See the disk as a system, not a folder list
A large-folder list is useful, but it does not explain why storage is growing. DiskTidy combines file and folder sizes with AI tool residue, duplicate candidates, project-generated output, available capacity, and live system health.
Run a full-disk scan for the broadest view or choose specific folders for a faster investigation. Protected and inaccessible areas are reported honestly rather than silently treated as empty.
Investigate the biggest opportunities first
- Largest files and folders across locations you authorize
- Duplicate-file candidates with review before deletion
- AI editor and agent caches, logs, backups, and orphaned data
- Generated project folders such as node_modules, .next, dist, build, and DerivedData
- Scan history and growth signals that reveal sudden storage changes
Physical capacity and logical size are different
Virtual machines, Docker storage, sparse images, links, snapshots, and file-system optimizations can make a naive sum exceed the Mac's physical capacity. A useful analyzer must keep those concepts separate.
DiskTidy anchors health reporting to the real volume capacity and available space, while scan results describe the files and logical data that were actually observed. This prevents a virtualized or shared data structure from being presented as a larger physical disk.
Review before deletion
Every cleanup starts with evidence. DiskTidy shows the candidate and expected recovery, protects running tools, excludes projects from automatic cleanup, and favors Trash-first removal where possible.
Frequently asked questions
Can DiskTidy analyze the full Mac disk?
Yes. DiskTidy can run a full-disk analysis where macOS permissions allow it, and it can also scan specific folders when you want a narrower report.
Why can an app report more data than the physical disk capacity?
Logical sizes can be misleading when containers, sparse files, snapshots, links, or virtualized storage are counted without physical-capacity context. DiskTidy separates capacity and scan measurements to avoid presenting a logical total as physical disk size.
Does the free version show cleanup candidates?
Yes. Disk and AI-tool scans are free, and DiskTidy shows findings before purchase. Pro unlocks automated cleanup, duplicate deletion, and unlimited manual deletion.