Mac app leftover files: how much space is your Mac wasting?
When you delete a Mac app by dragging it to Trash, macOS only removes the .app bundle. We scanned 22 popular apps to measure exactly how many hidden files they leave behind — and how much disk space that wastes.
22
Apps analyzed
Xcode
Worst offender
30+ GB
Max leftover size
~1 GB
Avg leftover (Electron)
Key finding
The average Mac user who installs and removes a handful of developer tools and communication apps is carrying 5–15 GB of hidden leftover files. Xcode alone can account for 30+ GB. Docker regularly leaves 5–20 GB. Slack, Zoom, and Chrome together often add another 2–5 GB.
Developer Tools
| App | Leftover files | Disk space |
|---|---|---|
| Xcode → | 500–2000+ | 5–30 GB |
| Docker Desktop → | 28–100+ | 4.7–20 GB |
| VS Code | 30–80 | 200–800 MB |
| Android Studio | 50–200 | 2–10 GB |
| JetBrains IDEs | 100–500 | 1–5 GB |
Communication
Productivity & Office
| App | Leftover files | Disk space |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office suite → | 80–200 | 500 MB–2 GB |
| Adobe Creative Cloud → | 100–300 | 1–5 GB |
| Notion | 15–40 | 100–500 MB |
| Dropbox | 20–50 | 200–600 MB |
| 1Password | 10–25 | 50–200 MB |
Browsers
| App | Leftover files | Disk space |
|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome → | 40–120 | 500 MB–3 GB |
| Firefox | 30–80 | 200 MB–1 GB |
| Opera | 25–60 | 200–500 MB |
| Arc | 30–70 | 300–800 MB |
Media & Entertainment
| App | Leftover files | Disk space |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | 35–80 | 500 MB–1.5 GB |
| VLC | 8–15 | 20–100 MB |
| Plex | 25–60 | 200 MB–2 GB |
Why does macOS leave these files behind?
macOS doesn't have a centralized uninstall system. When you install an app, it's allowed to store files anywhere in your ~/Library folder. When you delete the .app bundle, macOS has no record of which Library files belong to it. Those files simply stay.
This is by design — apps can store preferences and data persistently so it's available if you reinstall. But for apps you're genuinely removing, this accumulation of "orphaned" files wastes disk space indefinitely.
The problem compounds over years of Mac usage. Heavy developers with frequent tool changes often find 20–50 GB of orphaned files after running a thorough scan.
The Electron app problem
Electron apps (Slack, Discord, VS Code, Notion, Teams) bundle a full Chromium web browser inside every app. That means web-style caching: HTML, JavaScript, images, IndexedDB databases, and more. These caches grow with every session.
An Electron app you've used heavily for a year might leave 1–3 GB of cached data. If you've used multiple Electron apps, the total can easily exceed 5 GB.
See what's hiding on your Mac
Download Zapper and scan any app for free. See exactly which files it left behind and how much space you can reclaim. Pay only when you're ready to remove them.