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Disk Space Analyzer


Overview

Disk Space Analyzer is a special Mac disk space analyzer that allows you to easily check the drive size, find large files, and free up disk space on a Mac from unneeded “space eaters.” The application is a convenient hard drive visualizer which displays local volumes and allows you to scan any type of external disk:

  • Hard Drive volumes
  • Flash Drive Volumes
  • CD & DVD disks
  • External storage disks
managing files with disk space analyzer

Each colored section on the diagram is a particular folder. By clicking on the section, you can see its content in detail. Click on the center element to switch one level up. Hover the mouse cursor on the diagram sections to see the folders’ names, sizes, and various other details.

Also, Disk Space Analyzer is not just a file size visualizer. Besides providing you with detailed information about what is taking up space on your hard drive, it allows you to manage disk space on your Mac. You can select items in the Folders Outline and then remove, move or copy files to other locations. You can also find and remove old unused files or transfer bulky content to external storage.

move files to folder

Features

Disk Space Analyzer is a disk space visualizer with a wide set of features to manage disk usage and free up disk space. See the list of features on Disk Space Analyzer:

  • Scan any type of volumes: hard disk volumes, flash drive volumes, CD and DVD disks, mounted DMG volumes, network disks, cloud-based storage.
  • Scan protected folders with FileVault or other protected systems.
  • Navigate through the folders of scanned volumes, displaying files and folders.
  • Get information about file and folder sizes, and dates when they were last modified.
  • Use Quick Look to preview folders and files.
  • Get information about files or folders, and preview them right in the application.
  • Find your hidden files and folders.
  • Create a list of files and folders for future organizing.
  • Remove unneeded files to Trash.
  • Move or copy big files and folders to other locations and volumes.

Context Menu

You can use the context menu for the following features:

  • Select the file or folder for future operations.
  • Show the file or folder in Finder.
  • Get information about the selected file or folder.
  • Quick Look at the file or folder.
  • Add a folder to the list of Favorites.
  • Remove a folder from the list of Favorites.
  • Quickly remove the selected file or folder.
  • Move the file or folder to another folder.
  • Copy the file or folder to another folder.
  • Get insight into the folder in the diagram.
  • Go to the root folder.
disk space visualizer app

Get information

You can use the context menu to open the information window for each selected item on the diagram or press the Command+I key shortcut for items on the diagram or in the Outline section.

disk space analyzer get file info

Show in Finder

To show a file or folder in Finder, you can use the context menu or use the Command+O key shortcut for a selected section on the diagram or in the outline.

show file in finder option disk space analyzer

Quick Look

To open the Quick Look for a folder or file, use the Space key on your keyboard or select this option in the context menu.

calling Quick Look option in Disk Space Analyzer


Add to Favorite Folders

For quick accessing, scanning, and analyzing of often-used folders, you can add them to the Favorite Folders list. Use the context menu for this option.

favorite folders disk space analyzer

Find the biggest files and folders

The bigger a folder or file, the bigger its related section on the diagram. So you can find your large files right on the diagram.

Also, there is a special Biggest files panel on the right where you can see the list of the largest files and folders, arranged in descending order of size.

big files in Disk Space Analyzer

Navigate files and folders

You can easily navigate your folders and see what is inside each of them. Just click on the appropriate section on the diagram, and a new space usage diagram will show up the content inside the clicked folder. Alternatively, you can navigate your files using the Folders Outline panel.

folders analyzing diagram outline

Scanning Volumes

Disk Space Analyzer allows you to check any storage and scan any volume. The app displays the list of scanned volumes in the left panel. All volumes displayed are grouped by type:

  • Storage
  • External disks
  • Network disks
  • Favorite folders
  • Folders
check any storage with disk space analyzer

To add a new folder for scanning, do the following:

  1. Click Choose Folder (the Plus”+” button).
  2. Choose a folder you want to scan.
  3. Click the Select button. add a new folder for scanning
  4. You will see the selected folder in the list of volumes on the left.
  5. Click the Scan button. You can also use the Cmd+S shortcut to start scanning. During the scanning process, you can see an animated “ray,” which means scanning is in progress. scanning process
  6. Wait until the scanning is completed. Located files will be displayed in sunburst diagram mode. The scanning process can take from several seconds to ten minutes, depending on the number and volume of files and folders. analyze documents on mac

Analyze disk usage

Disk Space Analyzer’s purpose is to help you to analyze disk usage on your Mac, find large files and remove unneeded “space eaters” – old unused files and folders that occupy significant space on your Mac disk. There can be several big unused folders or tons of small unused files on a disk.

