[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":26},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-en-large-files":3},{"meta":4,"html":10,"headings":11,"raw":25},{"title":5,"description":6,"icon":7,"order":8,"updated":9},"Large File Cleanup","Find the files that use the most space by size and type, and delete them permanently once you are sure you no longer need them.","large-files",3,"2026-10-29","\u003Cp>Videos, installers, archives, and old projects are often just a few files, yet they can take up a lot of space. Large File Cleanup finds them by size and lets you decide what stays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"scan-scope\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#scan-scope\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Choose a scan scope\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>In the location selector at the top right, select \u003Cstrong>Common Folders\u003C\u002Fstrong> (\u003Cstrong>Downloads\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Documents\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Pictures\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Videos\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Music\u003C\u002Fstrong>), recently used folders, or disks, or click \u003Cstrong>Choose folder…\u003C\u002Fstrong> to add another location. You can select several at once. The more specific the scope, the faster the scan and the easier the results are to review.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Minimum size\u003C\u002Fstrong> can be 50 MB, 100 MB, 500 MB, 1 GB, or 5 GB. The default is 100 MB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"scan-method\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#scan-method\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Quick Scan and Complete Scan\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Start Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong> uses \u003Cstrong>Quick Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong> by default. Use the arrow next to the button to switch:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Quick Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong>: uses the Spotlight index for speed, but may miss files that have not been indexed yet.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Complete Scan\u003C\u002Fstrong>: walks the selected locations for more complete results. The time it takes depends on the number of files.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>If a file you expect is missing, try again with Complete Scan. Both methods follow your \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#scan-exclusions\">Scan exclusions\u003C\u002Fa> and automatically skip system folders, \u003Ccode>\u002FApplications\u003C\u002Fcode> and \u003Ccode>\u002FLibrary\u003C\u002Fcode> at the root of the disk, and folders managed by developer tools such as the Go module cache, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix or Conda. Those files can't be deleted one by one and removing them breaks builds; use the matching \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fdeep-clean\">Deep Cleanup\u003C\u002Fa> item instead. To remove apps themselves, use \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fapp-uninstall\">App Uninstaller\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"filter-and-sort\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#filter-and-sort\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Filter and sort\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The top of the results shows how many files were found and how much space they use. Filter by \u003Cstrong>Video\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Audio\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Documents\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Archives\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Images\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>AI models\u003C\u002Fstrong>, or \u003Cstrong>Other\u003C\u002Fstrong>, and click the \u003Cstrong>File name\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Size\u003C\u002Fstrong>, or \u003Cstrong>Modified\u003C\u002Fstrong> column headers to sort. Click a path to show the file's location in Finder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changing \u003Cstrong>Minimum size\u003C\u002Fstrong> after a scan filters the current results without scanning again. When there are many results, only the largest 2,000 files are listed. If you change the scan scope or your scan exclusions, click \u003Cstrong>Scan Again\u003C\u002Fstrong> before you can delete anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"delete\">\u003Ca class=\"heading-anchor\" href=\"#delete\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\">#\u003C\u002Fa>Delete files permanently\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>One file\u003C\u002Fstrong>: hover over its row and click the \u003Cstrong>Delete Permanently\u003C\u002Fstrong> icon, or right-click it and choose \u003Cstrong>Open\u003C\u002Fstrong>, \u003Cstrong>Show in File Manager\u003C\u002Fstrong>, or \u003Cstrong>Delete Permanently\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Several files\u003C\u002Fstrong>: select the files (the checkbox in the header selects all current results), then click \u003Cstrong>Delete Permanently\u003C\u002Fstrong> at the bottom. The bottom bar shows the number of selected files and the \u003Cstrong>Estimated space to free\u003C\u002Fstrong>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>After you confirm, the files are deleted directly. They do not go to the Trash and cannot be recovered. Files that changed or became unavailable after the scan are skipped automatically. Deletions are recorded in \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fen\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#history\">Operation History\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"callout callout-warning\">\u003Cp class=\"callout-title\">Warning\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Make sure you really no longer need a file before deleting it. Back up personal photos, videos, and project files first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>",[12,16,19,22],{"depth":13,"id":14,"text":15},2,"scan-scope","Choose a scan scope",{"depth":13,"id":17,"text":18},"scan-method","Quick Scan and Complete Scan",{"depth":13,"id":20,"text":21},"filter-and-sort","Filter and sort",{"depth":13,"id":23,"text":24},"delete","Delete files permanently","\nVideos, installers, archives, and old projects are often just a few files, yet they can take up a lot of space. Large File Cleanup finds them by size and lets you decide what stays.\n\n## Choose a scan scope {#scan-scope}\n\nIn the location selector at the top right, select **Common Folders** (**Downloads**, **Documents**, **Pictures**, **Videos**, **Music**), recently used folders, or disks, or click **Choose folder…** to add another location. You can select several at once. The more specific the scope, the faster the scan and the easier the results are to review.\n\n**Minimum size** can be 50 MB, 100 MB, 500 MB, 1 GB, or 5 GB. The default is 100 MB.\n\n## Quick Scan and Complete Scan {#scan-method}\n\n**Start Scan** uses **Quick Scan** by default. Use the arrow next to the button to switch:\n\n- **Quick Scan**: uses the Spotlight index for speed, but may miss files that have not been indexed yet.\n- **Complete Scan**: walks the selected locations for more complete results. The time it takes depends on the number of files.\n\nIf a file you expect is missing, try again with Complete Scan. Both methods follow your [Scan exclusions](\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#scan-exclusions) and automatically skip system folders, `\u002FApplications` and `\u002FLibrary` at the root of the disk, and folders managed by developer tools such as the Go module cache, Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix or Conda. Those files can't be deleted one by one and removing them breaks builds; use the matching [Deep Cleanup](\u002Fdocs\u002Fdeep-clean) item instead. To remove apps themselves, use [App Uninstaller](\u002Fdocs\u002Fapp-uninstall).\n\n## Filter and sort {#filter-and-sort}\n\nThe top of the results shows how many files were found and how much space they use. Filter by **Video**, **Audio**, **Documents**, **Archives**, **Images**, **AI models**, or **Other**, and click the **File name**, **Size**, or **Modified** column headers to sort. Click a path to show the file's location in Finder.\n\nChanging **Minimum size** after a scan filters the current results without scanning again. When there are many results, only the largest 2,000 files are listed. If you change the scan scope or your scan exclusions, click **Scan Again** before you can delete anything.\n\n## Delete files permanently {#delete}\n\n- **One file**: hover over its row and click the **Delete Permanently** icon, or right-click it and choose **Open**, **Show in File Manager**, or **Delete Permanently**.\n- **Several files**: select the files (the checkbox in the header selects all current results), then click **Delete Permanently** at the bottom. The bottom bar shows the number of selected files and the **Estimated space to free**.\n\nAfter you confirm, the files are deleted directly. They do not go to the Trash and cannot be recovered. Files that changed or became unavailable after the scan are skipped automatically. Deletions are recorded in [Operation History](\u002Fdocs\u002Fgetting-started#history).\n\n> [!WARNING]\n> Make sure you really no longer need a file before deleting it. Back up personal photos, videos, and project files first.\n",1793257449910]