Choose a view for the job
- Top Sizes: Find the largest files and folders first.
- Treemap: Compare sizes using rectangles.
- Sunburst: Follow folders through concentric rings.
- Flame: Read folder depth from top to bottom.
- Folders: Browse one folder at a time.
- Bubbles: Compare nested folders as circles.
- Mind Map: Follow branches from the current folder.
- Age Map: Group files by their last modification date.
Start with the largest items
Run Scan Full Mac, or choose File > Scan Folder for a smaller scan. Open Top Sizes, inspect a large item, then switch to Treemap or Sunburst to understand the surrounding folders. Changing views uses the same results.
For example, a large archive in Downloads might be an old installer you recognize. A large folder inside an active project may still be needed. Size alone cannot tell you what to delete.
Use age as a clue
Age Map shows when files were last modified. An old modification date does not mean a file is unused or safe to remove. Check its name, location, and contents before adding it to Cleanup.
Understand the totals
DiskHelper can show logical file size or allocated size on disk. Compression, shared storage blocks, cloud placeholders, and skipped paths can make a scan differ from other storage totals. The selected cleanup size is not a promise of how much free space you will gain.
Choose Add to Cleanup, then open Cleanup to check the complete list. You can request a file backup before moving files to Trash. Space is not freed just by moving an item to Trash. Apple explains when storage becomes available.
For the macOS overview, check storage in System Settings. If an app is taking up space, review it before uninstalling.