How to Clean Junk Files on Mac Featured Image

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

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Last updated: September 6, 2023

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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.

Before We Begin

Junk, cache, and leftover files can slow down your Mac. They can also cause problems like loud fans, crashing apps, and unresponsive mice. To avoid these problems and optimize your Mac, use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup. This feature easily identifies and cleans junk files on Mac, making it run faster and load quicker.

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:

File TypeDescription
Cache filesCreated by applications to speed up their operation. They can include images, scripts, and other data the app needs to function properly.
Log filesRecord information about system events and errors. They can take up excessive space over time, especially if you have a lot of apps installed.
Temporary filesCreated by apps when they need to perform a specific task, such as downloading a file or updating an app. Once the task is complete, the file is no longer needed.
Unused language filesMany apps come with language files for different languages. If you only use one language, the other language files are just taking up space.
Duplicate filesIdentical to other files on your computer. They can take up a lot of space, especially if you have a large collection of photos or music.

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.
click safe cleanup under the cleaning section 6
  1. Click Start Scan.
click start scan in safe cleanup 3
  1. From the list of detected items, choose which ones you want to remove from your Mac or click Check All.
select junk files to remove or click check all 6
  1. Click Clean Junk Files.
tap clean junk files 6
  1. Wait for MacKeeper to finish cleaning. When it’s done, you’ll get a Cleaning Completed notification. Click Rescan to scan your Mac again.
click rescan in safe cleanup 3

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.
click go in the menu bar and select go to folder
  1. Type in the following path and press Enter:
~/Library/Caches
  1. Select the cache files you want to delete, or select all cache files. Right-click the selected files and select Move to Bin.
right click system folders and select move to bin 1
  1. Right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin to delete junk files from your Mac permanently.
right click the bin and select empty bin

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.
macbook air command shift g keys
  1. Type the following path in the field and press Enter:
~/Library/Logs
type library logs in the field and press enter
  1. 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.
right click the user log files and select move to bin
  1. Next, right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin.
right click the bin 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.
click go in the menu bar and select go to folder
  1. Type in the following path and press Enter:
/var/log
type in var log and press enter
  1. 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.
right click the system log files and select move to bin
  1. Right-click the Bin icon in Dock and select Empty Bin to delete unnecessary log files from your Mac permanently.
right click the bin and select empty bin

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.
open finder and select applications in the left sidebar 2
  1. Find the app you want to remove language files from. Right-click the app and select Show Package Contents.
right click the app and select show package contents 1
  1. Open the Contents folder and navigate to the Resources folder inside.
navigate to the resources folder in contents
  1. 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.
subfolders ending with lproj in resources
  1. Select and delete the language folders you don’t need.
select and delete the language folders in resources
  1. Don’t forget to empty the Bin to completely remove localization files from your Mac.
right click the bin and select empty bin

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.
click go in the menu bar and select go to folder
  1. 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/
  1. 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.
click smart uninstaller in the left sidebar 3
  1. Click Start Scan.
click start scan in smart uninstaller 2
  1. Click Leftovers in the left menu.
click leftovers in the left sidebar of smart uninstaller 4
  1. Select the leftover files you want to delete and click Remove Selected.
select the leftover files you want to delete and click remove selected 3
  1. Click Remove on the pop-up to confirm the deletion.
click remove on the pop up in smart uninstaller 4
  1. You’ll get a Removal Completed notification. Click Rescan if you want to run the scan again.
click rescan in smart uninstaller 5

What Else Can MacKeeper Do?

MacKeeper is a one-stop solution for all your Mac optimization needs. If you want to learn more about its amazing features, read my detailed MacKeeper review.

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.
click finder in your dock
  1. Click the small magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of the Finder window.
click the small magnifying glass icon in the finder window
  1. Type dmg in the search bar, and it will show all files with the same extension in their name.
type dmg in the search bar
  1. Delete the .dmg files you no longer need by right-clicking and selecting Move to Bin.
right click the dmg files and select 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.
click file in the menu bar and select new smart folder 1
  1. Click the + icon in the upper-right corner of the New Smart Folder window.
click the icon in the upper right corner of the new smart folder window 1
  1. Set the search parameters for files larger than a specific size.
set the search parameters for files larger than a specific size
  1. Select the files you want to delete and move them to the Bin by right-clicking and selecting Move to Bin.
right click the files you want to delete and select move to bin
  1. 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.
click go in the menu bar and select go to folder
  1. 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
  1. Delete any Xcode junk files you no longer need.

Manually deleting Xcode files can be tricky and may cause damage to your system files. So, it’s better to use a third-party app designed to delete Xcode files and avoid removing any important files.

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:

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can junk files harm my Mac?

    While junk files may not directly harm your Mac, too many of them can potentially slow down your system performance and reduce available storage space. This can cause issues with running applications and storing files, leading to constant crashes and freezing screens.

  2. How often should I clean junk files on my Mac?

    You should clean junk files on your Mac at least once a month to prevent them from accumulating over time. However, the frequency with which you should clean junk files can vary depending on your usage patterns and the amount of storage space on your hard drive.

  3. Can I manually clean junk files on my Mac without using a third-party app?

    Yes, you can manually clean junk files on your Mac without using a third-party app. You can do this by deleting unnecessary files, clearing browser caches and cookies, and removing old software updates. However, using third-party software makes the process quick and safe.

Hashir Ibrahim

Author

I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

Ojash

Reviewer

Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

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