Part of: Mac storage full? Find what is using it and free up space safely (Storage full)
To find large files on a Mac, search by size in Finder, or run one read-only command in Terminal. Either way you get a list. The real work is deciding which of those files you can let go of.
Option 1: Finder
Finder can filter by file size, but the exact menus change between macOS versions, so this guide does not give a fixed click path. In general: open a Finder window, start a search in the folder you want, add a criterion for File Size, and set it greater than a number you choose, such as 500 MB. Then sort the results by size.
This is slow on big disks, and it does not show everything, since some folders are hidden.
Option 2: Terminal
This is a direct way to get a reliable list. Both commands only read.
To list files over 1 GB in your home folder:
find ~ -type f -size +1GTo list files over 100 MB inside Downloads, with their sizes:
find ~/Downloads -type f -size +100M -exec ls -lh {} +You can also use Spotlight’s index, which avoids walking every folder:
mdfind -onlyin ~/Downloads "kMDItemFSSize > 100000000"That number is in bytes, so it means about 100 MB. Change the folder or the number to suit. If a command prints nothing, no file matched. If it prints errors for some folders, Terminal is not allowed to read them.
Two things to remember. find over your whole home folder can take a few minutes. And the sizes you see are logical sizes; a file that is sparse or shares data with a clone can use less on disk. Mac storage full but no files? explains.
Reading the results
When the list comes back, sort it mentally into three groups. The first group is files you know and use, such as a current project. Leave those. The second is files you know and no longer need, such as a video you have already edited and exported. Those are your first candidates. The third is files you do not recognise. Do not delete those yet. Look at the folder they sit in, which often tells you which app they belong to, and search for the name if you still cannot tell.
A single folder can also be the problem even if no single file is large. Thousands of small files add up. If the file search finds little but the disk is still full, go back to the folder sizes from du -h -d 1 and look for the biggest folder instead.
Option 3: a scan
DiskJoy is our product. It scans the folders you allow and lists large files with their sizes and dates, next to caches, duplicates and other categories, counting shared data once. A scan only reads file sizes and dates and changes nothing. DiskJoy is pre-alpha and cleanup is not available yet, so you remove files yourself, and large files are never preselected for you. Download DiskJoy for Mac to try it.
How to decide what to remove
Ask three questions about each large file:
- Do I know what it is? If not, find out before you do anything.
- Can I get it again? A video you downloaded or an installer is replaceable. A video you shot is not.
- Is there another copy? A copy in the cloud or on an external drive makes removal safer. Check that it opens first.
Safe, Risky, Never
- Safe: installers and disk images you already used, files you downloaded and can download again, files you have copied elsewhere and tested.
- Risky: videos, projects and archives you made yourself, and backups.
- Never: files inside system folders, inside the Photos library, or inside an app’s own folder that you cannot name. Removing them can make an app lose its data or fail to open.
Move, do not just delete
If you want to keep a large file but not on your Mac, copy it to an external drive, open the copy to check it, and only then remove the original. Remember that files in the Trash still use space until you empty it.
Where large files usually hide
- Downloads: see how to clean up the Downloads folder and how to delete DMG files.
- Movies and project folders you no longer use.
- Library: see why the Library folder is so big.
- iPhone backups: see iPhone backups on your Mac.
Next step
For the full order of safe steps, see the complete guide to freeing up space on a Mac.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find large files on my Mac?
Use a Finder search filtered by size, or run find in Terminal with a size limit. Both only read. A scan tool can show the same in one list.
How do I find files bigger than 1 GB on a Mac?
In Terminal, find ~ -type f -size +1G lists them. It can take a while, and some folders may need Full Disk Access to be read.
Is it safe to delete large files on a Mac?
Only if you know what they are. Large files you created, such as videos and disk images, are yours to judge. Large files inside system or app folders should be left alone.