Guide

How to stop Downloads from filling up your Mac’s storage

Open System Settings › General › Storage to see what is using space, clear installers and large files from Downloads, then empty the Trash.

The built-in way

See what is using space

Open System Settings › General › Storage and wait for the bar to fill in.
Click the info button next to Documents, then Downloads, to list files there by size and date.
Select the ones you don’t need and click Delete. This removes them permanently, so check first.

Another way

Clear the usual suspects

Installers (.dmg, .pkg) for apps you have installed.
Zips you have already opened.
Screen recordings and video exports you have shared.
Then empty the Trash: space is only freed when it is emptied.

With Omaculate

Let Oma do it, and check her work first

Omaculate keeps Downloads from piling up again: installers, opened zips and duplicates are listed for the Trash on each run, and you approve them. It never empties the Trash, so emptying it is still your call.

Recipe: Trash old app installers An installer in Downloads, older than 30 days, goes to the Trash.

Questions

Does Storage’s Delete button use the Trash?

No. Deleting from Storage settings removes the file permanently. Use Finder if you want it to go to the Trash first.

Why didn’t my free space go up after trashing files?

Files in the Trash still take up space. Empty the Trash to free it.

More guides

Let Oma have a look at your Downloads.

Free for one folder. Everything free for 3 days, then Grand Oma is $14.99, once.

Coming soon to the Mac App Store Needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later