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DESCRIPTION
Xslimmer removes wasted space on your Mac's hard drive by removing the binary from either its PowerPC or Intel code (depending on the system architecture used). The result users report is that you can save 47% of your disk space.
For example, when running Xslimmer on Google Earth 4, it shrinks the size from 101MB to 52.8MB, which is a 47% reduction.
As the developer states, the driving goal of Xslimmer is to achieve size reduction without compromising functionality. As of version 1.2, the option to strip applications from unwanted language files and localizations is added. Version 1.2.7 improves Leopard support by automatically excluding Time Machine paths from the analysis process.
Additional features for safe use include a "blacklist" and a custom folder list (which is by default populated with key system locations). This prevents problems with applications (or the system itself) that will no longer work after size reduction.
With the "App Finder Genie", a user can list all size reducible applications on the hard disk and choose to slim them and save a considerable amount of hard disk space.
WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.7.5:
- fixes two rare crasher issues that were introduced in Xslimmer 1.7.4. First, Xslimmer became confused when trying to slim certain compiled Java classes, which looked like Universal Binaries containing several architectures when in fact they did not. In addition, Xslimmer would rarely create HFS-compressed backups and applications that were not correctly flagged as compressed files. This version fixes that problem retroactively, so those malformed backups can be used to restore the original apps.
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later.
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| Xslimmer User Reviews (75 posts) | Write A Review |
 | Nov 15 2008 |
GARY30 I have been using this program for almost two years and had only one problem. I just replaced the slimmed file with a backup which was generated by the program. As with any software that utility that you know is going to poke through your files, you will want to make sure you have a current backup before running. You can use a program such as "Easyfind" to see if (or where) there are leftover "lproj" resources. You can also use a number of programs that are indiscriminate to varying degrees to remove all such files from all packages (except a language you want to keep). I think Xslimmer is a reasonably safe and convenient option.
(Version 1.6.2) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Aug 28 2008 |
DNEM41 This is a wonderful application that will pay for itself with just a few uses. Google Earth was reduced from 111 MB down to 61. Firefox went from 46 MB down to 28. MacJournal 32 to 20. The amount of space being saved is arguably negligible considering my 320 GB hard drive plus 160 external HD. But it is how much faster these apps are after getting rid of the universal binaries and other language packs. I love the change log which keeps track of all apps that you have been "slimmed" which allows me to 'remember' the numbers I just spit at you above. A first time user of course should be scared about slimming an application useless, so I started with free or open source apps (like Firefox, Google Earth, LiveQuartz, etc...) that you can easily re-download if something happens. But before that could even happen, Xslim provides a user-generated "blacklist" of apps known to have issues after being "slimmed". And of course you choose how frequently you want that list updated. If you come across an app that wasn't on the blacklist, you can report it for future users. And hopefully you have backups on, so you can easily refer to them and have the whole app back again. Very useful and smart application. I would give it 10 stars if I could. Anyone agree? Thanks developers!
(Version 1.5.3) | |
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 | Aug 31 2009 |
JFFS If you are using Snow Leopard don't be too hasty slimming. Removing PPC code is fine, but there are times that you will need the 32-bit Intel code if plugins don't work in 64-bit. Examples: Safari and Safari Adblock or Quicktime X and the AC3 codec/Perian. It would be nice to be able to just strip out the PPC code in the latest version until more third-party software has been updated to work in 64-bit.
(Version 1.7) | |
| [ 2 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
 | Sep 4 2009 |
LIKOS I second this comment: "It would be nice to be able to just strip out the PPC code in the latest version until more third-party software has been updated to work in 64-bit."
(Version 1.7.2) | |
| Sep 7 2009 |
LO_PHATZ "It would be nice to be able to just strip out the PPC code in the latest version until more third-party software has been updated to work in 64-bit." Look in the preferences..
