Bytesweep
Find out what System Data is eating on your Mac
The story
Overview
Bytesweep is a storage management tool designed to help developers and Mac users reclaim disk space without accidentally deleting critical files. It scans your entire drive or specific volumes in seconds and presents the results through eight different visualizations, from treemaps to flame charts, making it easy to understand where storage is being consumed. The tool categorizes findings into four safety levels: refused (system files), irreplaceable (SSH keys, git history, databases), yours (documents and applications), and rebuilt automatically (caches and dependencies). Bytesweep is particularly valuable for AI developers, as it identifies and protects local model weights from tools like Ollama, LM Studio, and Hugging Face while safely removing associated caches. Every cleanup operation is staged in a restore point first, allowing you to undo any action within 7 days, and the app includes no automatic deletion, no cloud sync, and no telemetry.
Key features
Eight visualization modes
Switch between treemap, sunburst, flame, bubbles, mind map, folders, top sizes, and age map views to understand storage distribution from different angles.
Smart file categorization
Automatically sorts files into four safety levels: refused (system-critical), irreplaceable (keys and databases), yours (documents), and rebuilt automatically (caches).
AI model detection
Identifies and protects local models from Ollama, LM Studio, Hugging Face, and other tools, preventing accidental loss of fine-tuned weights.
7-day undo restore points
Every cleanup moves files to a restore point first, allowing you to undo any action within 7 days before space is permanently reclaimed.
Offline operation
Works entirely on your machine with no accounts, cloud sync, or telemetry; license checks work offline for 14 days.
Developer-focused cleanup
Detects and safely removes Xcode DerivedData, iOS simulators, Docker images, node_modules, pip caches, and other build artifacts.
Use cases
- 1
AI and ML developers
Identify and protect large local model weights while safely removing associated caches and build artifacts that accumulate quickly.
- 2
Software developers
Reclaim space from Xcode, Docker, simulators, and dependency folders while preserving unpushed git history and SSH keys.
- 3
Mac users with full disks
Understand what is consuming storage and safely remove old backups, caches, and installers without guessing what might break.
- 4
Privacy-conscious users
Clean your disk without sending file names or usage data to any server, with complete control over what gets deleted.
FAQ
Will Bytesweep speed up my Mac?
No. Freeing disk space does not improve performance on modern Macs. Bytesweep returns storage, not speed. A Mac with 40 GB free runs as fast as one with 400 GB free.
Can Bytesweep delete files automatically?
No. There is no automatic mode or scheduled deletion. Every removal requires you to tick items and confirm, giving you full control over what leaves your disk.
What happens if I accidentally delete something important?
Every cleanup moves files to a restore point first. You can undo any action in one click for up to 7 days, after which the space is permanently reclaimed.
Does Bytesweep require an account or send data to the cloud?
No. Bytesweep works entirely offline with no accounts, no telemetry, and no analytics. It only checks your license key online and works offline for 14 days without one.
How much does Bytesweep cost?
One payment of $5 for macOS, which also covers Linux and Windows. One license key works on three computers with no subscription required.
Tech stack & tags
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