What Shredo does on Mac
Shredo is a macOS utility from MyMixApps that permanently deletes files, folders, and external volume contents by overwriting data so it cannot be recovered through normal means.
Apple removed Secure Empty Trash from macOS years ago, which left a gap for users who need to destroy sensitive documents before selling a Mac or handing off a drive. Shredo fills that role with a drag-and-drop interface: drop items onto one of three shredding circles, confirm, and the app bypasses the Trash while overwriting file data.
Three shredding methods
- 1-pass — fastest; deletes file access information and writes random bytes once
- 7-pass — slower; overwrites data seven times using DoD 5220-20 M–style algorithms
- 35-pass — slowest; applies the Gutmann method with 35 overwrite passes for maximum effort on traditional drives
Beyond single files
Shredo also supports:
- Shredding entire folders and batches added via the plus button
- Secure Empty Trash using any of the three methods
- External volumes and flash drives, with runtime depending on capacity and pass count
- Privacy Scan to remove browser cookies, history, and related traces from Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, and Brave
Typical Mac workflow
Most users keep Shredo in the Applications folder and open it when discarding tax records, client contracts, or exported database dumps. Drag files onto the 1-pass circle for routine cleanup or choose 7-pass when the data is more sensitive. Run Privacy Scan separately when preparing a Mac for resale or after heavy browser use on a shared machine. Pairing Shredo with FileVault disk encryption covers both at-rest protection and deliberate file destruction.
Version 1.2.8.6
Build 1.2.8.6 shipped around June 2026 according to third-party download catalogs, but MyMixApps does not publish per-version release notes on its website. The vendor’s product page still describes the current 1.2.x feature set without listing changes specific to 1.2.8.6. Recent documented fixes in the 1.2.8 line include shredding reliability for very large file lists, keyboard layout support, privacy-scan browser ordering, and title bar adjustments on newer macOS releases.
Requirements and licensing
Shredo requires macOS 11 or later according to the current MyMixApps product page. The app runs on Apple silicon and Intel Macs as a universal build. It sells directly from the developer with a 14-day free trial; list prices on review and catalog sites range from about $5 to $8. Shredo is not a substitute for full-disk erasure when decommissioning SSD-based Macs, where encryption and factory reset may be more appropriate than multi-pass overwrites.
