How to Clean Junk Files on Mac: 8 Quick and Easy Ways

Written by

Hashir Ibrahim

Reviewed by

Ojash

Last updated: September 6, 2023

Expert verified

Let’s face it, we’ve all been guilty of downloading random files, trying out new apps, and letting our desktops become a virtual dumping ground for random files. But all those “temporary” files that you thought you didn’t need are taking up valuable space on your hard drives, slowing down your Mac’s performance. So, if you feel like your Mac is running on turtle mode, it’s because of those sneaky junk files.

But getting rid of these pesky files is a piece of cake, and it can supercharge your Mac’s performance. In this article, I’ll show you how to clean junk files on Mac, so you can enjoy lightning-fast computing and seamlessly run all your favorite programs.

What Are Junk Files on Mac?

Junk files on a Mac are files that are no longer needed or useful and are just taking up space on your computer’s hard drive. They can include temporary files, cache files, log files, and other files that accumulate over time. Some examples of junk files on a Mac include:

How to Clean Junk Files on Mac

Are you tired of constantly getting the “not enough space” message on your Mac? Now that you know what junk files are and how to identify them, let’s explore some cleaning methods.

Method 1: Get Rid of Junk Files on Mac With MacKeeper

If your Mac’s hard drive is cluttered with junk files, you should opt for the quickest and most effective way to clean junk files – MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup. This feature removes unwanted and unnecessary junk files in no more than three clicks and frees up as much space as possible.

Here’s how to use Safe Cleanup to clear temp files on your Mac and delete the cache to declutter your Mac:

1. Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. Now launch MacKeeper and select Safe Cleanup in the left sidebar.

3. Click Start Scan.

4. From the list of detected items, choose which ones you want to remove from your Mac or click Check All.

5. Click Clean Junk Files.

6. Wait for MacKeeper to finish cleaning. When it’s done, you’ll get a Cleaning Completed notification. Click Rescan to scan your Mac again.

Method 2: Remove Junk Files Manually

Though using a third-party app to clean junk files from your Mac makes it hassle-free and more secure, there are manual methods if you want a more hands-on approach. You can manually remove unnecessary files from your Mac to free up space but don’t go all rogue and start deleting random stuff.

Follow these safe methods to clear the clutter and reclaim your valuable hard drive space.

1. Clear Cache Files

Apps create cache files to speed up their operation, but if you’re not careful, these files can pile up and gobble up valuable space on your device. These sneaky little files can actually cause some serious trouble for your Mac if you don’t keep them in check.

So, follow these steps to clear cache files on your Mac manually:

1. Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar and select Go to Folder.

2. Type in the following path and press Enter:

~/Library/Caches

3. Select the cache files you want to delete, or select all cache files. Right-click the selected files and select Move to Bin.

4. Right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin to delete junk files from your Mac permanently.

2. Remove User Log Files

User logs are like a diary of everything that’s happened on your device – from what apps you’ve opened to what cat videos you’ve watched.

Now, if you’re the owner of an older Mac, chances are you’ve accumulated quite a few of these logs, and they’re just taking up precious space on your machine. It’s time to say goodbye to the past and hello to some much-needed spring cleaning.

Here’s how to remove user log files on Mac:

1. Open Finder and press Command ⌘ + Shift ⇧ + G.

2. Type the following path in the field and press Enter:

~/Library/Logs

3. You will see all the user log files. You can move the files manually to the Bin. If you want to declutter your Mac completely, select all the user log files and delete them by right-clicking and selecting Move to Bin.

4. Next, right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin.

3. Delete System Log Files

System log files are like the annoying houseguests that just won’t leave. Created by the operating system and system events, these files can really clog up your device if you don’t regularly clean them. Plus, let’s be real – do you really need that log from three years ago?

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “Aren’t these logs important for developers to diagnose errors and issues?” You’re right, but deleting these files won’t harm your device.

So, let’s see how to delete system data on Mac:

1. Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar and select Go to Folder.

2. Type in the following path and press Enter:

/var/log

3. Select the system log files you want to delete or delete all system log files by dragging them to the Bin. Alternatively, you can right-click the selected files and select Move to Bin.

4. Right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin to delete unnecessary log files from your Mac permanently.

4. Remove Localization Files

So, you’ve got yourself a bunch of apps installed on your device, right? And chances are, some of them come with multiple language files for all you multilingual folks out there. But if you’re like me and only speak like two and a half languages, what’s the point of having all those extra language files taking up precious space on your device?

