---
title: "Find large files on Mac: free Terminal command builder"
description: "Build a safe, read-only Terminal command that lists the biggest files on your Mac: pick a folder, a minimum size, file types and age. Nothing is deleted."
url: https://tidymac.space/tools/find-large-files-mac/
updated: 2026-10-16
---

[Home](/) [Tools](/tools/) Find large files on Mac: command builder

# Find the largest files on your Mac

To list the biggest files on a Mac, run `find` with a size limit in Terminal and sort the result. Pick what to search below and copy the command. It only lists files; it never deletes anything.

Updated October 16, 2026By the Tidy Mac team

Search

WhereHome folderDownloadsDesktopDocumentsMoviesLibrary (app data)Whole startup disk

Bigger than (MB)

File typeAny fileVideosInstallers (.dmg, .pkg)Archives (.zip)Large imagesAudio

Not changed for (days, optional)

Your command (read-only)

```
find ~ -xdev -type f -size +500M -print0 2>/dev/null | xargs -0 du -h 2>/dev/null | sort -rh | head -50
```

![](/img/brand/tidy-128.png)

### See every big file on a map

Tidy Mac’s Space Map shows any folder as a treemap or sunburst, sized the way APFS really stores it; click to go deeper. Find lists large files and duplicates, or search in plain English. $9.99 once, 2 Macs.

[Download](/download/TidyMac.dmg) [Buy for $9.99 once](/buy/)

## How it works

-   `-xdev` stays on one disk, so external drives and network shares aren’t searched.
-   `-size +500M` keeps files over the size you chose (M = MiB).
-   `-mtime +90` (optional) keeps files not changed for that many days.
-   `du -h | sort -rh | head -50` prints sizes and shows the 50 biggest first.

Big files are only part of the story: most “missing” space is in System Data, which is many small files. See [how to find large files on Mac](/guides/find-large-files-mac/) and [what System Data is](/learn/what-is-system-data-on-mac/).

## Questions

How do I find large files on my Mac?

In Finder, press Command-F, choose Kind › Other › File Size, and set “is greater than” 1 GB. In Terminal, the command this tool builds lists the biggest files first. macOS Storage settings › Documents also lists large files.

Does this command delete anything?

No. It only lists files and their sizes. Review the list and delete what you don’t need yourself, ideally by moving it to the Trash in Finder.

Why does Terminal say “Operation not permitted”?

macOS protects some folders (Mail, Messages, Safari). Give Terminal Full Disk Access in System Settings › Privacy & Security, or ignore those lines; the command hides them.

Why don’t the sizes match Finder?

`du -h` shows binary units (1G = 1,073,741,824 bytes); Finder shows decimal GB. Use the [GB to GiB converter](/tools/storage-unit-converter/).

## Related

[Find large files on MacGuide](/guides/find-large-files-mac/)[System Data explainerFree tool](/tools/system-data-explainer/)[Mac cleanup command builderFree tool](/tools/mac-cleanup-commands/)[What’s safe to delete on a MacGuide](/guides/what-is-safe-to-delete-on-mac/)[How much storage do I need?Free tool](/tools/mac-storage-needed/)[Is it safe to delete?Free tool](/tools/is-it-safe-to-delete-mac/)