(Version 1.7.3) | |
| Sep 4 2009 |
WALRUSCP This app has a great developer behind it. I was the one (or one of the ones) who discovered the blacklist bug fixed in 1.7.2, and throughout the process the developer was pleasant and responsive. As for Xslimmer itself, it has claimed untold MBs on my MacBook's hard disk, working as advertised. Occasionally you run across an application that gets screwy after slimming, but that's what the back-up and restore options are for. Most apps that will be troublesome when slimmed are on the blacklist. Overall, this is a very easy to use app that is a must-have for mac owners who need to squeeze as much memory as possible out of their hard drive. Highly recommend it!
(Version 1.7.2) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Jul 20 2009 |
ROD76 This app was just sitting unused in my Utilities folder until I bought an SSD. What a difference it has made since. Xslimmer has given me back valuable disk space and now I can't do without it. The exclude an application ability is what sets this app apart from its competitors. Every once in awhile I'll find an app that just doesn't like having its data slimmed and after a quick restore from back up I add it to the exclude list and it never gets slimmed again. Its a real sanity saver compared to the alternative slimming applications. The only complaint I have is that System Profiler displays some apps as universal or leaves the field completely blank that are in fact intel only. Viewing "Get Info" directly from the application itself reveals the correct information and no amount of refreshing System Profiler rectifies this. The afore mentioned quibble has no actual effect on application performance or the system itself (my MacBook Pro is just about trouble free). It's just a minor annoyance for someone viewing the application section in System Profiler and knows the information displayed there is wrong.
(Version 1.6.5) | |
| [ 2 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Jul 20 2009 |
CHRISWAN This is what I have been doing to 'fix' that: you need to move the slimmed app(s) outside their current folder, and then move it back Or you put the app on the desktop, slim it using XSlimmer, and then move it to the applications folder
(Version 1.6.5) | |
| Sep 17 2009 |
LATENITESOFT - PEDRO This is Pedro, one of the devs. Activity Profiler should show the correct information if you use Xslimmer 1.7.4 - no need for workarounds like the one described by chriswan should now be necessary. Thanks for your comments!
(Version 1.7.4) | |
| Sep 25 2009 |
ENCRO Please see my extensive comments on http://www.macupdate.com/trimmit as these dangers apply equally as well to Xslimmer. Use an application such as http://www.macupdate.com/codesign-checker to test if the application is signed before making changes. These apps can cause major problems for code signed applications that access the keychain and it is in your best interest to avoid using them to modify code signed binaries. Unsigned binaries are fine to experiment with for size reduction etc.
(Version 1.7.5) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Sep 16 2009 |
WEBMOTIVA.COM Apple should incorporate it into Snow Leopard. 1 to 6 GB is a great HD space difference.
(Version 1.7.4) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| Nov 16 2008 |
SIMONM Some of the gains are amazing, especially on the Apple apps. Mail from 289 to 40 Mb, iChat, 115 to 17.4, iCal, 94 to 16 etc etc! The interface could use a little improvement, like being able to sort the list of apps prior to slimming based on potential saving and being able to export slimming log, but the guts of the program run fine! Saved over 4 Gb on my nearly full laptop drive.
(Version 1.6.2) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
| May 21 2008 |
MAZZBOY I would like to give this 5 stars for everything, because it really has cleared up a lot of space on my hard drive, which I'm very pleased about. However, I've noticed programs crashing a lot now, when before they didn't.
(Version 1.5.2) | |
| [ 2 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
| Jun 1 2008 |
MULLIN my apps ran responsively, after slimming off un needed code, but did you optimize the Hard Drive? it should fix the crashing problem.
(Version 1.5.3) | |
 | Jun 3 2008 |
Usually, apps that perform some sort of startup check and have not yet been added to the blacklist refuse to start at all, but it's very rare that they crash due to having been slimmed down. Please, note also that no system libraries or components should have been touched during the process. Could you please contact us so that we can follow your case? We'll try to identify whether there's something going on that could make your system crash. | |
| Apr 21 2008 |
CALL ME YO DADDY A great little app simply gets better with this new update. Now I can slim down Safari and other apps that are far too big due to language files that before were on the black list of apps that could not be slimmed in previous versions of Xslimmer. This app has saved me several gigabytes of disk space and apps tend to load faster since only one language file needs to be loaded, English!
(Version 1.5.2) | |
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