To remove these files, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Finder and navigate to the Applications folder.

2. Find the app you want to remove language files from. Right-click the app and select Show Package Contents.

3. Open the Contents folder and navigate to the Resources folder inside.

4. Subfolders that end with lproj are language files containing localization information for specific languages. Each of these folders is dedicated to a particular language. For instance, the folder en.lproj contains localization files for the English language.

5. Select and delete the language folders you don’t need.

6. Don’t forget to empty the Bin to completely remove localization files from your Mac.

5. Delete App Leftovers

So, you’ve been on an app uninstalling spree on your Mac, huh? That’s always a satisfying feeling – freeing up some much-needed space on your hard drive. But did you know that even after you’ve given an app the boot, it might still leave behind some unwanted files taking up precious real estate on your computer?

To remove leftover files from your Mac, follow these steps:

1. Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar and select Go to Folder.

2. Paste the following in the empty field one by one:

~/Library/

~/Library/Application Support

~/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/

~/Library/Caches

~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/

~/Library/Preferences/

~/Library/Saved Application State/

2. Delete the folders and files associated with apps you have uninstalled by sending them to the Bin.

Although this method works, it’s time-consuming and runs the risk of deleting essential files. To avoid an unfortunate data loss situation, it’s better to use a third-party app like MacKeeper. Using the Smart Uninstaller feature of MacKeeper, you can get rid of leftover files quickly and safely. Here’s how:

1. Launch MacKeeper and click Smart Uninstaller in the left sidebar.

2. Click Start Scan.

3. Click Leftovers in the left menu.

4. Select the leftover files you want to delete and click Remove Selected.

5. Click Remove on the pop-up to confirm the deletion.

6. You’ll get a Removal Completed notification. Click Rescan if you want to run the scan again.

6. Delete Unused .DMGs

So, you’ve just downloaded a bunch of cool new apps and files from the internet, and they all come in shiny little disk image packages (.DMGs). You install the app or extract the files, and then what? That’s right – you’re left with a bunch of pesky DMGs taking up valuable space on your Mac.

Deleting DMGs is actually super easy and will give you some extra breathing room on your hard drive. Here’s how to delete disk images on Mac:

1. Open Finder from your Dock.

2. Click the small magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of the Finder window.

3. Type dmg in the search bar, and it will show all files with the same extension in their name.

4. Delete the .dmg files you no longer need by right-clicking and selecting Move to Bin.

7. Remove Large and Old Files

Ah, memories…they’re great, right? Whether it’s a hilarious video of your cat playing the piano or a breathtaking photo of that time you hiked to the top of a mountain, these files have a way of piling up over time and taking up more space on your Mac than you’d like.

If you feel like your Mac has started to resemble a hoarder’s paradise, it’s time to clean up. I know it can be overwhelming to tackle a mountain of files, but with these simple steps, you’ll be able to identify and remove those pesky space hogs with ease:

1. Open Finder, click File in the menu bar, and select New Smart Folder.

2. Click the + icon in the upper-right corner of the New Smart Folder window.

3. Set the search parameters for files larger than a specific size.

4. Select the files you want to delete and move them to the Bin by right-clicking and selecting Move to Bin.

5. Empty the Bin to remove large files from your Mac permanently.

8. Remove Xcode Junk

If you use Xcode for app development, you may have noticed it likes to leave behind a trail of temporary files and other data that can add up over time. These digital dust bunnies can clog up your Mac, causing serious performance issues.

But lucky for you, its not that difficult (though time-consuming) to clean Xcode junk files, if you follow these steps:

1. Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar and select Go to Folder.

2. Paste the following in the empty field one by one:

~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode

~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator

~/Library/Developer/Xcode/Archives

~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData

~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport

3. Delete any Xcode junk files you no longer need.

Wrap Up

Cleaning junk files is a critical part of maintaining your Mac’s performance. Regularly removing these files can free up valuable space and help your Mac run faster. Here are some more tips to help you improve your Mac’s performance:

• Clean your browser cache on Mac regularly to prevent it from accumulating over time.

• Always create a backup of important files before cleaning junk files to ensure you don’t accidentally delete something you need.
• Remove login items on your Mac to free up memory and improve its speed.

Frequently Asked Questions