[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":31},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-en-deep-clean":3},{"meta":4,"html":10,"headings":11,"raw":30},{"title":5,"description":6,"icon":7,"order":8,"updated":9},"Deep Cleanup","Find system and app caches, developer data, and app leftovers in one place, and review their size and risk before you clean.","deep-cleanup",2,"2026-10-28","\u003Cp>Deep Cleanup gathers caches, temporary files, and developer data from across the system and your apps into one place, sorted by purpose, so you can see how much space each uses before deciding what to remove.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"what-it-finds\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#what-it-finds\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>What it finds\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Results are grouped by category. Categories with nothing to clean are hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>System caches\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>User cache files\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Application caches\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Browser data\u003C\u002Fstrong>: caches and temporary files created while the system and apps run.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Developer tools\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Xcode data\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Project build artifacts\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Container caches\u003C\u002Fstrong>: caches and indexes from developer tools, plus dependencies and build output that projects can recreate.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>AI models and caches\u003C\u002Fstrong>: downloaded AI models and temporary transfer files.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Application optimization\u003C\u002Fstrong>: removes app code for processor architectures this Mac does not use. The apps themselves stay installed.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>App leftovers\u003C\u002Fstrong>: data left behind by apps you have removed. Only locations clearly linked to that app are listed, and they are checked as part of a standard scan.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Custom cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>: files found by your own rules.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"scan-type\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#scan-type\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Choose a scan type\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Click \u003Cstrong>Start Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong> to run a standard scan. Use the arrow next to the button to choose another type:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Standard Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong>: checks cleanup items and development projects for the current user.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Choose Disks\u003C\u002Fstrong>: the system disk is always scanned. Select other disks to look for development projects and build files on them too.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Custom Cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>: finds files using your folders and matching conditions.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Once results appear, \u003Cstrong>Scan Again\u003C\u002Fstrong> repeats the last scan type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"custom-rules\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#custom-rules\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Custom cleanup rules\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>In \u003Cstrong>Custom Cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>, click \u003Cstrong>Add Rule\u003C\u002Fstrong>, enter a rule name, then click \u003Cstrong>Choose Folders\u003C\u002Fstrong> or drop folders into the dialog. Each rule can use:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>File names\u003C\u002Fstrong>: for example \u003Ccode>*.log, *.tmp\u003C\u002Fcode>. \u003Ccode>*\u003C\u002Fcode> matches any number of characters, \u003Ccode>?\u003C\u002Fcode> matches a single character, and commas separate patterns.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Minimum size (MB)\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Maximum size (MB)\u003C\u002Fstrong>, and \u003Cstrong>File modification date\u003C\u002Fstrong> (1–3650 days).\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Include subfolders\u003C\u002Fstrong>: turn this off to check only the files directly inside each selected folder.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Remove empty folders\u003C\u002Fstrong>: after cleanup, removes empty subfolders inside the selected folders. The selected folders themselves are kept.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>You can create up to 20 rules, each with up to 8 folders and 16 file name patterns. Turn on \u003Cstrong>Also run a standard scan\u003C\u002Fstrong> to check the usual items at the same time, then click \u003Cstrong>Save and Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong> to start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"callout callout-tip\">\u003Cp class=\"callout-title\">Tip\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A file name match does not mean a file is unneeded. Point rules at folders you know hold logs or temporary files, not at folders that contain personal data.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003Ch2 id=\"review-and-select\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#review-and-select\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Review and select\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Categories are on the left and cleanup items on the right. Items marked \u003Cstrong>Low risk\u003C\u002Fstrong> can usually be recreated. Expand an item to see what it is, how cleaning it affects you, and its exact locations. You can select each location on its own, or use \u003Cstrong>Show in File Manager\u003C\u002Fstrong> to look at it in Finder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a scan finishes, items are preselected with \u003Cstrong>Smart recommendation\u003C\u002Fstrong>, which picks only lower-risk content that can usually be recreated. Use \u003Cstrong>Selection\u003C\u002Fstrong> at the bottom to switch to \u003Cstrong>Select all\u003C\u002Fstrong> or \u003Cstrong>Select none\u003C\u002Fstrong>; after you change individual items, it shows \u003Cstrong>Manual selection\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Smart recommendation never selects \u003Cstrong>Application optimization\u003C\u002Fstrong> items or files found by custom rules, so select those yourself if you want