4 Ways to Find and Delete Large Files on Your Mac

Have you ever felt like your Mac is like a closet stuffed full of clothes, making it super hard to find that one hoodie you love? Well, big files on your Mac are kinda like those bulky jackets that take up too much space. They can make your Mac as slow as a turtle in a peanut butter jar, especially when you’re trying to move stuff around or open files.

So, let’s play a game of “Find the Big Files” on your Mac. You can put on your detective hat and search for them one by one, or you could go for some cool tools that do the heavy lifting for you. I’m about to spill the beans on six super-smart ways to spot those file-hogging culprits on your Mac, whether it’s the latest macOS Ventura or an older buddy like Catalina.

Ready to give your Mac a little breathing room? Let’s jump in!

Best App to Find Large Hidden Files on Mac Quickly

Are you tired of playing hide and seek with huge files on your Mac? 🕵️‍♂️ Well, there’s a superhero app that can swoop in and save the day – let’s call it the Big File Finder!

Meet Your Mac’s New Best Friend: CleanMyMac X

Imagine having a magic wand that not only finds big hidden files but also cleans up your Mac until it sparkles! That’s what CleanMyMac X by MacPaw is like. It’s a toolbox stuffed with awesome tools to tidy up, boost, and protect your Mac. This isn’t just about sweeping away the digital dust bunnies; it’s like giving your Mac a super spa day!

CleanMyMac X’s Super Skills

• Sweeps out the old: Finds those giant files you forgot about.
• Plays digital detective: Hunts down files hiding out in secret corners.
• Junk buster: Ditches the useless clutter from apps like iTunes and Photos.
• Malware watchdog: Keeps the nasty bugs away from your Mac.
• Performance booster: Makes sure your Mac runs smooth and fast.
• App manager: Helps with updating and getting rid of apps you don’t need.

Zap Away Gigantic Files in a Flash!

Want to see it in action? Here’s how to get your Mac feeling light on its feet:

1. Get your hands on a free version of CleanMyMac X, download it, and open it up on your Mac.
2. Head over to the ‘Files’ section and click on ‘Large & Old Files’ to start the search.
3. After the scan, you can line up the files by size to spot the biggest space-hoggers.
4. Choose the ones you want to say goodbye to and hit ‘Remove.’ Just like that, CleanMyMac X kicks those bulky files off your Mac.

Find Largest Hidden Files on Mac in Specific Folder

So, you’ve got a hunch that some big files are hanging out in certain folders on your Mac, just chilling and taking up space. You might think they’re media files (like videos and pictures) or maybe apps that are bigger than a giant pizza. If you’ve got an idea of where the heavyweights are, you can zero in on them like a hawk!

Steps to find largest files on Mac in specific folder, including hidden files

1. Jump into your Mac account and open up your Finder to see all your folders.
2. Now, do a little finger dance on your keyboard and press Command+Shift+. (that’s the period key!) to make all the sneaky hidden files come out and say hello.
3. Look for the ‘Size’ option and click on it. This will line up your folders by size, putting the biggest ones right at the top, just like the leaderboards in video games.
4. Now, double-click the heavyweight champion folder and take a peek inside to find the biggest of the big files.

That’s like finding the chunkiest chocolate chip in the cookie! 🍪 Now you know where those space-eating files are hiding, and you can decide what to do with them.

Search Mac to Find Big Files

Ever wish you could just shout, “Hey, where are you, big files?” and they’d answer back? Well, your Mac’s Spotlight is kind of like that—minus the shouting. It’s a super handy tool that can find files that are taking up more than their fair share of space, like those over 1GB.

Here’s How You Can Play Hide-and-Seek with Spotlight:

1. First, click on your Finder app to get started.
2. Next, wake up Spotlight by pressing Command+F. Make sure it’s set to search ‘This Mac’ so it can look everywhere.
3. Now, it’s time to set the rules of the game. Click on the ‘Kind’ filter and change it to ‘File Size.’ Then set it to ‘is greater than’ and type in ‘1 GB’—that’s like telling Spotlight to find files heavier than a small watermelon!
4. Bam! Spotlight will line up all the files over 1GB for you to check out.
5. If you spot a file you don’t need, just right-click on it and send it to the trash. Easy-peasy!
6. Don’t forget, if you want to see the hidden files too, do the secret handshake again (Command+Shift+.) and they’ll pop up!

