How to Find Large Files on Mac and Free Up Space
Quick answer: Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Storage to review categories, then use Finder’s search or a storage analyzer to locate unusually large files. Review every item before deleting it.
When your Mac says the startup disk is almost full, the fastest win is usually finding a few large videos, disk images, old installers, backups, or project folders. This guide shows how to find them without deleting macOS files blindly.
1. Check the Storage screen first
On macOS Ventura 13 and later, open System Settings → General → Storage. Apple says this view groups files into categories and provides management options for areas such as Applications, Documents, Downloads, and Trash. The System Data category is a broad measurement of files that do not fit another category, not a folder you should delete wholesale.
2. Find large files with Finder
- Open Finder and press Command-F.
- Choose This Mac as the search location.
- Click the + button, choose Other…, search for File Size, and add it.
- Set the filter to is greater than and start with 1 GB or 5 GB.
- Switch to list view and sort by size. Open the containing folder before deciding what to do.
3. Check the usual large-file locations
- Downloads: old DMG installers, ZIP archives, and exported videos.
- Movies and Pictures: original video files and duplicate exports.
- Developer folders: Xcode DerivedData, archives, simulator runtimes, and package caches. Use the developer storage guide for a safer checklist.
- Old device backups: remove only backups you have verified are no longer needed; see how to delete old iPhone backups.
- Applications: uninstall apps you no longer use rather than dragging only part of an app to the Trash.
4. Delete, move, or compress—don’t guess
Move important media to an external drive before deleting it. For files you rarely use, compression or cloud storage may be better than permanent deletion. If an item belongs to an app, quit the app first. Never remove random folders from /System, /Library, or another user’s home folder just because they look large.
After moving files to the Trash, empty it before expecting the free-space number to change. macOS may also take a few minutes to recalculate storage.
5. Use a visual storage scan for faster triage
Finder works well for individual files, but it is slow when large folders are spread across a disk. TrimyMac’s Large Files scan groups recoverable candidates by size and location so you can inspect them before moving them to its Safe Area. It does not make unknown files safe by default; you still review the candidates.
Find large files without hunting through folders
Use TrimyMac to scan storage, review the biggest candidates, and clean only what you choose.
Download TrimyMac freeFAQ
What is taking up the most space on my Mac?
Check System Settings → General → Storage, then inspect large files in Downloads, Movies, Pictures, Applications, backups, and developer folders. System Data is a mixed category and should not be deleted as one block.
Can I delete large files from the Library folder?
Only when you know what the file belongs to and have confirmed it is disposable. App caches are different from app data, and system folders can affect macOS. When unsure, leave the item in place.