Help · Is it safe to delete?
What's safe to delete on a Mac?
The files, folders and processes people most often ask about, with a short answer for each. Every page says what it is, what Apple or a reliable source says, and what to do instead if deleting isn't safe.
| Item | Safe to delete? |
|---|---|
| Apple Intelligence's models | Leave them; Apple offers no supported way to remove them. |
| System Data | Partly. See what's in it first. |
| ~/Library/Containers | Usually not; only for apps you've removed. |
| Mobile Documents (iCloud Drive) | Not in Finder; use Remove Download. |
| .Spotlight-V100 and mds_stores | No; rebuild the index instead. |
| mediaanalysisd and photoanalysisd | No; let them finish. |
| sleepimage and swap files | No; macOS manages them. |
| Other volumes in container | No; macOS needs them. |
| .DS_Store files | Yes, but Finder recreates them. |
| com.apple.quarantine | Leave it; it protects you. |
| kernel_task | No; it's keeping your Mac cool. |
| ~/Library/Caches | Mostly yes, with apps closed; they grow back. |
| Time Machine local snapshots | Yes, but macOS deletes them itself when space is needed. |
| iPhone backups (MobileSync) | Yes, old ones, through Finder; not by hand. |
| Xcode DerivedData and simulators | Yes, with Xcode's own tools. |
| Log files | Rarely worth it. |
Rule of thumb: never delete anything in /System, and when a file belongs to an app, remove it through the app or its uninstaller. Keep a current Time Machine backup before deleting much by hand.
Find out what's safe to remove.
Pangalin Space Manager's free scan shows what's using your disk, folder by folder, and labels each item: safe to clean, can move, or needs review. macOS's own files are marked so you don't delete what your Mac needs.
Free to scan · first 5 GB freed free · Notarised by Apple · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later