yosemite

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 55,002

Downloads Last Week: 0

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Last Updated

User Reviews

3.1/5

74 User Votes

the boot well doesn't boot well at all
March 5, 2015
Pros
No Pros for version 4, but version 3 it is wroth it you can boot from a second with no problem and that is fine for me.
Cons
Well-designed interface i don't think so, at all. i tried to defragment my drive and drive genius v4 will not allow me the click my drive that is mac os x 10.10. even from the bootwell flash drive that coast me $15
Summary
i believe this version is not finish or polished, it slapped together to get more money for crap!!!
Reinstall Drive Genius 3
hudsonwDecember 19, 2014
Pros
The GUI is buffoonery with immense appeal for preschoolers.
Cons
Version 4 cannot repair/rebuild hard drives with two or more partitions.
Summary
Don't waste your money.
Absolute Rip Off
Tbanger9March 18, 2014
Pros
It promises the world
Cons
Delivers nothing
Summary
Do you know how to de-frag Mavericks... re-download Mavericks (that's 5GB) load this onto an external drive with at least 16GB free.... download 'Drive Genius DVD.dmg'.... burn that to a disc.... then boot Mavericks from an external disc and run the DVD.... sound complicated?.... You bet!!!! Absolute waste of money...
You cant delete it by normal way
pavlosidelovFebruary 11, 2014
Pros
I just try to defragment my drive, but this app cant do this on Maverick version.
Cons
Most ugly thing - you cant delete it without tricks and magic.
Summary
When I set up any software, I think I can delete it any time I want. Not with this software. I spend 2 hours to find the way how to delete it. 2 hours!!! If you not advanced user with strong console skills don't even try to install this shi... soft. Just look for official answer how you will do this: -- To manually uninstall Drive Genius 3 delete the following files and folders at the end of the paths listed below. Double click on your " Mac HD " drive to start the path. /Library/Application Support/DriveGenius (folder) /Applications/Drive Genius 3.app (icon) /Users/Library/Application Support/DriveGenius (folder) /Users/Library/Preferences/com.prosofteng.DriveGenius2.plist (file) /Users/Library/Preferences/com.prosofteng.DGAgent.plist (file) If you are running OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, the last three files/folders are located in the Users Library Folder which is hidden in Lion, You can temporarily access this folder by opening a Finder Window and pressing Command+Shift+G. This will bring up "Go to the folder", enter in "~/Library" and click go. --- But! Its not work! Because they run on root level and block any try to delete this files. I use this method: Delete from startup program list all drivegenius services and daemons. Reboot. And then you can delete this app. Shame on you developers of Drive Genius....
Saved a HDD that no other could repair or recognize.
jimleblancDecember 15, 2013
Pros
Effective at initializing a HDD no other app I tried could repair or recognize. I even took this machine to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store. Nothing they had could repair the disk. They recommended buying a new HD.
Cons
Price, no others - yet!
Summary
This is a great app if you have serious problems with a drive.
Operates like malware. AVOID!
bryan_mcMarch 5, 2013
Pros
Probably does a good job on defragmenting. Wouldn't know since the thing was so annoying.
Cons
First sign of trouble was that I couldn't seem to close it after running the disk analyzer to see how fragmented my drive was. I couldn't eject the disk image and couldn't shut off the program. Then when I attempted to delete it, I found that it had installed itself all over the place on my hard drive. Simply dragging the app to the trash like 99% of Mac apps didn't get its tentacles out of my system and something called Drive Pulse couldn't be shut off at all. I finally uninstalled it completely, but that can only be done by searching online for how to remove it and finding that an uninstall command is somewhere in one of the many menus. NO program should be this Byzantine to remove from your system. I don't care if it magically added 8GB of RAM to my system, it isn't worth the trouble.
Summary
It could be a good product but it behaves like sketchy malware that won't let you get rid of it. Very bad form on their part. Legitimate companies don't resort to such tactics.
WARNING! Nasty-ass-Hornet bugs in 2.2!! BACKUP 1st!!
tom2323October 22, 2012
Pros
copied from the 2.3 "bug fix" list (rolleyes): * Bug Fix: Possible data loss while moving a volume with Repartition. * Bug Fix: Repartition could spuriously fail on 10.4.x. To date, no pros, since my first use destroyed 5 partitions!
Cons
CLONE ALL VOLUMES FIRST... then pray... 1. There is nothing "possible" about "data loss" while moving with repartition. It happened. Complete Data loss across 7 partitions! 2. Repartition DID "spuriously fail on 10.4.x", leaving 'ghost volumes' that no major utility could resurrect NOR extract ANY data from. Erase was my only option. Clone a backup of EVERY SINGLE MOTHER-LOVING VOLUME on your entire hard drive. When this app fails, IT FAILS BIG, & trashes every volume on the hard drive. maybe you'll be lucky... maybe... 1. I wanted to combine partitions to make a backup volume larger. 2. I carefully followed all instructions. 3. I'm not an idiot 4. Drive Genius moved the partitions... Then reported none of them could be mounted. All attempts to recover/resurrect those volumes failed. This app is the very definition of "When helping hurts" I'm tickled to see my disaster as a mere "bug" in Prosoft's world. THAT IS NOT A freaking "bug" This app acted essentially as malware.
Summary
Do not EVER use "Drive-idiot" (any version) to do ANYTHING without FIRST making a bootable clone of ALL your volumes AND your entire hard drive (if you have multiple volumes on a drive). Apparently Prosoft is taking Microsoft's lead and letting the users discover the nightmares. This is no way to write software! It's Prosoft's RESPONSIBILITY to rigorously test their apps PRIOR to release to an unsuspecting public. After all, this is a disk repair utility. All other pro's and con's are irrelevant if the software trashes your drive...
It killed my bootcamp & recovery partitions do not use.
goodtimecaOctober 2, 2012
Pros
It boots up and installs okay.
Cons
The disk partition does not work. It will kill your windows bootcamp and recovery partitions. They will not show up in the startup boot any more and you will not be able to recover them. You will need to reformat your drive and re-install from scratch. Tech support is useless they just told me to read the manual and re-install my partitions from backup. They're not even interested in finding what the bug is. you get a warning message that your data can get lost if you proceed on every function/utility you try.
Summary
useless software filled with bugs, waste of your money and will cost hours of your time trying to recover and re-install. lousy tech support avoid. not worth the risk of messing up your drive.
High price!
fisher797August 30, 2012
Pros
there are many alternative free software!
Cons
very high price
Summary
no new registration key when I changed computer
alongooanabAugust 29, 2012
Pros
None that I know of as I cannot use the software which I paid money for
Cons
Will not give new registration key to buyers of their software who change computers
Summary

Developer’s Description

By Prosoft Engineering

Speed Up, Clean Up and Protect Your Mac.

Get faster performance from your Mac while also protecting it with Drive Genius 4. The award-winning and improved DrivePulse feature alerts you to hard drive issues before they become major problems. Enhanced and simplified interface to run tools simultaneously on multiple drives. Optimized for OS X Yosemite, top features like Defrag and DriveSlim will help keep your Mac running fast. The all-new BootWell tool lets you create a special bootable secondary drive to Defrag or Repair your main hard drive.