How to free up storage on Mac: large files, old installers and unopened downloads

By Sidhant Sinha, maker of FindGlance · Published October 21, 2026 · 13 min read

When Mac storage is full, updates fail and apps struggle to save. Most of the space on a typical Mac sits in a handful of places, and you can reclaim it without touching anything the system needs.

This guide is ordered by payoff and risk: the steps near the top usually free the most space with the least chance of regret. It works on macOS Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15 and later.

• Check the Storage pane first so you work on the categories that are actually large.
• Videos, installers and the Downloads folder are usually the biggest easy wins.
• Move files to the Trash rather than deleting them outright, then empty the Trash once you are sure.
• System Data is managed by macOS; file tools, including Finder, can’t clear most of it directly.
• Never delete system folders, your whole Library folder or files inside the Photos library.

How do I check what is using storage on my Mac?

The Storage pane in System Settings shows how much space each category uses, such as Applications, Documents, Photos and System Data. It is the right first stop because it tells you where to focus.

1. Choose Apple menu › System Settings.
2. Click General in the sidebar (you may need to scroll), then click Storage.
3. Click the Info button (the ⓘ next to a category) to see and manage its contents.

On macOS Monterey 12 and earlier, the same information lived in Apple menu › About This Mac › Storage. Apple’s guide to freeing up storage space on Mac covers both versions.

The most useful Info buttons are these:

• Documents has views for large files and downloads, and a File Browser that shows how much space each folder uses. You can sort by Name, Kind, Last Accessed or Size.
• Applications lists installed apps (not the built-in system apps) with their sizes.
• iOS Files holds iPhone and iPad backups and device software stored on the Mac.
• Mail, Messages, Music Creation, TV and Podcasts show content from those apps.
• Trash shows what you have deleted but not yet emptied.

You can delete a file right from these lists, but clicking Show in Finder and moving it to the Trash there gives you a way back if you change your mind.

How do I find large files on a Mac?

Finder can list every file over a size you choose, using a search with the File Size attribute. This is the most reliable built-in way to find large files on a Mac, because it searches the whole Mac, not one folder.

1. Open a Finder window and press ⌘ F.
2. Click This Mac next to “Search:” so the search is not limited to the current folder.
3. Click the first pop-up menu (it usually says Kind) and choose Other….
4. Find File Size in the list, select its checkbox (tick In Menu to keep it handy next time), then click OK.
5. Set the rule to File Size › is greater than, type a number such as 500 and choose MB.
6. Switch to list view with ⌘ 2 and click the Size column header to put the largest files first.

To keep this search, click Save to turn it into a Smart Folder in the sidebar. Finder search relies on the Spotlight index, so if it misses files you know exist, see our guide to fixing Spotlight when it isn’t finding files.

Where does storage space hide on a Mac?

Most reclaimable space on a Mac sits in a few predictable places. The table below lists them roughly in order of typical payoff, with how to find each one and whether it is safe to remove.

Should I start with videos and screen recordings?

Videos are often the biggest category of personal files, so they are the best place to start. A few minutes of 4K footage or a long screen recording can use several gigabytes, more than thousands of documents.

Run the Finder search above with Kind › is › Movie instead of File Size, then sort by Size. Look in particular at:

• Screen recordings, which are saved to the Desktop by default and are often made once and forgotten.
• Exported videos from iMovie or other editors whose project is also still on disk.
• Videos copied from a phone or camera outside the Photos app.

Press Space to preview a video with Quick Look before you remove it. To keep a video but not on this Mac, copy it to an external drive first.

Is it safe to delete old .dmg and .pkg installers?

Yes. Once an app is installed, the .dmg (disk image) or .pkg (installer package) file you downloaded is no longer needed, and deleting it does not affect the app. A disk image is a single file that macOS mounts like a drive when you open it.

1. Open Downloads in Finder and type .dmg in the search field, and make sure the search is set to “Downloads” rather than This Mac. Repeat with .pkg.
2. Eject any mounted disk image first. Select it in the Finder sidebar and press ⌘ E.
3. Move the installer files to the Trash with ⌘ ⌫.

Also check the Applications folder for apps named Install macOS …. These full macOS installers are many gigabytes, are only needed to install that version again, and can be downloaded again from Apple.

