How to Find Files Stored Locally on Mac

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Open a new Finder window

   Click the Finder icon in your Dock to initiate a new window. Ensure you are viewing the root directory of your user folder or the Macintosh HD drive.

   Note: Command + N
2. 30 sec

   Initiate a search query

   Click into the search field located in the top-right corner of the Finder window. Type a period (.) to trigger the search parameters and reveal the search filter bar.

   Note: Command + F
3. 1 min

   Restrict the search scope

   Click the plus (+) button beneath the search bar to add a new search attribute. Click the 'Kind' dropdown menu and select 'Other' to access the full attribute list.

4. 1 min

   Configure local storage criteria

   In the attribute search box, type 'Where' and check the box for 'Where' in the results. Select 'Where' from the dropdown, then select 'is' and choose 'This Mac' from the location list.

   Note: Use this to isolate files that reside within your local partition rather than mounted network drives.
5. 30 sec

   Exclude iCloud synced items

   Add another attribute by clicking the plus (+) button. Set the attribute to 'iCloud Status' and set the value to 'Not Downloaded' to remove cloud-only placeholders from your results list.

   Note: This ensures your results reflect only files physically occupying local storage space.
6. 30 sec

   Sort by file size

   Click the 'View' menu in the top bar and select 'Show View Options'. Check the box for 'Size' and click 'Use as Defaults'. Click the 'Size' column header in your Finder window to sort files from largest to smallest.

   Note: Command + J