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How to clean up your Downloads folder on Mac

Updated

Short answer: Click Tidy Downloads in the MacEx sidebar. MacEx shows where each file will go before anything moves, sorts files into folders such as Images, Documents and Archives inside Downloads, never replaces existing files, and ⌘Z puts everything back.

How do I tidy my Downloads folder?

  1. Click Tidy Downloads in the MacEx sidebar.
  2. Review the list. Each file shows the folder it will move to.
  3. Confirm. Files are sorted into folders such as Images, Documents and Archives inside Downloads.
  4. Changed your mind? Press ⌘Z to put everything back.
MacEx Tidy 14 downloads? sheet listing each file in ~/Downloads with the folder it will move to: Images, Documents or Archives, and a note that existing files are never replaced and ⌘Z puts everything back
Before anything moves, MacEx lists every file and its destination. Shown with a sample library.

Will it overwrite or lose files?

No. Existing files are never replaced. Tidy Downloads runs only when you ask, and automation rules are off until you turn them on.

How do I see where a download came from?

MacEx groups downloads by the website they came from, for example Gmail, Slack or Drive, and you can search by source. Finder shows “Where from” for one file at a time in Get Info.

MacEx Downloaded From view listing websites such as mail.google.com, drive.google.com and slack.com, each with its file count and total size
Downloaded From groups files by the website your browser saved with them. Missing sources stay unknown.

Can I tidy Downloads without an app?

Yes, by hand. In Finder, open Downloads, switch to list view (⌘2) and sort by Date Added to see what arrived recently, or by Kind to group installers, PDFs and images. Select a group and drag it into a folder. To check where a single file came from, select it and press ⌘I; Where from shows the address, if your browser saved one.

How do I free up space from old downloads?

Use Free Up Space. It lists old installers, forgotten downloads, old screenshots, big old videos and duplicate files. You review everything, and only the files you select move to Trash. Read how to find duplicate files on Mac.

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