How do I clear the Downloads folder safely?

The Downloads folder is a common place for forgotten files: installers, ZIP archives, duplicate copies of attachments and files you opened once. Sorting it by size and by date added shows you what is both large and old.

1. Open Downloads and press ⌘ 2 for list view.
2. Press ⌘ J to open View Options and select Date Added and Size. Select Calculate all sizes to see folder sizes too.
3. Click the Size column header to put the largest items on top, then click Date Added to see the oldest.
4. Preview anything unfamiliar with Space, then move what you don’t need to the Trash.

One caution: Downloads is sometimes the only copy of important files, such as tax forms or contracts. If you are not sure what a file is, our guide on how to see where a file was downloaded from shows how to check its source.

How do I remove apps I no longer use?

Removing an app means moving it from the Applications folder to the Trash and then emptying the Trash. If the app came with its own uninstaller, Apple recommends using it, because an uninstaller also removes login items, extensions and other data the app stored elsewhere.

1. Open System Settings › General › Storage and click the ⓘ next to Applications. Sort by Size or Last Accessed to spot large apps you don’t use.
2. Check whether the app has an uninstaller or a remove option in its own menus or settings. If it does, use that.
3. Otherwise, open Applications in Finder, select the app and choose File › Move to Trash.
4. Empty the Trash to get the space back.

Be realistic about leftovers. Dragging an app to the Trash removes the app itself, which is usually most of its size, but some settings, caches and support files may stay in your Library folder. Deleting an app also does not delete documents you made with it. Built-in apps that macOS needs, such as Mail and Music, can’t be removed this way. Apple’s steps are in Delete or uninstall apps on Mac.

How do I delete old iPhone backups on a Mac?

Local iPhone and iPad backups are managed in Finder on macOS Catalina and later, through the device’s Manage Backups button. Old backups of devices you no longer own often stay behind.

1. Connect the iPhone or iPad with a cable and select it in the Finder sidebar. Tap Trust on the device if asked.
2. Click the General tab, then click Manage Backups.
3. Control-click a backup you don’t need and choose Delete, or choose Archive to keep one permanently. Click OK.

A deleted backup can’t be recovered, so keep at least one recent backup of each device you still use, unless you rely on iCloud Backup. You can also review backups and stored device software under Storage › iOS Files ⓘ. Apple’s article on locating and managing iPhone and iPad backups explains where they are stored. Delete backups through Manage Backups rather than by removing folders by hand.

Do duplicate files take up much space?

Duplicate files are copies with identical contents, and they add up when the same photos, videos or downloads exist in two or three folders. Similar photos, such as burst-style shots of the same scene, are not identical but are often just as wasteful.

For photos inside the Photos app, use the Photos app itself, so the library stays consistent. For files in Finder, a duplicate finder that compares file contents is safer than matching names, since two files with the same name can be different. Our guide on finding and removing duplicate files and similar photos covers both, including Terminal checks.

How much space do Mail and Messages attachments use?

Mail and Messages keep a local copy of attachments, so years of photos, videos and PDFs can quietly use a lot of space. Both apps have settings that limit how much they keep.

Mail

• Choose Mailbox › Erase Deleted Items and Mailbox › Erase Junk Mail to clear mail you have already thrown away.
• In Mail › Settings › Accounts › Account Information, the Download Attachments menu offers All, Recent (attachments from the past 15 months) and None. Mail always downloads media attachments such as images, PDFs, video and audio, so this setting only affects other file types.

Messages

• Click the ⓘ next to Messages in the Storage pane to review large attachments and delete the ones you don’t need.
• In Messages › Settings › General, the Keep messages menu can remove conversations after a set time, such as 30 days. The attachments go with them, so only change this if you are comfortable losing old conversations.

Why hasn’t deleting files freed any space?

Files you move to the Trash still use storage until you empty the Trash. This is the most common reason a cleanup seems to make no difference.

• To empty it, choose Finder › Empty Trash or press ⇧ ⌘ ⌫. Emptied items are gone unless you have a backup.
• To empty it automatically, choose Finder › Settings › Advanced and select Remove items from the Trash after 30 days. The Storage pane offers the same option as Empty Trash Automatically.
• Items you delete from iCloud Drive are removed from the Trash after 30 days regardless of this setting.