them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"confirm\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#confirm\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Confirm and clean\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Click \u003Cstrong>Clean\u003C\u002Fstrong> and check the selected items and estimated data in \u003Cstrong>Confirm cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>. If some items need an app to be closed first, select it under \u003Cstrong>Close running apps (optional)\u003C\u002Fstrong> and WashBear closes it before cleaning; save your work first. When everything looks right, click \u003Cstrong>Start cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>, or click \u003Cstrong>Back to selection\u003C\u002Fstrong> to make changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleanup deletes files directly; nothing goes to the Trash. Content that is still in use or has changed is skipped. While cleanup runs you can click \u003Cstrong>Cancel cleanup\u003C\u002Fstrong>: items that have not started are left alone, and completed items cannot be restored. The result is recorded in \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#history\">Operation History\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"exclusions\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#exclusions\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>How scan exclusions apply\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Path exclusions in \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#scan-exclusions\">Scan exclusions\u003C\u002Fa> only apply when looking for project build artifacts; other cleanup items may still clean content inside those folders. Name exclusions keep matching files and folders. While name exclusions are on, cleanup items that cannot apply them safely, and app leftovers, are skipped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",[12,15,18,21,24,27],{"depth":8,"id":13,"text":14},"what-it-finds","What it finds",{"depth":8,"id":16,"text":17},"scan-type","Choose a scan type",{"depth":8,"id":19,"text":20},"custom-rules","Custom cleanup rules",{"depth":8,"id":22,"text":23},"review-and-select","Review and select",{"depth":8,"id":25,"text":26},"confirm","Confirm and clean",{"depth":8,"id":28,"text":29},"exclusions","How scan exclusions apply","\nDeep Cleanup gathers caches, temporary files, and developer data from across the system and your apps into one place, sorted by purpose, so you can see how much space each uses before deciding what to remove.\n\n## What it finds {#what-it-finds}\n\nResults are grouped by category. Categories with nothing to clean are hidden.\n\n- **System caches**, **User cache files**, **Application caches**, **Browser data**: caches and temporary files created while the system and apps run.\n- **Developer tools**, **Xcode data**, **Project build artifacts**, **Container caches**: caches and indexes from developer tools, plus dependencies and build output that projects can recreate.\n- **AI models and caches**: downloaded AI models and temporary transfer files.\n- **Application optimization**: removes app code for processor architectures this Mac does not use. The apps themselves stay installed.\n- **App leftovers**: data left behind by apps you have removed. Only locations clearly linked to that app are listed, and they are checked as part of a standard scan.\n- **Custom cleanup**: files found by your own rules.\n\n## Choose a scan type {#scan-type}\n\nClick **Start Scan** to run a standard scan. Use the arrow next to the button to choose another type:\n\n- **Standard Scan**: checks cleanup items and development projects for the current user.\n- **Choose Disks**: the system disk is always scanned. Select other disks to look for development projects and build files on them too.\n- **Custom Cleanup**: finds files using your folders and matching conditions.\n\nOnce results appear, **Scan Again** repeats the last scan type.\n\n## Custom cleanup rules {#custom-rules}\n\nIn **Custom Cleanup**, click **Add Rule**, enter a rule name, then click **Choose Folders** or drop folders into the dialog. Each rule can use:\n\n- **File names**: for example `*.log, *.tmp`. `*` matches any number of characters, `?` matches a single character, and commas separate patterns.\n- **Minimum size (MB)**, **Maximum size (MB)**, and **File modification date** (1–3650 days).\n- **Include subfolders**: turn this off to check only the files directly inside each selected folder.\n- **Remove empty folders**: after cleanup, removes empty subfolders inside the selected folders. The selected folders themselves are kept.\n\nYou can create up to 20 rules, each with up to 8 folders and 16 file name patterns. Turn on **Also run a standard scan** to check the usual items at the same time, then click **Save and Scan** to start.\n\n> [!TIP]\n> A file name match does not mean a file is unneeded. Point rules at folders you know hold logs or temporary files, not at folders that contain personal data.\n\n## Review and select {#review-and-select}\n\nCategories are on the left and cleanup items on the right. Items marked **Low risk** can usually be recreated. Expand an item to see what it is, how cleaning it affects you, and its exact locations. You can select each location on its own, or use **Show in File Manager** to look at it in Finder.\n\nWhen a scan finishes, items are preselected with **Smart recommendation**, which picks only lower-risk content that can usually be recreated. Use **Selection** at the bottom to switch to **Select all** or **Select none**; after you change individual items, it shows **Manual selection**. Smart recommendation never selects **Application optimization** items or files found by custom rules, so select those yourself if you want them.\n\n## Confirm and clean {#confirm}\n\nClick **Clean** and check the selected items and estimated data in **Confirm cleanup**. If some items need an app to be closed first, select it under **Close running apps (optional)** and WashBear closes it before cleaning; save your work first. When everything looks right, click **Start cleanup**, or click **Back to selection** to make changes.\n\nCleanup deletes files directly; nothing goes to the Trash. Content that is still in use or has changed is skipped. While cleanup runs you can click **Cancel cleanup**: items that have not started are left alone, and completed items cannot be restored. The result is recorded in [Operation History](\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#history).\n\n## How scan exclusions apply {#exclusions}\n\nPath exclusions in [Scan exclusions](\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#scan-exclusions) only apply when looking for project build artifacts; other cleanup items may still clean content inside those folders. Name exclusions keep matching files and folders. While name exclusions are on, cleanup items that cannot apply them safely, and app leftovers, are skipped.\n",1793257449910]