Found a big folder and not sure what it is? Crumb can tell you what it is and whether you can delete it. The check is in three places:
- Check a folder on Overview: pick any folder on your Mac.
- The Safe? button on each row in Visualize.
- The Safe? button on each copy in Duplicates.
What the answers mean
| Answer | What it means |
|---|---|
| Rebuilds itself | Safe to delete. The app or tool that made it makes it again when it needs it. |
| Partly safe | Some of it rebuilds itself, and some of it is settings or data you'd want to keep. |
| Your call | It's yours, and it won't come back once deleted. Look inside before you decide. |
| Protected | Your own data or something macOS needs. Crumb never deletes it. |
Each answer gives one plain sentence about what the item is or what would break, and says who checked it. Checked by Crumb's rules on this Mac means Crumb recognised it. When Crumb's rules don't know an item, the answer says so and asks you to check before you delete.
Most answers also link to the screen that can act on them. For something that rebuilds itself, that's Open Free Space, which removes only the parts that come back. For an app, it's Open Uninstall.
To close an answer, press Esc, click somewhere else, or click the button again.
What the check sends
The first time you use it, Crumb asks first: "To check, Crumb may send this item's name, size, type and dates. Never its contents." Click Check it to go ahead. Crumb doesn't ask again after that. The privacy policy has the details.
What Crumb never deletes
Some places are protected everywhere in Crumb. Free Space, Visualize, Uninstall, Duplicates and the weekly clean all refuse to delete them, even if you ask.
- Your home folder, Library folder and Applications folder
- Your Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Movies and Music folders themselves (what's inside them is judged item by item)
- The folders where apps keep their data and settings: Application Support, Containers, Group Containers and Preferences
- Mail, Messages, Notes, Calendars and Contacts
- Photos libraries and your Music library
- iCloud Drive and files from cloud storage apps
- Saved passwords and internet accounts
- Safari bookmarks and history
- SSH and GPG keys
There are two narrow exceptions. Free Space can list old iPhone and iPad backups, and files Mail has downloaded, under Your call. They're never ticked for you, so they only go if you tick them yourself.