To find large files and folders, do the following:

  1. Scan your disk or a particular folder and wait until the app finishes the process.
  2. Once the scanning is complete, Disk Space Analyzer will show the file structure as a sunburst diagram based on the scanned volume.
  3. Start navigating through the file structure by clicking on each section of the diagram.

Also, you can use the Outline tab to see the sizes of the folders as diagram sections.

outline mode in Disk Space Analyzer

Operating files and folders

Disk Space Analyzer allows you to operate files and folders. You can copy, move or remove selected items.

To select items, simply select mark the checkbox in the item’s line Folders Outline or Biggest Files panel. Then you can manage the selected items by clicking to remove them or copying or moving them to any desired folder.

operate files disk space ananlyzer

When you click to move or copy files, the app will display the Finder window where you can select the new location. Choose a new folder and click the Select button.

move files to folder

If you click to remove selected items, they will be physically moved to Trash.
Also, you can use the Menu Bar to operate selected items.

using menu bar to move folder using disk space analyzer


Shortcuts

For your convenience, you can use special shortcuts in the Disk Space Analyzer app.

List of all available shortcuts

Cmd+R scan, rescan or stop the scanning
Cmd+N scan a custom folder
Cmd+O show in Finder the current root item of the diagram or the selected item in the Outline panel
Cmd+I open information window for the current root item on the diagram or for selected item in the Outline panel
Space key Quick Look the current root item on the diagram or the selected item in the Outline panel
Cmd+↑ go to parent folder
Shift+Cmd+↓ go to root folder
Shift + click on Go to Parent folder in the context menu go to root folder
Cmd+D deselect all selected items
Control+Cmd+F enter the Full-Screen mode
Enter (Return) mark the checkbox in the Biggest files or Outline panels
↑ and ↓ switch between items in the Storage, Outline or Biggest files panels

List of controls for the Sunburst diagram

Scan Volume click on the diagram center (for not scanned volume)
Switch on/off displaying free space click on the diagram center (for scanned volume)
Open sunburst diagram for parent folder click on the diagram center
Open sunburst diagram for child folder click on folder sector
Show the item in Finder Press Command (⌘) and click on folder or file sector

Full disk access

For security reasons, Apple requires that you manually grant access to your apps to operate the user`s files. Since Disk Space Analyzer analyzes your whole Mac hard drive, you will need to grant Full Disk Access to allow the app to find all service files. After scanning your Macintosh HD you will see the following message:

disk Space Analyzer full disk access

Now, we will explain how to grant access to Disk Space Analyzer to your data scan all your folders.

Before we start, note that you can click the Grant Access button and follow the link right in the next pop-up window in the app to open Privacy settings. In this case, skip the first three steps from our guide. granting full disk access window

Here is how to grant Full Disk Access to the app:

  1. Open System Settings.
  2. Click Privacy & Security in the left panel.
  3. Scroll down the right panel and select Full Disk Access.
  4. Swith on Full disk access for Disk Space Analyzer. If you don’t see Disk Space Analyzer in the list of apps, click the Plus(+) button and add it.

If you use macOS v.12 or erlier, do the following to grant full disk access:

  1. Open System Preferences and go to Security & Privacy. Security on mac
  2. Switch to the Privacy tab and scroll down the list of items on the left. Find and select Full Disk Access. folder size finder full disk access
  3. Click the Lock icon in the bottom left corner to make changes. Enter your user password and click Unlock.
  4. Drag and drop Disk Space Analyzer o to the list of apps with Full Disk Access. You can also click the Plus “+” button, select the Disk Space Analyzer app and add it to this list.
    system preferences full disk access for disk space analyzer
  5. Click the lock again to save the changes.
Note! After making changes in System Preferences you may get a notification that you need to quit the app to save the changes. Click on Quit Now to apply the changes.

Then launch Disk Space Analyzer and scan your Mac hard drive with Full Disk Access on your computer.

If you have any questions about Disk Space Analyzer, contact our support team. We will be happy to assist you.


Uninstall Disk Space Analyzer

If for some reason you need to uninstall Disk Space Analyzer, follow these steps:

If for some reason you need to uninstall Disk Space Analyzer, follow these steps:

  1. Close Disk Space Analyzer.
  2. Remove Disk Space Analyzer from the Applications folder.
  3. In Finder, press the Cmd+Shift+G shortcut and navigate the ~/Library folder.
  4. Go to the Application Support folder and remove the Disk Space Analyzer folder from there.
  5. Empty your Trash.
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