Guide

How to clean up the Downloads folder on a Mac

Open Downloads in list view, sort by Date Added, move the files you still need into folders, and send old installers, zips and duplicates to the Trash.

The built-in way

Sort it by date added, then work from the bottom

  1. Open Downloads in Finder (⌥⌘L) and switch to list view with ⌘2.
  2. Choose View › Show View Options and tick "Date Added". Click the Date Added column to sort by it, oldest at the bottom.
  3. Start with the oldest files. Drag anything you want to keep into a folder (Documents, Pictures, a project folder).
  4. Select what you don't need and press ⌘⌫ to move it to the Trash.

Another way

Clear the easy wins first

  1. Installers: once an app is in Applications, its .dmg or .pkg can go. Search the folder for ".dmg" and ".pkg".
  2. Zips you already opened: if "fonts" sits next to "fonts.zip", the zip is a spare copy.
  3. Numbered copies: search for "(1)" to find files you downloaded twice.

Nothing is gone until you empty the Trash, so you can still put a file back if you change your mind.

Questions

Is it safe to delete everything in Downloads?

Not without a look first. Downloads often holds the only copy of a statement, a contract or a photo someone sent you. Move what you need into folders before you empty it.

How do I see when a file was downloaded?

In list view, choose View › Show View Options and tick Date Added. That shows when the file arrived in the folder.

More guides

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