TL;DR
To delete downloads on Mac:
- Open Finder and go to Downloads.
- Select files and press Command ⌘ + Delete or drag them to the Bin.
- Right-click the Bin and choose Empty Bin to permanently delete.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
You might not pay much attention to the Downloads folder, but over time, those files can take a lot of space. By regularly clearing them out, you can keep your computer running smoothly and avoid unnecessary slowdowns.
Before We Begin
To free up storage on your Mac, you should delete downloads on Mac using MacKeeper. With its Smart Uninstaller feature, MacKeeper can identify your system’s unnecessary apps, plugins, and leftover files and remove them in one click. This feature can help you recover a significant amount of disk space quickly.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Downloads on Your Mac With MacKeeper
If you want to delete unnecessary files in your Mac’s Downloads folder, use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup. Here are the steps to remove unused and junk files from your Mac using the Safe Cleanup:
- Open MacKeeper and click Safe Cleanup under the Cleaning section.
- Click Start Scan.
- MacKeeper will scan your Mac for unused and junk files. Select the files you want to remove or click Check All.
- Tap Clean Junk Files.
- This will remove the selected files from your Mac, and you’ll get a Cleaning Completed message on your screen. Click Rescan if you want to run the scan again.
How to Delete Downloads on Mac
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Here, I’ll share the two best methods to delete downloads on Mac:
Did You Know? Regularly clearing your Downloads folder can free up gigabytes of storage space. For example, many users accumulate unnecessary installation files, documents, and media that can take up a surprising amount of space over time.
1. Using Finder
- Open Finder by clicking its icon in the Dock.
- Click the Downloads folder in the left sidebar of Finder under the Favourites section.
- Select the files or folders you want to delete. You can select multiple items by holding down the Command ⌘ key and clicking each item.
- Move the items to the Bin by pressing Command ⌘ + Delete on your keyboard or dragging the selected items to the Bin icon in the Dock. You can also right-click the selected files and select Move to Bin from the context menu.
- To permanently delete the items, empty the Bin. You can do this by right-clicking the Bin icon and selecting Empty Bin or by opening the Bin and clicking the Empty button in the upper-right corner.
Be careful when deleting downloads on your Mac, as they will be permanently deleted once you empty the Bin. If you accidentally delete an important file, try using Time Machine or a data recovery tool to restore the file.
2. Using Apple Menu
- Click the Apple menu and select About This Mac.
- Click More Info.
- In the new window, scroll down to the Storage section and click the Storage Settings button.
- Click the small i icon next to Documents.
- Navigate to the Downloads tab in the new window.
- Select the files you want to delete from the Downloads folder and click Delete.
- Click Delete on the pop-up to confirm your decision.
Quick Tip: Delete Leftover Downloads
Even after deleting downloads, hidden files remain. Use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller to easily find and remove these leftover files, freeing up space and improving your Mac’s performance.
Final Thoughts on Deleting Downloads on Mac
Deleting downloads can improve your system performance and free up space on your Mac. Now that you know how to delete downloads on Mac efficiently, you may want to consider other methods to improve your device’s speed and performance. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Uninstall applications on your Mac completely by removing their leftover files.
- Free up space on your hard drive by clearing the cache on your Mac.
- Optimize your device’s performance by freeing up RAM on your Mac.