Apple Disk Image
What is a .dmg file, and can you delete it?
A .dmg is a disk image, the package most Mac apps come in; once the app is copied to Applications, you can eject it and trash the .dmg.
Safe to trash
Safe to trash once the app is in your Applications folder. You can download it again from the developer if you ever need it.
What it is
A .dmg file is a disk image: a file that macOS opens as if it were a drive. Developers use it to ship Mac apps, usually with the app and a shortcut to Applications inside. Opening it mounts the image in the Finder sidebar.
Where it comes from
Downloads, every time you download a Mac app from a developer’s website rather than the App Store.
Remove a .dmg after installing
- Check the app is in Applications, not running from the disk image window.
- Click the eject button next to the disk image in the Finder sidebar.
- Move the .dmg file from Downloads to the Trash.
Let Oma handle it
Trash old app installers
An installer in Downloads, older than 30 days, goes to the Trash.
See the recipeQuestions
Does deleting a .dmg uninstall the app?
No. The installed app is in Applications. The .dmg is only the package it came in.
Why can’t I move a .dmg to the Trash?
It may still be mounted. Eject it in the Finder sidebar first, then try again.
Other files in Downloads
Let Oma have a look at your Downloads.
Free for one folder. Everything free for 3 days, then Grand Oma is $14.99, once.