If you are someone who downloads a lot on Mac, then it is obvious that your Mac storage driver will take up a lot of space. In that case, it is valid to delete the downloads on Mac. Whether you want to free up disk space on your Mac or need to improve the performance or speed of your Mac, deleting the downloads on your Mac gives you a hand. So, there is a high chance for your Mac to work smoothly if you delete the unwanted files or clear history and cache.
While there are many ways to delete downloads on Mac, the easiest way is through the Downloads folder in the Finder. And you can also use keyboard shortcuts for deleting. Since browsers take up space for the downloaded content, the article covers the steps to clear downloads on popular browsers as well.
How to Delete All Downloads on Mac
It was one of the simplest and often used steps to delete downloads on Mac.
1. Go to the Dock and select the Finder menu to launch it.
2. Select the Downloads option available on the left side menu on the Finder.
3. You can select the files you want to delete.
- To delete all the files, press Shift and click on the first and last download files to select.
- Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Command + A key to select all the files.
4. Click on the File menu to select Move to Trash.
- You can even right-click on the files and choose the Move to Trash option.
5. To permanently delete the downloads, click on the Finder menu and select Empty Trash.
How to Delete Multiple Downloads on Mac
If you want to delete multiple files, then follow these steps:
1. Go to the Downloads folders in the Finder menu.
2. Hold the Shift key and select the files or items you want to delete.
3. Now, just drag them to the Trash. Or you can right-click and choose Move to Trash.
How to Clear Download History from Mac
Although the above procedure removes the files from Mac, you are left with its traces. i.e., if you have used a browser to download a file, then the browser keeps the history of those downloaded files. So, it is vital to delete the history of the downloads, as clearing the download history will not delete the downloaded files on your Mac.
How to Delete Safari Downloads on Mac
1. Launch the Safari Brower.
2. Now, navigate to the Safari menu bar and choose History.
3, Next, it will show your Browser history, and now click on the Clear History option at the bottom of the menu.
4. In the pop-up box, select all history or any other option and then tap Clear History again to remove the history of downloads.
How to Clear the Downloads History in Chrome
1. First, open your Google Chrome.
2. Now, to clear the download history in Chrome, choose the Window menu and tap the Downloads.
3. Next, choose the three dots in the upper right corner of the downloads page and quickly tap the Clear all option.
4. Finally, the download history on Chrome will clear.
Clear the Downloads History in Firefox
1. Launch your Firefox Browser.
2. Choose the Tools tab available at the top near the Window option, and tap on Downloads.
3. Next, choose the Clear Downloads button at the top to delete the download history.
Note: If you want to clear everything on the download history in Firefox, tap on the History option and choose Clear Recent History from the drop-down menu. And also, choose the Time Range to delete the box and tap the Ok button.
How to Delete Downloaded Apps on Mac
Even after you delete or uninstall apps on Mac, you can find its associated files in the Downloads folder named .dmg. It can be deleted, and your device space will be saved.
1. Click on the Finder menu.
2. Then choose the View option.
3. Under the view option, select Sort By and go to Kind.
4. Search the files you want in the Downloads folder and find the .dmg files.
5. Then, choose the files you want to delete and move them to Trash.
Note: If you permanently want to delete the files, then right-click the Trash >> and choose Empty the Trash.
How to Delete Mail Downloads on Mac
All the mail attachment downloads will be saved in the local system folder of your Mac. The steps below will help you download the mail downloads on Mac.
1. Click on the Finder menu and select Go.
2. Choose Go to Folder and type as Library. Press Enter.
3. Now, locate the Mail folder and open it.
4. You should now type as attachments and press Enter.
5. Choose the Mail option in the tab that is displayed just above the search results.
6. Select the folders labeled as Attachments, and from there, you can delete the mail attachements.
To Delete Mail Attachments in Messages
1. Navigate to click on the Apple icon and choose About This Mac.
2. Select Storage and then Manage.
3. Now, highlight Messages and select the message attachments to delete them.
That’s how you can delete the files from your Mac. Mere deleting will not remove all the files and associated files. So, you should empty the trash to remove all the files without leaving any traces.
FAQ
If you want to delete downloads on Mac without a mouse, then you can use the keyboard shortcut- Command + Delete to remove downloads.
On Mac, your downloaded files are saved by default in the Downloads folder within the user account folder.
No. You cannot delete a software update on Mac as Apple doesn’t support reverting to the previous version.
It can be done using the same methods discussed in the above section.