Find Large Files by Checking Mac Storage

So there’s another super cool way to track down those big files on your Mac, and guess what? Your Mac helps you out with this one! It’s like having a smart assistant who points out all the stuff you don’t need anymore.

Here’s How to Team Up with Your Mac and Find Those Files:

1. Start off by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Then, march straight into ‘About This Mac.’ It’s like opening the door to your Mac’s brain!
3. Next, hit ‘Storage’ and then ‘Manage.’ This is where your Mac shows you all the goodies it’s got stored.
4. Keep an eye out for ‘Recommendations.’ Under ‘Reduce Clutter,’ you’ll find ‘Review Files.’ It’s like your Mac is whispering, “Hey, check this out!”
5. Jump into ‘Documents.’ Now you’re in the treasure room! Here, you can see everything from Large Files to what you’ve downloaded, all lined up from the biggest to the teeny-tiniest.
6. Spot a file that’s just gathering digital dust? Click ‘Delete’ to kick it to the curb!

And just like that, you’re the boss of your storage space.

See Large Folders and Files in Mac Library

Did you know that with newer macOS versions like Big Sur, your Mac has a secret room? It’s the Library folder, and it’s like a backstage area where all your apps keep their stuff. If you’ve got a feeling that this is where the bulky folders and files are having a party, let’s crash it and see what’s going on.

Here’s Your Backstage Pass to the Library Folder:

1. Open up your Finder app to start your behind-the-scenes tour.
2. Click on ‘Go’ in the menu bar, and while you’re there, hold down the ‘Option’ key—this is your secret knock to make the hidden Library folder show up.
3. Now, do that magic move: press Command+Shift+. to make all the hidden files appear.
4. Click on ‘Size’ to sort everything by how big it is. The biggest ones will jump to the top of the list like they’re the stars of the show.
5. Double-click on any folder, and you’ll see which files are the heavyweight champs, taking up the most space on your Mac.

There you go! You’ve just peeked behind the curtain to see where some of the big files on your Mac are hiding. Now you can decide if they deserve the spotlight or if it’s time for them to take a bow and exit stage left to the Trash. 🎭

How to Find Large Files with Mac Terminal

Are you ready to roll up your digital sleeves and use some command-line magic? The Terminal in your Mac is like a wizard’s wand, and with the right spell, you can make those large files come out of hiding.

Let’s Get Commanding:

1. First, open your Finder, then click on ‘Applications.’ Find the ‘Utilities’ folder and inside it, you’ll see ‘Terminal.’ Fire it up!
2. Now, you’re going to type in a special command. This is like whispering a secret code to your Mac. Ready? Type this: find . -size +200M -exec du -hs {} \; and then press ‘Enter.’ This spell tells your Mac, “Hey, show me all the stuff that’s more than 200MB!”
3. You can change that ‘200M’ to whatever size you’re curious about. Maybe you want to see files over ‘100M’ or even ‘500M’—just swap out the number to suit your quest.
4. Once you hit ‘Enter,’ your Mac will start its treasure hunt. It’ll list all the files that are as big or bigger than the size you asked for.
5. This part is like waiting for a cake to bake—it might take a little time. So be patient and let your Mac do its thing.

Wrapping Up the Big File Hunt on Your Mac 🎉

And there we have it, folks! We’ve been on quite the adventure, diving into the nooks and crannies of your Mac to hunt down those space-hogging files. Whether you’re a fan of clicking around in Finder or you like to get your hands digital-dirty with Terminal commands, you’ve got a whole arsenal of tools at your disposal now.

Remember, your Mac is like a closet. Every once in a while, it needs a good cleaning out to make room for new stuff. You wouldn’t keep a bunch of old, heavy coats you never wear, right? Same goes for your files!

From using the super-smart Spotlight search to checking out the Library folder’s hidden treasures, and even commanding your Mac with Terminal—there’s a method for everyone. Choose what works for you and keep your Mac feeling like new.

So, don’t let those big files weigh you down. Keep things tidy, and your Mac will be zippy and ready for all your future projects. Happy decluttering! 🚀💾

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