In this guide, we will discuss where to find the Downloads folder on your Mac and how to delete downloads to free up space.
When you use a Mac, you inevitably download a lot of files, documents, movies, audio, and more on it. If you don't clean them up often, they will pile up and take up a lot of your precious space.
Wondering where your downloads are and how to delete them permanently? You have come to the right place. Follow this guide to get rid of them and get more space on your Mac.
Before we learn how to delete download files on Mac, let's find where the Downloads folder is.
Typically, in the Finder sidebar, you'll see the Downloads folder. If you can't find it, click the Go menu in Finder and select Downloads.
If you've ever opened the Downloads folder, you can quickly reopen it by right-clicking the Finder icon in the Dock and selecting Downloads.
Tip
To display the Downloads folder in the Finder’s sidebar, click the Finder menu > Preferences, and tick Downloads.
How to Manually Delete Downloads on Mac
It’s a good idea to delete the unwanted downloads from your Mac so that your Mac doesn't run out of storage space quickly.
To manually delete downloads on your Mac, open the Downloads folder, select the files you want to remove, and drag them to the Trash.
If you want to delete all downloads, press Command + A to select all the files and move them to Trash.
Keep in mind that moving unneeded files to the Trash doesn’t completely delete them. If you want to permanently delete downloads on your Mac, use the keyboard shortcut Option + Command + Delete to bypass the Trash.
How to Quickly and Permanently Delete Downloads on Mac
There is a faster and easier way to delete all the downloads on your Mac. All you need is BuhoCleaner, a handy Mac cleaner. Some of its noticeable features are junk file cleaning, app uninstallation, large file and duplicate file removal, and disk space analysis.
Here’s how to delete all downloads on your Mac with BuhoCleaner:
Download, install, and launch BuhoCleaner.
Click Toolkit in the sidebar and select Disk Space Analyzer.
Click the Scan button and you will find all the folders on your Mac and their sizes.
Continue to click Users > Your Name, check the Downloads box, and then click the Remove button.
If necessary, navigate to other features to further clean up your Mac and get back more space.
How to Clear Download History in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
In addition to deleting downloads on your Mac, you may also want to remove your download history in your browser to protect your privacy or free up space.
Here’s how to clear download history in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
Safari:
Open the Safari browser.
Click the View menu in Safari and select Show Downloads.
In the Downloads window, click the Clear button.
By default, Safari will automatically delete the download list items after one day. If you don't like this default setting, go to Safari Preferences to set your ideal removal method.
Tip
The Downloads folder is where Safari downloads are saved. You can also change the default location to whatever you like.
Chrome:
Launch Google Chrome.
Click the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of the Google window and select Downloads.
In the new window, click the three-dot menu and you can clear all download history with one click.
Tip
To save your downloads to a folder other than Downloads, click Settings > Downloads > Change and choose your preferred folder.
Firefox:
Open Firefox.
Click the Tools menu in Firefox and select Downloads.
In the new window, click the Clear Downloads button to remove all download history on Firefox.
Tip
To change the download location, click Settings, scroll down to Files and Applications, and click the Choose button to change the download folder.
Final Words
Now you know where the Downloads folder is on your Mac and how to get rid of unneeded downloads permanently. Go ahead and choose a method you like to start cleaning up your Downloads folder.
By the way, BuhoCleaner is an excellent Mac cleaner that can clean your Mac thoroughly. Don’t forget to give it a try.