Should I use Optimize Storage and Store in iCloud?

Store in iCloud and Optimize Storage are the two recommendations at the top of the Storage pane, and both free space by keeping less on the Mac. They are helpful, but each one has a trade-off you should understand first.

• Store in iCloud moves Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive, photos and videos to iCloud Photos, and messages and attachments to iCloud. When space is needed, only recently opened files stay fully on the Mac. The trade-off: you need enough iCloud storage, opening an older file needs an internet connection and a short download, and any app that reads your files locally won’t see the ones that are only in iCloud.
• Optimize Storage removes Apple TV movies and shows you have already watched and keeps only recent email attachments on the Mac when space is needed. The trade-off is small: you download them again if you want them.
• Empty Trash Automatically erases items that have been in the Trash for more than 30 days.

What is System Data on a Mac, and can I clear it?

System Data is the Storage category for files that don’t fit any other category, such as logs, caches, virtual memory (swap) files, temporary files, fonts, app support files and plug-ins. Apple says you can’t manage System Data directly: macOS manages it, and its size changes over time.

That explains why System Data can look alarmingly large one day and smaller the next. Several things feed it and drain it:

• Caches and temporary files grow as you use apps. macOS clears caches and logs that are safe to delete when space is needed, including temporary database files, interrupted downloads, staged macOS and app updates, and Safari website data.
• Virtual memory. When apps need more memory than the Mac has, macOS writes some of it to swap files on disk, so this part of System Data rises and falls with what you have open.
• Data owned by third-party apps, such as virtual machines, game libraries or developer tools, can land here. Manage that data in the app that created it.

Time Machine local snapshots also make free space look different from moment to moment. A local snapshot is a copy of the state of your startup disk that Time Machine keeps on the Mac itself. Apple says Time Machine saves one about every hour, keeps it for 24 hours, counts its space as available storage and deletes snapshots automatically as space is needed. You can list them in Terminal with:

tmutil listlocalsnapshots /

You rarely need to remove them by hand. Apple’s article About Time Machine local snapshots explains how, if you must. Apple also notes that starting up in safe mode clears certain system caches, which can help when a macOS update says there isn’t enough space.

The honest summary: no file tool, including Finder and FindGlance, can clear most of System Data directly. Free space elsewhere and let macOS manage the rest.

What should I not delete on a Mac?

Some folders look large and tempting but should never be cleaned out by hand. Deleting from them can break apps, lose data or stop the Mac from starting.

• Anything in /System, and the top-level /Library, /private and /usr folders. macOS protects much of this anyway.
• Your ~/Library folder as a whole. It holds app settings, mailboxes, messages and saved data. Removing a single item you understand, such as the leftover folder of an app you deleted, is one thing; deleting the folder wholesale is not.
• The contents of the Photos library. The Photos Library file in your Pictures folder is a package. Never open it in Finder and delete files inside it; remove photos in the Photos app instead.
• Files in an iPhone backup folder. Use Manage Backups instead.
• Apps that came with macOS. They are part of the system.

How FindGlance helps you find what to remove

FindGlance is a Mac app for finding and tidying files that shows images, videos, documents, archives and apps as large thumbnails. It works alongside Finder. Its Clean Up view (⇧ ⌘ K) collects the categories from this guide in one place, each with its size:

• Unopened Downloads and Old Installers.
• Old Screenshots and Big Old Videos.
• Unused Apps.

A Large Files view lists the biggest files in the folders you allow, and a Duplicates view (⇧ ⌘ D) finds exact copies by their contents. We built Clean Up to be cautious: FindGlance never deletes anything automatically. You confirm every removal, and files only ever go to the Trash, so you can put them back. Files stored only in iCloud are left out of Clean Up, because trashing them would free no space on the Mac.

FindGlance has clear limits. It is not a system cleaner: it does not touch System Data, caches or system folders, and it only looks in the folders you choose in its settings. It also doesn’t remove an app’s leftover support files.

Every feature, including bulk Move to Trash, is free for 7 days with no card or email. After that, FindGlance Pro is a one-time purchase described on the FindGlance pricing section. You can download FindGlance for macOS Sonoma 14 or later.

Frequently asked questions