Old Installers on Mac: How to Find and Delete Them
Why Old Installers Waste Space
Every time you download software for your Mac, you get an installer file. This might be a .dmg disk image, .pkg package installer, or .zip file. After installing the software, the installer file stays in your Downloads folder unless you manually delete it. Over time, dozens of old installers pile up and waste gigabytes of space.
Each installer can be anywhere from 50 MB to several gigabytes. Apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Xcode have installers that are 2 to 8 GB each. Learning how to clean up mac by removing old installers is a quick win.
Finding DMG Files
DMG files are the most common Mac installer format. Open Finder and type .dmg in the search bar. Make sure you are searching This Mac and not just the current folder. You will see every .dmg file on your Mac, including ones buried in subfolders.
Sort the results by size to find the biggest ones first. Check the date to confirm they are old. If you installed the software months ago and it is working fine, you don't need the installer anymore. You can always re-download it. Deleting old .dmg files is a safe way to how to clean up mac.
Reclaim Mac finds and removes junk files automatically.
Finding PKG and ZIP Files
PKG files are another common installer type. Search for .pkg in Finder the same way you searched for .dmg files. These are often left behind by macOS updates, printer drivers, and business software.
Downloaded software sometimes comes as a .zip archive. After extracting the contents, the archive file remains. Search for .zip in Finder to find old archives. Be more careful with .zip files since they might contain documents or personal data rather than installers. Check the contents before deleting. Together these make how to clean up mac from installers straightforward.
Cleaning Up macOS Installers
If you have downloaded full macOS installers to upgrade or create bootable drives, these are in your Applications folder and they are large. A macOS installer is typically 12 to 15 GB. Look for items named Install macOS Ventura, Install macOS Sonoma, or similar.
If you have already upgraded and don't plan to create a bootable install drive, delete these. They are among the largest single files on most Macs. This is one of the most impactful ways to how to clean up mac storage.
Preventing Installer Buildup
After installing software, make it a habit to delete the installer immediately. When a .dmg mounts and you drag the app to Applications, eject the disk image and delete the .dmg file. When a .pkg finishes installing, move it to Trash right away.
You can also set your browser to ask where to save downloads instead of automatically saving to the Downloads folder. This makes you more aware of what you are downloading. A few seconds of cleanup after each install prevents the slow buildup that eventually wastes gigabytes.
Bulk Deleting Old Installers
For a thorough cleanup, search for each installer type one at a time. Start with .dmg, then .pkg, then .zip. For each search, sort by size and select all the files you no longer need. Move them to Trash and empty the Trash when done.
This batch approach is faster than hunting individual files. Most users find 2 to 10 GB of old installers on their first cleanup. Developers and power users who install many tools may find even more.
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