How to delete downloaded files on my MacBook?

Once you remove old unwanted Downloads, you may still have space problem.

I suggest that most users have already removed files as aggressively as they would like to, and chasing down more will only provide minimal relief, and only for a very short time.

The real solution to the problem of having more files than you have space is to add more space -- by connecting another external drive.

Deleting downloaded files on your MacBook is a simple process! Here's how to do it:

1. Open Finder. It's the blue application icon with a smiley face on your Dock.
2. In the left sidebar, navigate to Downloads. This folder stores all your downloaded files from the internet.
3. Browse through the files and identify the ones you no longer need.
4. Select the unwanted files by clicking on them (hold Command key to select multiple files).
5. Drag the selected files to the Trash icon in your Dock.

That's it! Your downloaded files are now moved to the Trash.

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6) Once you are CERTAIN you don't want those items any more, choose Empty Trash from the finder menu and they will all be permanently removed, NO Undo.

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

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6) Once you are CERTAIN you don't want those items any more, choose Empty Trash from the finder menu and they will all be permanently removed, NO Undo.

A very important step!

It is one thing to remove unneeded apps and saved files - that you know what they are. I think you are talking about removing files which you may not know precisely what they do. If this is the case, do not mess with them. If you do, you likely will find that you have created serious problems. The solution to a full HD is to install an external drive which you can copy files onto and then delete them from the HD to create needed space. Problem solved.

Petraanna wrote:

I am facing an issue on my MacBook regarding the deletion of downloaded files.

What's the issue? If you're just trying to recover space, you can sort the folder into file size order and then consider whether removing the larger files is likely to help. Then, look at each file to decide whether it's safe to delete it. Typically, the largest files are video files. If the file(s). Figure out for each file what programme controls it (for example Music files are managed by the Music app) and if necessary remove from the files from within the application; don't just delete them in Finder.

Ah, got it. Now, share a way to delete downloaded files on MacBook,

Spotlight Search: This method is super convenient if you remember the name of the file you want to delete.

- Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search (it's like the search bar on steroids).

- Type in the name of the file you want to delete. Spotlight will start showing results in real-time.

- Once you see the file you want to delete in the results, highlight it and press Command + Enter. This action will open the file's location in Finder.

- With the file highlighted in Finder, press Command + Delete to move it to the Trash. Then, you can empty the Trash as usual.

This method is lightning-fast and doesn't require you to dig through folders in Finder when you want delete downloaded files on MacBook. Plus, Spotlight is great for finding files even if you're not sure where they're located on your MacBook.