How to find large files
on your Mac.

1. Get an overview in Storage settings.

Open System Settings, choose General, then Storage. Open the information panel beside Documents, where available. Its large-file and download views help you locate individual items; sort by size and use Show in Finder to inspect a result.

Categories and labels vary with your macOS version and files. A category total is a starting point, not a list of files that are safe to remove. Apple’s guide to finding files in Storage settings explains the available views.

2. Search Finder by file size.

1. Open Finder and start a search with Command-F. Choose the current folder or This Mac, depending on the area you want to inspect.
2. Add a search criterion with the plus button. In the criterion menu, choose Other and look for File Size if it is not already listed.
3. Set a size threshold—for example, greater than 1 GB—to narrow the results. Lower it if you want to see smaller files.
4. Use list view and sort by Size. Check the item’s location and identity before deciding whether you still need it.

Finder results depend on its searchable content and your criteria. An empty result is not proof that no large files exist. See Apple’s search-criteria guidance.

3. See large folders in a disk map.

A size-filtered search can miss the bigger pattern: hundreds of small project files may add up to a large folder. A disk space analyzer shows that hierarchy visually. In a treemap, larger rectangles represent more space, and you can move through folders to inspect the files behind them.

DiskTree for Mac provides this view with real names, sizes and file details. Scanning, exploration, Finder reveal and selection review are free, without an email address, account, card or time limit. Native in-app Move to Trash is unlocked with a US$14.99 one-time licence for two Macs.

Finding a large file is the start.

A familiar filename, its location and the app that owns it help you make a better decision than size alone. Check whether a project is still in use, whether an archive is your only copy, and whether a photo or music library is managed by another app. A folder selection includes its contents.

For synced folders, review your storage provider’s behavior before making changes: removing an item may affect other devices. DiskTree’s review and confirmation are designed to give you another chance to check your selection. They cannot decide which files matter to you.

Moving an item to Trash usually keeps its disk allocation until Trash is emptied separately. Selected size is not a promise of immediately recovered space. See how DiskTree’s storage figures work and the cleanup boundaries.

Why might storage totals disagree?

File length, allocated disk space and available volume space answer different questions. Shared APFS data, snapshots and purgeable storage can also affect the totals. Apple includes purgeable caches in available storage; DiskTree keeps selected bytes and measured available space separate. Avoid adding selected file sizes and treating the result as guaranteed savings.